Plans for Rudy Day--January 2008!

[koalagirl]

Well, I must say, I'm already working on Christmas 2008. I learned some things that I didn't do soon enough last year--so this year, I am getting right to those things and taking care of them first thing! Those "things" that I am referring to--are the presents for my parents--and for my siblings! I didn't have them ready to mail in time for Christmas 2007....however, I will do better this year. When I was planning for Christmas 2007--I had a lot of success in my planning--however, I had forgotten just how BUSY things really do get for me with all of the various activities that I am involved in as well as Christmas itself!

So....this month's Rudy Day will be spent shopping for some presents for my family--and actually wrapping them and getting the packages together with all of the mailing supplies. I also will work on signing and addressing my Christmas cards.

I learned something else this past Christmas--I really didn't follow through on all of the baking that I wanted to do! I've got to figure out a strategy of some sort...this will require some planning...and figuring out a way to make it happen this year!

Well...thanks for reading....I look forward to reading everyone else's comments and suggestions....here's to a wonderful Christmas 2008!!!

 

[Ahorsesoul]

I know what you mean about not having gifts ready for Christmas mailing. Been there done that. I've been working on this for awhile. This year I did get them out in time, sending them at a cost.

This next year I am working on my Heritage Chritmas gift early. I've already decided what I'm going to do. In past years I've always put it off to the last minute. So this year I'm using Rudolph Day to do the shopping for the items I need. (Ok, Cat if you reading this forget what you're reading! lol)

I need 7 frames that will hold 5 photos. I've seen 3 and 4 photo frames but not sure about 5 photos. And hopefully I'll be able to use my coupons for Michael's and Joannn's.

 

[FrostyShimmer]

Every year I press my husband to get the gifts he wants to send to his family out West ready. He always wants to get them himself and says, "I'll get around to it." If I remind him, even mid-December he gets mad at me for nagging him. This year I mentioned it once, and then reminded him two days before the cut off for getting them there on time. He still said he'd get around to it. No parcel was ever sent.
Last year I had to run out and get gifts for him last minute, and I paid an extra $30 to ship them by courier to make sure they arrived on time, and I swore to myself that I wouldn't do it this year. They still got a Christmas card, but no gifts this year. They didn't send any either, so I don't feel too bad about it. I never even know if they get our parcel or not. Next year I'll ask him if he wants me to take care of it or if he's going to do it himself. If he says he'll take care of it I'll scratch it off of my list of things to worry about.

 

[KimD]

Frosty I was having a hard time with DH handing over money to buy his family gifts this year. I finally told him todo it himself. Which he never did even with me reminding him daily. At 6:30 on Chistmas eve as I am carrying things out to the car to my moms house he asked what I bought his mother, sister, 2 nieces and great nefhew. Uhhh nothing, I told him todo it. Actually I had bought his one niece, her husband and great nefhew stuff and we met 1/2 way to give each other the gifts so the kids would have them to open on Christmas eve. The way I feel about it with his mother and sister (younger niece lives with her mom) is they say my kids are spoiled and get too much so why should they buy them anything. I feel why should I spend my money and time getting them something. If he wants to thats fine but I am not worrying about it anymore.

 

[KimD]

On Rudy day I want to get the Magic Elf plans written down and organized so I know what I have to get. Also want to order one elf online.

Need to get the kids to figure out what gifts they are going to make this year so that we can start getting supplies for those.

Also want to make a couple of decorations.

