I'm floundering a bit, but trying to pull it together this week. I feel like I am behind, but hopefully I just need to take stock!
Reality Check Week Assignments:
[ ] Replace Halloween with Thanksgiving decor
Will get Thanksgiving items out of attic on lunch today and have them available for easy access Thursday.
[ ] Divide Christmas Card list into five groups; Write/address 1/5th
DH suggested we do photo cards this year. We still need to decide on and take a photo. I'm planning to get a card through a service like Snapfish, etc. in the long narrow size, so a standard business envelope should fit.
I'm going to pick up the envelopes this week and work on addressing and maybe even decorating them with Christmas stamps...I wonder if places like Staples have business envelopes in colors other than white? Will have to check!
I will also try to pick out the design we'll order now, get DH's opinion, etc. To save time later!
I'm worried about this task since things are still so loosey goosey on the photo.
[ ] Make a Holiday Budget
Done! Have an Excel spreadsheet I'm keeping updated. The hard part is STICKING to the budget!
[ ] Make a Master Gift List; Begin shopping; Buy 1/5th this week
This is a hard one! The list is done, but due to cutting back on $ this year, the majority of gifts are hand made. I'm about half way through my list of crafts and trying like mad to get through the rest of the things I had planned.
I have plans to visit a co-worker who has generously offered to let me have some of her children's toys they outgrew - some things are like new and pretty valuable so I'll pay her something for those - but there will probably be some things she'll just let me have.
Any thing I am actually buying this year will come out of the lump sums I've budgeted in Nov and early Dec - so no buying this week. Just CRAFTING!!!
[ ] Set up Holiday Houseworks Plan
I'm still plugging away - SLOWLY - at the HGP. Hoping to get caught up some this weekend!
[ ] Print a Master Shopping List
In progress. Need to finish the list. Am also going to try and send it to my smartphone...
[ ] Family Wardrobe Check
Pending...
[ ] Inventory Gift Closet
Done, I think! Planning to reorganize the office closet this weekend so I'll find if I have any surprises in there...
[ ] Establish Good Health Habits
Trying...
[ ] Tabletop Check
Need to work on this. I've been keeping this pretty casual at parties lately and we don't host holiday events at our home...but I still need to double check certain things.
I did reorganize the storage area in the basement this summer so I have a good idea of where everything is!
[ ] Gift Wrapping Inventory
I still have a very healthy supply of wrap and ribbon. I have sample pieces of all of them snipped and in an envelope in my craft room for reference as I work on making gift tags. I need to pick back up with making those too! I would like to get another batch done over the next couple of weeks.
WHEW! So much!!! I'm not as bad off as I thought, I guess. Which is what I was hoping for if I stopped to actually go through everything!