Simply Organized: Christmas in October 2015

 

 

Disclaimer: I posted the exact same writing last year around this time in this post, (different outfit, of course) and it had received positive feedback, so I decided to re-post this year. I will try to come up with something different for next year, but this year, this should suffice. Better repost post than none at all. Haha!

 

Christmas in October? Are you kidding me? October is for Halloween!

Well, think again. It's only nine weeks and a half before Christmas, and time flies really fast. And I mean really fast. Don't you remember what happened last Christmas?

You forgot to buy present for an auntie who, on the previous Christmas, gave you a super expensive, super pretty, Tiffany brooch.

You ended up buying your husband a very nice, expensive tie, when you know he nevers wear tie, because it was a last minute gift.

You ended up buying your coworkerd either too expensive, or too cheap (and cheap-looking) gifts for Christmas party.

You screamed at everyone at the top of your lung because you had twelve family members and friends coming over for Christmas dinner, you still have five more presents to buy, and you forgot to touch up your roots, so the thought of the hostess looked smashing for the event went out of the window. Ouch.

If you love celebrating Christmas like me, you must know that despite all the hassle and stress, you still want to celebrate it big time. There are so many things and preparations for Christmas. Not to mention that before Christmas, came Thanksgiving! So, let's start preparing now while it's still nine weeks away, shall we!

At least get one thing out of the way: the Christmas presents. Yup. So you can scratch that thing off your Christmas to-do-list. Then at least you can still busy cleaning, cooking, shopping, dancing with the turkey and cranberry, and trimming the tree, but at least you are sure that everybody on your list have already had their gifts bought or made and wrapped nicely, tucked safely inside the big cupboard in the garage.

So, I urge you to start now in the Christmas gift department and get it done in eight weeks. So you can dedicate the ninth week and beyond for other things.

Week 1: List all the names of recipients of your Christmas gift

You can always edit this along the way. Don't forget to list recipients who live out of town. Decide this week who is going to get gifts, how much the budget you would put aside for each, and who is going to get only cards. Jot down the gift ideas, as well.

 

Week 2-5: Make your gifts, hunt or shop for them!

 

Some ideas:

If you, and the recipients, are comfortable with the idea of regifting, search around the house for things that you don't want or need, but you know might bring delight to other person.

I'm not talking about junk, but nice things. For example, one time in college, a friend of mine received a black Esprit wallet from her boyfriend. She doesn't like huge wallet, I do. So she almost never used it, and once she broke up with the guy, she gave the slightly-used wallet to me. I didn't care it wasn't a bought present, I loved it and have used it up to now, nineteen years later.

Another example, last year I bought a book about the world of socialites, because I was curious. It was an interesting book, but I didn't care to keep it to my book collection. Some friends of mine wanted to read it, but didn't want to spend money to buy the book. Now the book had been regifted more than twice among friends. It's better than it sits in my corner collecting dust.

What about that huge picture frame with eighteen slots in it that you bought three years ago, but then you realized that you have nowhere to hang it? Give it to a friend who have three children who will love to hang it on her living room.

The coffemaker you received as a wedding present when you already had two of them already? Give it to your dear single friend who loves coffee but thinks that a coffeemaker is too much of a luxury buy for her.

The fancy embroidered dinner napkin set that you bought in a fleeting moment of Martha Steward, but then you realized that you didn't really care for fancy home entertaining, prefering casual BBQ instead? Give it to your friend who loves to hold dinner parties.

Get everyday items as stocking stuffers! Whenever you go grocery shopping, and you see a good deal or marked down on favorite items, buy something for some recipients on your list.

 

That way, you won't be "trapped" in buying all your gifts full price during last minute gift shopping just for stocking stuffer, or buy kitschy knick knacks that look cheap and not very useful! Small items on sale like stationeries, soaps, beauty kits, small sewing kits, nail polish, socks, toiletries, etc. are great as stocking stuffers.

 

If you see your husband's favorite aftershave on 'buy two get free razors' at Walmart, snatch a couple of those. Tie a pretty ribbon around one for stocking stuffer, and keep the rest, and the free razors for everyday use - with no ribbon.

