2020 Christmas in July Week 5- 26th-31st

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Miss JoDee

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July 26-31, 2020

Christmas to New Year Plans


What do you do?

Do you have to go to your job or do you take vacation time?

Do you sit back and relax for the week?

Do you have Christmas gatherings with extended family or friends?

Do you shop after Christmas sales?

Do you plan a New Year's Eve party?

Do you pack Christmas away for another year?

Do you reflect on Christmas and start plans for the next year?

Do you feel the letdown that it’s over or do you plan a project or something exciting to avoid the letdown?
 

Minta

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What do you do?

Do you have to go to your job or do you take vacation time? I am off. THe office is closed for a few days and I use vacation time too.

Do you sit back and relax for the week? For a couple days.

Do you have Christmas gatherings with extended family or friends? Sometimes we do. All depends on everyone schedules.

Do you shop after Christmas sales? YES LOL. We go shopping the day after Christmas and sometimes again a few days later.

Do you plan a New Year's Eve party? NO, After hosting Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day I just want to chill on NYE. Some years my SIL and her kids come over and we just relax.

Do you pack Christmas away for another year? Some years we pack up Christmas on NYE or NYD other times we pack up Christmas during the 1st week of Jan. After we pack up Christmas we set up al the snowman and winter decorations (inside and outside)

Do you reflect on Christmas and start plans for the next year? YUP. I like to reflect what worked great and what didn't work out. What cookies were a hit and what were not. Activities everyone enjoyed. I will ask the family what their favorite and least favorite things were and take note.

Do you feel the letdown that it’s over or do you plan a project or something exciting to avoid the letdown? A little of both.
 

Ahorsesoul

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Christmas to New Year Plans

What do you do?
I usually do something on Christmas Eve and then on New Year's Eve or Day.
As a kid we always opened gifts on Christmas Eve so I have continued that tradition. NYE is my DS's birthday so we always had his favorite meal (lobster) and he again opened gifts. Some times we move it to NYD if people were busy. I really do not care the exact day we celebrate our holidays just as long as we do celebrate. In fact when little kids are involved I'd like to do it a week o two before Christmas. They get so much at Christmas I'd like it to be separated by a little time so they can enjoy what we give them. Our older grandkids that we do not but every few years or so, we try to send them their Christmas gift in July! Always a big hit since we send big gifts. This year it's super Remote Control cars that they can take to a race track if desired.

Do you have to go to your job or do you take vacation time?
Retired now but never took any days off previously. I would always work Christmas Day if I could have Christmas Eve off. I always brought food for my co-workers so we had a celebration at work.

Do you sit back and relax for the week?
I have gotten good at getting ready early so it's much more relaxing.

Do you have Christmas gatherings with extended family or friends?
Only one friend and I get together after the holidays to celebrate. I'd like to do it earlier than we have been doing it. Sometimes in March and has gone until June.

Do you shop after Christmas sales?
The day after sales are when I do a lot of shopping for decorations, crafting material and some gifts. I do a lot of online shopping. Dh is really good at watching the clearance racks during the year.

Do you plan a New Year's Eve party?
Not much of a party but a get together with food. No games.

Do you pack Christmas away for another year?
Always and make notes of things to look for at the sales and the during the up coming year.

Do you reflect on Christmas and start plans for the next year?
After everyone goes home on Christmas Eve I start making notes for the next year.

Do you feel the letdown that it’s over or do you plan a project or something exciting to avoid the letdown?
Since I started planning for the next year immediately I no longer have a letdown. Just looking forward to the next season. Most of what I do plan I plan for myself instead of others. Not that I do not take in consideration their ideas but I mainly do it for myself.
 
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Myron's Mom

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Not too much goes on here between Christmas and New Years. Most of our holiday meet ups happen prior to Christmas. NYE plans vary depending on the year. Sometimes we go out for a early dinner alone or with friends. Sometimes we have a fancy dinner at home alone. Most of the time we are in bed prior to midnight.

We are both retired thankfully. When I worked there were no vacation days allowed week 51 and 52. If I was off Christmas I had to work part of Thanksgiving or New Years. So glad that is over!

Yes!!! I shop the after Christmas sales. I start buying for the next Christmas. There are usually items I want that were way to expensive prior to Christmas that I look for. That’s usually when I buy wrapping paper etc too.

Christmas comes down about mid January. I try to fix anything broken, replace lights etc then. Decorations are packed according to the tree/ room. I make notes on decorating for the next year if I think of things.

