Christmas 2014 Lessons Learned!

[Sugarplum]

I need to start way earlier on everything. Having a huge 2 month work project, then a huge Thanksgiving, and getting so sick 12 days before Christmas nearly canceled our holiday.

The work stuff I cannot change, so I need to plan now to have the house clean and ready before October. I was washing floors and putting junk away Thanksgiving morning, with a houseful of guests expected early afternoon. I need to get back to a really good cleaning plan (start each new year but it falters), get my home improvement and decluttering stuff started now, while it is cooler. We cannot work out in the garage or outside during the summer, it is just too hot.

I also just found ornaments stuck in my hall closet that I couldn't find when I was decorating. That is why I am doing a detailed inventory of all my Christmas items. I do keep some of the more fragile items and my dishes here in the house but everything goes to storage. I just need to make sure I have everything in the right tote.

My sister will be moving to her beach house in August and we have already talked about doing holidays together. So either if I'm in Ft. Myers at her house or her family is at my house, I need to have everything organized and at the ready!

And not be sick in bed for 3 weeks!!!

 

[DawnSu]

Sugarplum, indeed, the motivation of cleaning is what kept me on track this time. I had the time to keep up with it & stay organized. Plus had dd to do a few thingss, so yes. Let's use the more motivated trend this year...
Happy new year...

 

[Winged One]

Having more homemade ready meals in the freezer was a very good point this year. It took a lot of stress off me when a job application was needed in the middle of December.

I did an Internet shop for groceries, that I ordered on a quiet day when I could think it through, and arranged for delivery the Thursday before Christmas. So I avoided the supermarket for doing the weekly shop in that mad week, but was able to get a LOT of the Christmas stuff already in that order, and all we needed for the weekend too. Especially great as Saturday morning was after a very late night and we also had DSis staying too so we were free to enjoy her company and go do some family fun stuff. (And it was far enough out I could get anything that had been substituted or missed, without panicking).

I did the wrap parties this year, and put things into the storage unit once they were wrapped to avoid damage and falling ove them. So I had very little to do in the last few days except a few things bought or finished sewing at the end.

I also bought the wine a couple of months ahead. I treated DH and I to 2 nice bottles for Christmas Day (although we only used one) because I wasn't in the panic of budgets running out. And I also had a chance to buy a reasonable amount of nice, but not very expensive, wine for entertaining - on a good deal in October, with money off coupons from that coming in December, so bought for my birthday then. And used the coupons, and a 25% off deal when buying 4 bottles, to get 20 bottles of the same nice entertaining wine, and the beers for 1 neighbour, FIL and DH (all like different ones, but only need a few each) for under €60 for the lot. We used about half of all, but I have plenty left to use over the next few months (when there probably won't be any offers).

One thing I didn't do was relax enough. I got an hour, with dd moaning about the TV most of that, one afternoon with my book on the couch. I started that one in February, but it's a daytime read not bedtime and I don't get daytime reading time at the moment. And I didn't get to the sales myself, but will do some this week at lunchbreaks.

One other thing I did sensibly was bought €10 worth of Leonidas dark chocolate covered orange peel chocs. Instead of large tubs of "seasonal" chocs. And 6 packets of family favourites biscuits rather than seasonal tubs, so only opened about 3 at a go. Everyone had plenty of biscuits when they wanted, but weren't tempted by open tins that "needed" to be finished. And we all like those chocs, but only eat a few at a time. I did have treats in, and didn't restrict them, but because they were more indulgent ones, (even crisps that we rarely get) we all seemed to self-ration ourselves while still enjoying them.

 

[tanya]

I also need to be better organised when stocking the pantry for Christmas. I try to stock up from about late Sept onwards. I have a separate areas to store it rather than just adding it to our regular items. Usually I get it pretty right. Then until about late Jan I only have to pick up fresh items and milk etc rather than do a big shop. This year it was a bit hit and miss. I had far too many crackers, crisps and biscuits but ran out of soda, sparkling water and juices.

I also have far too many chocolates- I think we will still be eating them at Easter!

 

[aggy]

No more candy canes. Every year I buy them for the kids. I buy starburst, jolly rancher and gourmet flavored candy canes, you know the really good kind. The kids didn't touch any of them and I don't eat them anymore either. So for the second year in a row they ended up in the candy jar on my desk when I got back to work, where my co-workers went through them in minutes. $10 less to spend. lol

 

[tanya]

No more candy canes. Every year I buy them for the kids. I buy starburst, jolly rancher and gourmet flavored candy canes, you know the really good kind. The kids didn't touch any of them and I don't eat them anymore either. So for the second year in a row they ended up in the candy jar on my desk when I got back to work, where my co-workers went through them in minutes. $10 less to spend. lol

I don't buy them anymore either. I have never liked them and as it turns out neither does DS. As it is hot here, they eventually melt together and end up in the bin.

 

[ChristmasPir8]

Aggy- I forced myself to not buy them for the same reason and I buy the "good" kind as well