If your and your sister's favorite lipgloss in on 'buy one get one free', get them. One for her stocking stuffer, one for yourself.

Everyday items are well appreciated as stocking stuffers, because people can actually make use of them. They are thoughtful gifts, also, because it shows that you really know what the recipients use on a daily basis.

Make the most of Black Friday shopping

Get the big-ticket items when they are marked down! That's pretty self-explanatory!

If you want to give small gifts to a lot of people, like for neighbors or coworkers, the most efficient way to go for it is to buy them in bulk then decorate them individually, or make them yourself.

 

Bake a big batch of cookies for everyone early, then freeze them. Later on, all you need to do is to wrap them for each recipient in plastic pouches and tie a ribbon.

Make colored bath salts or fancy vinegars. There are a lot of instructions and how to's on the internet on how to make these easy bulk presents.

Buy the gifts in bulk. It doesn't have to be expensive. The key is presentation. You can simply buy two dozen bars of soap with pretty packaging in Costco, then decorate them with ribbons. Yes, you can do a lot with ribbons! And trust me, I would love to receive fancy looking soap as a gift at my office Christmas party. It is certainly something I can use! What if I don't like the scent? Big deal. I can always use it as decoration, or use it to wash my hands in the kitchen. I mean, hello, who cannot use a bar of soap?

 

Week 6-7: Wrap them!

If you need to write Christmas cards, do it during these weeks, as well. Just do a little each day, within two weeks you will have finished wrapped lots of gifts and written lots of cards!

 

Week 8: Keep the gifts somewhere safe, or send them.

If the recipients live out of town, send the gifts now instead later. You don't want them to receive your gifts late. Who knows they might start their holiday early and leave the house for out-of-state trip days before Christmas? You would want them to receive your present before their holiday!

Now you can rest asure that all the present-related matters is done. Don't worry, you will still have plenty of things to fuss about for Christmas. Haha!

 

I'm linking up to these wonderful Ladies:

Monday

• Beauty by Miss L: Fashion Linkup

• DC in Style: Monday Bloom
• Not Dead Yet Style: Visible Monday
• Mom's The Word: Make Your Home Sing Monday
• Happy Wives Club: Marriage Mondays
• The Better Mom: The Better Mom Mondays
• What Joy Is Mine: Monday Musings
• Color Blind: Thrifer Anonymous
• The Modest Mom
• Create With Joy: Inspire Me Monday
• The Beauty in His Grip: Sharing His Beauty Mondays
• A Pinch Of Joy: Busy Monday
• Tell Me A Story
• Still Being Molly: YOLO Monday
• Very Busy Mama: Real Mom Style
• Momma In Flip Flops: Real Mom Style
• Basic Training – Corporate Style: Fashionably Employed Link Up
• Bon Bon Rose Girls: Monday Mingle
• Mom Trend: Monday Mingle
• More Pieces of Me: Manic Monday
• On the Daily Express: Manic Monday

• Fizz And Frosting: Mix It Monday
• The Style Record: Monday Must Haves
• A Proverbs 31 Wife: Matrimonial Monday Linkup
• I Should Be Mopping The Floor: Inspiration Monday

• Rich Faith Rising: Unite
• Finding Heaven: Soli Deo Gloria
• Growing Home: Growing Homemaker
• Teaching What Is God: Women Helping Women
• Join The Gossip: Monday Morning Gossip
• Life of Meg: Mingle Monday
• Strangers & Pilgrims On Earth: The Art of Home Making Mondays
• A Delightsome Life: Return to Loveliness
• Bless Her Heart Y'All: Celebrate Southern Link Up
• Darling Downs Diaries: Good Morning Monday Mondays
• A Field of Wild Flowers: Small Wonder
• Style Nudge: Shoe & Tell
• Soul Survival: Monday LinkUp