 

[cipalla]

I will do a little on my christmas cards, and start on the magic elf thing. Just got two of them this year for my boys. can't wait to start that. And maybe a little re-
organizing of gifts already bought and swap items. :grin:

 

[Cathymac]

I think for January I'll get my lists made-gifts to give, homemade gifts and shopping lists for supplies. I think I'll also plan my year's worth of Rudy Days. I'm trying out a new craft, so maybe I'll get the supplies and make one for this month. I haven't been able to find what I need to make them in town, so I'll have to make a trip to Little Rock to pick up things at Hobby Lobby. Our scrapbook store closed and Wal-Mart and Target don't have what I'm looking for. I'll budget for this trip for the weekend before Rudy Day. :rudolph:

One year I did plan my Rudy Days for all year, made a special section in my notebook with tabbed index dividers with each month and made a list of supplies I'd need to do my projects. It worked well-not every month was a total success, but much better than when I didn't plan. I'm going to try that again this year. :rudolph:

 

[Ahorsesoul]

KimD, Glad you didn't buy those gifts. If his family is important he can get them. Especially if they don't return the thought by buying your family something. If gifts are not exchanged the other family is saying it's not important to them. If you just have to get something for them pick up a large tin of popcorn for the whole family.

FrostyShimmer, Glad you held out too. He said he'd do it so it was taken out of your hands. Just cross them off your list now. I'd be sure to bring up that dh is in charge of buying for his family during a conversation this year for his family to hear too.

In our house usually dh is in charge of buying for the guys and I pick something up for the gals. Works out well for us. We do this for other occasions too, not just Christmas.

 

[LadyEvenstar]

I plan to spend the first Rudy Day making sure all stray traces of Christmas 2007 have been eradicated - I'm always finding stray ornaments on shelves or windowsills, etc. I also want to begin making plans for my 2008 magic elf escapades. They were such a hit this year and I was only working "on the fly". This year I want everything well planned.

Also, the past two Christmases I have made several photo calenders with the kids for both grandparents and my grandmom. It's always more time consuming than I think it will be just choosing photos or trying to gather photos of other grandkids (for MIL I include pictures of my niece and nephew as well as my kids and for granny I include photos of my cousin's kids, her other great-grandkids).

Each Rudy Day I plan to look through recent photos and save or scan any which I think might look good on the calender. That way they'll be more organized at the end of the year when I finally sit down to do it.

 

[VictorianChristmas]

This January Rudolph day I am going to:
1. go through all my ornaments and decorations. The ones I dont want I will donate to charity or give to my sister.
2. Plan my gift closet. Go through the items in the gift closet.
3. Plan my many gifts for birthdays during Christmas (a member of my family has a birthday every other week!)
4. Look for deals on the Christmas clearance rack if there are any
5. Develope my pictures from Christmas 2007

 

[Holiday Joy]

Oh, Rudy Day! I love it!
This year, I'm adding Turkey Day, Great Pumpkin Day, Cupid Day (anniversary as well as Valentine's Day), Bunny Day, Me Day and days for each family member' s birthday! If I even do two or three things for each day, I'll still be ahead of the game.

This month, I'm planning to:
revamp my notebook
Buy items for Operation Christmas Child
Donate some food to the food bank
Look for fabric to make Holiday table runners
Order (easy, beginning) quilt pattern for table runners
Try a new 'do ahead' breakfast recipe

Just a note about buying for In-laws; teaching DH a lesson is not always worth the outcome. My older bro is a procrastinator. DSIL decided not to buy for our parents one year to teach him a lesson. Her family got beautiful gifts. Only underscored that she did not think of our family as 'her family' too. Our parents were hurt -- not about not getting gifts, but to find out where they stood with her. They considered her their daughter. And it didn't 'cure' my bro of procrastinating. IMHO, it was lose-lose.

 

[momof4]

HolidayJoy, I like the idea of collecting things for Operation Christmas Child. I never thought of doing that ahead because it needs to be done so early, but I'm always scrambling a little to fill the shoeboxes before the deadline. We collect for several different groups - school, scouts, neighborhood, etc. - so it can sometimes get costly; spreading it out over the year will help!