I start making notes Christmas Eve for the next year. Food, gifts ideas, anything that comes to mind or during conversations.

My letdown/ sad time is usually Christmas night after our son is gone and the house is cleaned up. It’s all done for the year, all the planning, anticipation and excitement and I’m usually tired. By morning though I’m back into planning mode for the next year. I usually have decided what I am making for gifts for the next year by Christmas. Between after Christmas sales and working on making gifts I’m too busy to be sad or letdown.
 

halimer

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Again, good questions.

Not much happens between Christmas and New Year's. For the last few years I've been packing for FL since we usually leave a day or two after New Year's.

When DS was young I would take Christmas week off and DH would take Easter week off. Fortunately I was the boss so I could have my choice of days off. At my most recent job we closed for the week of Christmas and, of course, DS was an adult.

I don't go out on Dec. 26 but usually try to at least stock up on holiday paper sometime later in the week.

I prefer to keep decorations up until Epiphany but since we leave I have to take it down about a day or two after Christmas. Hanukkah decorations come down when Christmas decorations do.

The let down sets in when we come home from our friends house on Christmas Day and the radio stations are no longer playing Christmas music.
 

PamelaG

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We're closed between Christmas and New Year's so that's always nice. I think I'm going to take the week before off as well since Sophia will be out of school and hopefully Vic will be home. We do a little running around - Target shopping trip, breakfast out on Christmas Eve and then our trip to Barnes and Noble but apart from that, we have lazy days - movies, reading, games, cookie baking, gingerbread house making. We don't have family in the area and we've always been homebodies so no, we don't have Christmas gatherings other than a holiday open house which will likely not happen this year.

I don't shop the after Christmas sales although I know I should because it's a great time to pick up discounted holiday items. I did keep my eye on another set of china which I picked up when it went on sale after Christmas one year.

New Year's Eve in our house is very quiet - I can't remember the last time we were still awake at midnight! No New Year's Eve party, I don't want to be on the road and I wouldn't want other people to be either.

I used to pack up Christmas right away but in recent years, I've left the tree up until sometime in January. It takes so long to put all the ornaments away, I like to do it slowly. I do reflect on what worked and what didn't work to better plan for the next year.

I don't really feel a letdown - my life is a constant state of planning so I'm always thinking ahead to the next holiday and what little decor touches I'd like to put out.
 

sweetpumkinpye

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These are wonderful questions!!!!
Christmas to New Year Plans

What do you do? Boxing Day we all go to Mum's for leftovers and a rehash of the day. Many of our family joke that this is when we start preparing for the next Christmas. I say strike while the iron is hot.

Do you have to go to your job or do you take vacation time? Both DH and my workplaces close between Christmas and New Year.
Depending what days I am off I will need to take paid leave but it is something that we expect so make sure that I have enough holidays saved.
In 2021, I am taking the first week in January off so that I can enjoy a bit more time at home.


Do you sit back and relax for the week? We do a few different things. We might go up to the farm for a few days, or we may just sit here and relax. Last year I was very behind getting things done and was working putting away Christmas until the very last day before I went back to work. This year I will be putting Christmas away earlier so that I can enjoy my break.

Do you have Christmas gatherings with extended family or friends? Last year we got together with DD and DFSIL the Saturday before Christmas for a more informal Christmas Eve. We find with everyone working that getting together on Christmas Eve makes for a very long day. We really enjoyed the Saturday and I am planning to do that again this year if able to. On Christmas morning the kids come over and we open gifts and have breakfast. They then go to DFSIL parents and we go to my Mum's. It has been many, many years since we have had any real get togethers with friends or extended family. Ilove the ideas of big Christmas parties, it just is not something we do.

Do you shop after Christmas sales? I have done the Boxing Day sales but really don't enjoy them. I find that there are a lot of sales that go all January long so will wait a week or so after Christmas and then venture out. It is a bit hit and miss, if we get a bargain, great, if not that is OK too. Over the last year or two I have been buying things that I need before Christmas. The card writing and gift wrapping is done early and I write a list of what supplies I might need for the new year. I try and make a list of craft items I might need too. Before Christmas the items start to go on clearance so I buy things then rather than wait to the new year when the choices may be limited. I often pick up a few things that will be the start of my Christmas shopping for the new year. There is a certain thrill to getting a good Christmas bargain.