Tuesday

• The Fashion Canvas: Trend Spin Linkup
• Corner Stone Confessions: Titus 2 Tuesday
• Time Warp Wife: Titus 2 Tuesday
• Coastal Charm: Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
• Keeping Life Simple: The Gathering Spot
• Sugar Bee Crafts: Take A Look Tuesday
• Style Elixir: Style Sessions Fashion Link Up
• Growing Home Blog: Teach Me Tuesday
• Greater Than Rubies: Remix, Rewear, Restyle
• Walking In Memphis In High Heels: Trend Spin Link Up
• Myriad Musings: Style Swap Tuesdays
• Mama and More: All About You
• Elegantly Dressed And Stylish: Turning Heads Tuesday
• Cute and Little: On Trend Tuesdays
• Sandy a la Mode: On Trend Tuesdays

Wednesday

• Reason To Dress: Real Mom Real Street Style
• Sydney Fashion Hunter: Wednesday Pants
• Transatlantic Blonde: What I Wore Wednesday
• Because Shanna Said So: Random Wednesday
• My Girlish Whims: My Whims Wednesday
• Kimba Likes: Wardrobe Wednesday
• The Pleated Poppy: What I Wore Wednesday
• Messy Marriage: Wedded Wednesday
• Elizabeth & Co.: Be Inspired
• My Daily Walk In His Grace: Winsome Wednesday
• A Creative Princess
• A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
• Redcliffe Style: 30 Plus Style and Beauty Linkup
• Adorned From Above
• Woman to Woman Ministries: Word Filled Wednesday
• Little R & R: Wednesday Link Party
• We Are That Family: Works For Me Wednesday
• Jennifer Dukes Lee: Tell His Story
• Fitness Blondie: The Hump Day Blog Hop
• Shopping My Closet: Style Me Wednesday

Thursday

• The Tiny Heart: Look What I Got
• Penniless Socialite: Look What I Got
• Rebecca Lately: Look What I Got
• Mix and Match Fashion: What I Wore to Work
• 3-D Lessons For Life: Thought Provoking Thursday
• Katherines Corner: Thursday Favorite Blog Hop
• A Glimpse Inside: Catch A Glimpse Party
• Serving Joyfully: Thriving Thursday
• Maybe I Will: Be.You.Tiful
• Chic California: Be.You.Tiful
• The Happy Gal: Be.You.Tiful
• Fry Sauce And Grits: Be.You.Tiful
• All Things With Purpose: All Things Thursday
• Children Are A Blessing: Growing In Grace Link Up
• Simply Just Lovely: Working Girl With Style
• Treasure Tromp: Treat Yo'Self Thursday
• High Latitude Style: Top of The World Fashion
• Happiness at Midlife: Throwback Thursday Fashion Linkup

Friday

• Mummy's Got Style: Fashion Friday
• Penniless Socialite and Delusions of Grandeur: Favorite Fashion Friday Link Up
• Two Thirty Five Designs: Casual Friday Link Up
• Simply Lulu Style: What I’m Loving Fridays
• Style Elixir: Friday’s Fab Favorites
• Musings of a Housewife: Fashion Friday
• Missional Women: Faith Filled Friday
• Rachel The Hat: Passion For Fashion
• Chantilly Songs: The Totally Awesome Blog Hop
• Christian Mommy Blogger: Fellowship Friday
• The Jenny Evolution: Friday Flash Blog
• Bacon Time With The Hungry Hypo: Anything Goes Linky Party
• Midwest Style Bloggers: Friday Favorites
• Lena B Actually: Passion For Fashion
• Blissful And Domestic: Feature Friday Link Up
• Sabby Style: Friday Frills

Saturday

• How Sweet The Sound: Pink Saturday
• Renewed Daily: Recommendation Saturday
• Fashionista Momma: Stylish Saturday
• Sincerely Paula: No Rules Weekend Blog Party
• Amanda's Books And More: Make My Saturday Sweet
• The Baby Shopaholic: Mamanista Friday

Sunday

• Macdonald's Playland: Mommy Moments Blog Hop
• Watch Out For the Woestman: Watch What I'm Wearing
• Beauty 101 by Lisa: Link up with Lisa