2023 - HHP - Week 17 - Celebration

[Holiday_Mom]

This is it! This is the week we've been working towards since September.

Week 1 - Planning and Paperwork
Week 2 - Calendar and Creativity
Week 3 - Me & Mine
Week 4 - Close to Home
Week 5 - House Room
Week 6 - Wardrobe
Week 7 - Bed & Bath
Week 8 - Family Space
Week 9 - Public Space
Week 10 - Cooking Space
Week 11 - Food Storage
Week 12 - Dining Space
Week 13 - Entryway
Week 14 - Storage
Week 15 - Final Clean
Week 16 - Nearly There
Week 17 - Celebration
Week 18 - New Year’s

We did it! The holidays are here, and time to celebrate.

The height of the season is here, so draw close to family and friends in your clean and organized home. Time to celebrate with the House and Holidays Plan!

With the holiday upon us, only minimum maintenance is needed in the house.

Holiday prep centers on those few chores needed to make a smooth move between Christmas and the New Year.

This Week's Focus: Celebration​

Christmas is here! Time to enjoy the fruits of your labors: a clean home and an organized holiday season.

Make the most of it--and the year's other 51 weeks--by sticking to the minimum maintenance needed to keep the household humming.

This Week's Household Checklist​

• Stick to minimum maintenance. With the house deep-cleaned and organized over the past 16 weeks, it'll need only minimum maintenance this week.
• Enjoy the fruits of your labor. You've done well these last weeks. Enjoy the season with friends and family--in your clean and organized home!

This Week's Holiday Prep Checklist​

• Give cameras and camcorders a last-minute charge. This week, plug them in nightly, like cellphones, so you won't miss a moment.
• Put together any "assembly required" toys. Nothing sours the holiday mood more than peering at papers and wielding a wrench the night before Christmas. Start early to keep the sparkle in the season.
• Check and organize stocking stuffers. Place each family member's gifts in a separate grocery sack so Santa can get a good night's rest on the 24th. Hang sacks on clothes hangers in the back of a closet to keep stuffers from prying eyes.
• Journal holiday memories. Continue to jot down the high points of the season on a holiday memories journal. Even a short record will be treasured in a year ... or ten.
• Keep tabs on Christmas collections. If you collect, you know the story: which Radko ornaments or Christmas Village decorations do you have, and which do you need? Do a quick inventory of Christmas collectibles, adding any new acquisitions to the list.
• Prepare for Christmas dinner. Set the table, arranging centerpiece, place-settings and serving dishes ahead of time. Sticky notes make it easy to know what goes where.
• Plan Christmas morning breakfast. The holiday will flow more smoothly with a menu plan, even for breakfast! What will you serve for Christmas breakfast? Consider a breakfast casserole or other alternative to an elaborate meal. Round it out with juice and pre-made sweet rolls for a festive--but easy--meal.

Any last minute things you need to do today?

 

[Holiday_Mom]

Not much else to do for today or this week. I'm looking forward to relaxing and enjoying time with the family.​

Household Checklist​

• Stick to minimum maintenance.

Holiday Prep Checklist​

• Charge camera.
• Check and organize stocking stuffers.
• Journal holiday memories.
• Prepare for Christmas dinner.

Merry Christmas!

 

[Cindylouwho]

Early morning Christmas Eve. Enjoying my little cold over here. . Loading up on all my supplements to keep it under control. It's mild, just have my energy zapped is all. I want to sleep. There has been too much running around and scheduled stuff this month. I'm going to have an entire opinion about this in our Christmas review thread. Busiest year in.....years. Over-scheduled. Just one of those years. At least we have no out of town guests to worry about contaminating with our cold and our family all got exposed together so I think we'll be okay.

Today we are cooking (and baking if we have the time and energy). Wrapping is now done. Have some bows to put on. DS wants all the sides from Thanksgiving that he missed because he wasn't able to come home for it. So we are doing roast beef and potatoes -- but also with stuffing, pumpkin pie and all things Thanksgiving!

Today:
1. Cook -- pretty much most of the day with Christmas movies going....
2. Watching the Apple App Store for deals. (like for the Calm App - nothing so far), and Amazon/Kindle to see if there are any last minute offers.....
3. Gotta charge everything.....candles, remotes, bluetooth speakers, game controllers, ......
4. Put out the tool basket with the scissors and such to open packages...
5. Drive around and see Christmas Lights because we haven't yet.
6. Check Facebook for community needs -- anyone or anything we are forgetting??
7. Family talk this morning on what is important to us. Another talk. Priorities. Cuz now we are together.

Things are starting to stir out in the kitchen. The family is waking up.

I wish you all Merry Christmas and hope everything comes together for you and yours for a warm and cozy holiday! Thank you ALL!!! So appreciative of this board!!

 

[happy2bme]

Day 12 of being sick, I am so over it. Christmas was great despite illness and
I returned to work yesterday.

We're sticking to the minimum maintenance plan and eating lots of leftovers!

 

[Holiday_Mom]

Day 12 of being sick, I am so over it.

Ugh! I am so sorry, Mel.

It's been a relaxing kind of week here since Wednesday. We're just hanging out with one another, chatting and playing games. I have either a cold or allergies. I'm thinking allergies because no one else is sick.