January Rudolph Day Topic: The Notebook and Rudolph Plan 2014

[Gingerbug]

January 2014:

It's time to look toward 2014. Okay, ok, let's actually get this Christmas packed away before we start but you can always "think" and jot down notes. While you are packing away this year is the perfect time to make notes for next year!

During January let's debrief and organize the notebook. Think about things that went well, things you might eliminate next year and things you wanted to do but never got to this year!

My hardest part is always things to eliminate. I feel like I need to KEEP up with everything I have done in the past but sometimes it is the RIGHT time to let go of old, worn out traditions or perhaps your family situation has changed and its just time for something NEW! Don't be afraid to experiment. If you let go of something and find you really missed it then you can always start it back up the following year!

Out with the old sheets in your notebook and time for the new. Clean out that notebook clutter. Jot down important notes and then pitch what is no longer needed.

This is always a great month to sketch out a Rudolph Day outline for the year! It doesn't have to be detailed but just an idea of how you will celebrate each month and perhaps an idea of one thing you'd like to actually accomplish each month.

:rudolph:

 

[luludou]

Yes!! I love doing all that in January. This week, after the house has been de-decorated and things are back to normal, I will start debriefing my Christmas and planning for 2014

 

[MinnieCo]

Gingerbug, I just quoted your statement about letting go and changing traditions and sent it to my daughter. We had this conversations a few days ago. I told her I think we need to rethink things and maybe come up with a new plan on Christmas. I don't know the answer yet, but I'm looking and willing to try something different.

 

[Miss JoDee]

Just had a conversation with Mom (83) regarding changing things. She had to throw out a lot of food that did not get eaten or could be frozen. She has an open house on Christmas Day and lots of food. The roads were pretty bad for traveling and not many came. She is still waiting for a couple of dgs and families.

Next year she will have a soup buffet at least she can freeze the soup. Change is good.

 

[aggy]

The worst for me was not properly preparing. All year I had (in my mind anyways) how this Christmas was going to be. However, reality was quite different. I was so lazy and kept putting things off. I had everything planned and written. Barely did anything I wrote.

I just finished doing my debriefing and I gave myself a big ole F! Yup, sure did.

I don't want that happening in 2014.

 

[AnnieClaus]

aggy- You had a couple of huge personal losses this year.

There are going to be years like that and when it happens our planning and such for Christmas aren't going to be what they are like on a normal year.

Annie

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

Looking forward to get started again. We had a really good Christmas and it think it is because of all the planning I had done. Putting aside a few hours every Rudy day certainly helps.

 

[jampss]

Notebook

LOVE the notebook! I have gone through and updated some pages already!
:rudolph:

 

[DawnSu]

lots of things have happened that I didn't get to do things I wanted... so this next year is going to b just what I have planned, in memory of my Mother... she wasn't much on Christmas, but knew I was & was always behind me with my decorating for the year..... she wasn't the little elf to help, as I always told her.... lol but she always played along with me
so 2014 decorating ,look out..... cuz' DawnSu will b up to parr by then....
will do my notebook, as soon as I get the apartment cleaned out & things under the rug. but till then.....
happy declutterig & taking notes....

 

[aggy]

You're right Annie.

DawnSu I may follow you and do something this year in honor of my grandmother and newphew.

 

[Ahorsesoul]

LC and I put away the decorations yesterday. She stood at the top of the stairs handing me the light totes or sliding the heavy one down the flight of stairs. It worked really well without taxing either of us. I must have done very well at packing or decluttering because I used far less totes than came up. I took my time putting it away in our storage area so it looks so nice and neat (and labeled too).

I thought after wards that I should have snapped a photo of each tubs items before shutting the lid to put in my notebook. Oh well, something for next year's list.

 

[Doodlebug]

I plan on doing Rudy days and preparing for 2014, but don't know that my heart is in it. DH loved Christmas as much as I do. I wish I could feel like you DawnSu. But my house is so very quiet and lonely without DH.

 

[Saquilla]

We will be packing the Christmas decorations away on Monday.

I was really unorganised this Christmas. It was the first time that we didn't plan to go out - but I didn't plan our little family Christmas dinner (I got too distracted with what I was going to make for our extended family Boxing Day dinner) and my husband ended up making dinner with whatever was in the kitchen. So it was really just like any usual. I was also unwell, so wasn't really able to help

So... for 2014... I need to remember to plan for my own family and not just worry about our extended family. I also need to be healthy haha!

 

[MinnieCo]

I take my time putting things away so today I decided that at the very latest, everything needs to be in complete order by Rudy Day this month. Nothing lingering around..all nice and tidy and ready for my hubby to transport back to the farm where we store it. I like the idea of using Rudy Day to try out recipes you want to use during Christmas. I think I'm going to tackle that this year. Different breads maybe? They also had soooo many tv movie son this year, I just didn't get to all of them. So for sure, my rudy days will consist of a new Christmas movie.

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

Michelle, great idea about the movies. I taped a few, so I think I will sit and watch one close to Rudy day. Really would like to make them count more this year.

 

[LadyEvenstar]

I'm really going to get serious about Rudy Day this year. I was really disappointed in my Christmas prep this year and it needs to change.

I'll start dedecorating this weekend and I plan on going through my special new Christmas book on Rudy Day and picking out things I might like to try for 2014. I actually can't wait!

 

[Christmaslvr]

I too want to really get serious about Rudolph Day this year. My Christmas pretty much fell apart by around Thanksgiving and I don't want that to happen again this year. I have lots of Hallmark movies recorded and I'm looking forward working on cards each month and planning gift ideas.

 

[Sugarplum]

Every year as the new year starts and the Rudy days come and go, I think, I have plenty of time for prep. Then before you know it, you've run out of time.

I think too, I like a break from Christmas, so it is special when it comes around again. By Christmas in July I start listening to Christmas songs and looking at decorations, etc.

This year though, I don't feel so dragged out about the holidays. I have lots of Christmas music mp3's that I want to organize and I would like to change things up with decorations, inside and out next year. I also have movies that I didn't get to finish watching too.

So I'm reading everyone's posts and agreeing about Rudy Day this year. In the past I've thought about Christmas on the day, this year is to actually do something constructive!

 

[missjane]

I've already written several things in my notebook for next year, but I need to use my Rudolph days better, too. It always seems I have too much going on, on the actual day, so I guess I need to schedule either the Saturday before or after as my official Rudy day....probably the one after will be better.

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

MissJane setting aside a weekend say after Rudy day seems sensible. Because Rudy day often falls on a work day for me, I miss out. This way they would still count.