So, my January Rudy Day will include:
[ ] re-organize Christmas notebook
[ ] begin gift idea lists
[ ] try and plan out activities for Rudy Days the rest of the year
[ ] purchase a few things for Operation Christmas Child

 

[SparkleNana]

ackage:

Thank you, Koalagirl, for starting this thread in such a great way!!! I too have to ship lots of gifts -- and it really is a big job. It is SO SMART to get them squared away on our first Rudy Day (or Days). That would be a great load off my shoulders!!!

This broadens the idea of Rudy Day for me. Really getting something big out of the way.

About the idea of buying or not buying presents for inlaws --- of course, each family situation is different. I do buy and wrap thoughtful gifts for difficult relatives - on both sides of the family.. Just my personal choice. We all have different ways of doing celebrations - which is what makes this board so wonderful!!!

 

[jampss]

I believe I'll put on a Christmas CD, work on my Old Christmas Card basket craft, print out new sheets for the Notebook, re-do card address list and maybe have some coco.


:rudolph: :rudolph: :rudolph: :rudolph: :rudolph: :rudolph: :rudolph: :rudolph:
:skate:

 

[jackfrosty]

This Rudy Day I want to do all the gift tags I will need and make them out. Hope to watch the movie and 'chat ' about the book! Maybe get my Nephew's gift together?

 

[christmascreations]

For starters I will probably make one of the Test it, Taste it, Rate it recipes, most likely the meatloaf.

Then I will reevaluate my gift closet and all the goodies I had bought throughout last year and never distributed this year. They are all stocking stuffer items like pens, notebooks, notepads, etc.... Most of them were afterschool clearance items and such. I originally planned on sending some to a friend's daughters in Honduras but money was way too tight. They never had stockings for Christmas and her boyfriend from the states sent them stockings so I wanted to send her fillers. Last year I sent her the link to the stocking stuffer list on OC and she was amazed!!!

Next is my Christmas Notebook....I want to reorganize it and make any copies needed. I already copied the Christmas Countdown 2008 forms then ran out of color ink so I should have ink by Rudy day again to keep printing!!!

And last but not least is sit back with a cup of hot cocoa and marshmallows with my Merry Christmas tee shirt on....ahhhhh

 

[momof2boys]

I have been procrastinating for rudy day. Just so hard to think of things that could be done when christmas 11 months away.....but come the holiday season I will be kicking myself in the butt. anyway isn' that why i joined this board?? lol. anyway I am going to

1. get christmas card list worked on. some people to add

2. work on notebook

3. get pictures from christmas developed and scrapbook christmas page.

4. try a new recipe

5. sometime with in the month by a $20.00 gift card to put up for either extra food to buy or as an extra last minute gift or to put towards "Toys for Tots"

6. I also have some toys that my children do not use and will be donating them to a women and childs shelter (I plan to do one thing a month to donate...food, clothes or toys)

 

[Gadler]

:heartsNY: to everyone! This will be my first Rudy year (although I have been doing OC for eons). I am so looking forward to it. My plan for the first day is:

1) Check out the gift closet
2) Check out the re-gifting gifts (duplicates etc)
3) Sort some photos for my Christmas letter
4) Organise a Rudy area to work from

Cheers,
Gail
From the land down under

 

[jodilee10128]

I think I'm taking the 'Relaxing' approach. I got this wonderful set of bath products with "Christmasy" scents. I'll be in the tub surrounded by the smells of Christmas and a good book. And i think I'll have enough bath products for the February Rudy Day as well. the cleaning and organizing can wait till "Spring" Cleaning. :frosty:

 

[Cathymac]

Reading the post from Momof2boys reminded me that I have decided to put at least $5.00 per week on a gift card, with the intention of using it for Christmas dinner and breakfast ingredients. Also, I'm planning on getting a new pre-paid debit card and putting $20 per week on it, for buying Christmas gifts. Then, when I'm out and about and find something that I think would make a good gift for someone, I've got the funds and don't have to worry about it. Also, it'll help me save for the bigger ticket items that my kids are starting to want. Thanks for the reminder!