Do you plan a New Year's Eve party? We do not do a NYE party. We are a pretty quiet bunch here and a very small family.. Traditionally we buy Chinese food and we all get together and enjoy the last meal of the year. We will watch a movie or just sit outside (it is hot here) and chat the evening away. We may set goals for the new year and at some stage will set of some poppers and sparklers. We sometimes stay up to midnight but we often don't make it up that late.

Do you pack Christmas away for another year? I try and get Christmas away before I go back to work the first week of January. After last year I am hoping to get Christmas packed away before NYE this year.

Do you reflect on Christmas and start plans for the next year? Mum and I are great Christmas planners. I really like the planning more than the event. I love the anticipation. Mum and I will do a quick recap on Boxing Day but will get together on the first Thursday of the new year and do a planning day. We will talk about what worked, what didn't, what quantities we had, was there enough, too much? We will plan a menu and write a quick shopping list and divide between us what we will buy. We will talk about what gifts were a hit, were the stocking fillers OK? I love starting the new year with a fresh plan in place.

Do you feel the letdown that it’s over or do you plan a project or something exciting to avoid the letdown? I always feel a great let down after Christmas that lasts for a fair while. It is hot here so it is hard to get stuck into major projects but I do a lot of planning and dreaming.
I need to really focus on getting back to normal as quickly as I can.
 

PamelaG

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JoDee, thank you for hosting Christmas in July. So sad it’s over for another year. But that means Christmas is just a little bit closer!!!
Yes, thank you Jody, great questions to ponder, it's been an interesting Christmas in July in these COVID-19 times but we'll make the holiday special no matter what we have to work with.
 

Holiday_Mom

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What do you do? Last year we started something new. It was just the family that got together on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day we went to visit my parents. The day after we visited the other side of the family. Usually New Year's Eve, we host ice skating and hot chocolate with the other side of the family.

Do you have to go to your job or do you take vacation time?When I was teaching, I had the week off.

Do you sit back and relax for the week? No. We are usually bringing something somewhere or hosting so the break comes on New Year's Day.

Do you have Christmas gatherings with extended family or friends? It's usually extended family now. A few years it was with friends but it's harder now that the kids are entering adulthood and we're trying to stay in touch with out own grown children.

Do you shop after Christmas sales? Sometimes I have shopped them but it is usually based on what I need to replace for next year.

Do you plan a New Year's Eve party? No. We do a nice New Year's Eve dinner at home and then rent a movie from the library.

Do you pack Christmas away for another year? Yes but I've started to incorporate the family in packing away the Christmas tree ornaments and decor on January 2nd. The nativity set and Christmas tree stay up until at least 7 January which is the earliest the trash will collect the dead trees. I will keep white lights out, snowmen and snowflakes until mid February.

Do you reflect on Christmas and start plans for the next year? If hosting, then I usually make notes the day after of what worked/didn't work.

Do you feel the letdown that it’s over or do you plan a project or something exciting to avoid the letdown? I was feeling the letdown because I was putting away the things by myself. Once I got the family involved with putting things away, then it wasn't so bad. This is the time when I also start planning our annual vacation and/or work on the home spruce up projects that were too big to do before Christmas.
 

Ahorsesoul

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I came up with this idea to get my family to help put away the Christmas decorations. Before opening our gifts everyone picked one wrapped gift to open after decorations were put away. Presto everyone was willing to help.
 

Miss JoDee

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This was the first time I was able to host the CIJ thread. In the past I have worked with Pamela G and she did the posting. So many of the questions asked were questions that I were in my brain to how others on the site did their celebrations- the big elephant on the site Covid-19.
My wish was that we as a collective group could help one another in the upcoming season of what if... this would give us plenty of time to create a plan that will work for 2020. From what I am understanding, it will be different for many of us. I know I plan to get my shopping done early and mailing all the gifts and if it is open to for them to come New Years Eve for a family Christmas that is what we will do. Our gifts that day will be the name draw gifts. So everyone will have a gift to open. Meal will be simple and games will be plentiful.
Thank you to all who participated and Merry Christmas in July!:)
 

sweetpumkinpye

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Thank you Jody and all of you for a wonderful CIJ. I totally enjoyed it.
 
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AuntJamelle

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Thank you, Jody! You did awesome!!!

I can't believe July is over already either! I was playing Christmas music while I crafted yesterday - and DS played nearby - after a while he said "You know that Christmas in July is over mom, right? It is already August."

:rolleyes: