Christmas Update 11/8

 I am continuing the Christmas update. Everything in the  red front was from the previous Christmas post. The black font is what was done the past week toward Christmas. I am doing this to keep me on track. I am very scatterbrained and tend to forget to do things that need to be done. I am hoping a weekly account will force my hand to get things done very timely. Now all of a sudden it is November and Christmas is just 54 days away. Lots to do and little time to get it done!

10/19  Bought a 6 dollar 4 foot tree at Dollar Tree, figuring it would either work for the location I want to put it or it  would not. When I got it home I fluffed it out and it did fit on the dining room buffet. I took a before photo of the tree and will take an after once it is fully decorated (if I decide I like it) If I don't like it I am only out 6 bucks and some time.

10/20 Bought bulk stamps for our Christmas Cards. I still send them out each year.

10/21 To have a tree in the den I have to move one of the end tables that sits by the couch and staircase.  I store board games on the shelf in the table and really have no other place to put them on the main level of the house during the holidays. 

Instead I wrap them in old wrapping paper, and "hide" them in plain sight on the shelf where they always are. Sometimes decorating is nothing but smoke and mirrors, right. They are wrapped and waiting for me to move the table to the dining room. (Friday after Thanksgiving)  

We will not be playing them until real winter hits here sometime in January, so they will not be missed at all.

10/22 I started playing with the ribbon I want woven through the 6 dollar tree. I think it might work. I got the tree topper bow done and am undecided about weaving more through the branches. It'a a small tree and the extra ribbon might overpower it.

10/23 Got all the presents that have been bought so far wrapped. Also made the clay to cut out Pip's little 3 year old handprint for a garland. The clay did not work because of a user error (me). I could not get the edges as smooth as I wanted them to be. Instead I dug through my stash and found some wonderful Christmas card stock. I cut enough to make 15 toddler hands, gluing front to back papers, so there is a design on both sides. Now I need to decide exactly how I am going to use them. 

10/24 Ordered a hard to find gift for a hard to shop for person.

10/25 Made a list of party foods to serve at the Dec.2 party, and also listed cookies and candies to make and give to friends.

10/26 Downloaded (Thanks Libby app) 4 Christmas magazines. Skimmed through all 4 but knew I had them for 7 days to study when I had more time.

Went shopping briefly and found 2 Christmas presents for 2 special people

10/27 On our way to Florence (that would be Florence Alabama, rather than Florence Italy) we stopped at Smith Farms. I walked out with 2 Christmas gifts

Then I found another few gifts at a museum gift shop.

10/28 We stopped at a really cute little shop in Florence and I found the perfect gift for Son2. Then we made one more stop on the way home and I found another present for Son3.

Once home I got all the newly purchased gifts wrapped.

10/29 Got all the presents I bought on the trip wrapped

10/30 Went to Smith's just to see what they currently have. Walked out with 5 Christmas gifts and a couple of ideas for later!

10/31 Wrapped the gifts bought Friday. Covered a large Amazon boxes exterior in wrapping paper to hold all the gifts I have wrapped. Enjoyed Halloween.

11/1 Read several Christmas magazines and found a couple of recipes I want to try during the holiday including making both chocolate and butter candles. I can say, with confidence, I am doing nothing else before tomorrow

11/2 I did not do a blooming thing

11/3 Made a few ornaments from cupcake liners as filler for a garland

11/4 Made a few more ornaments to hang from the chandelier

11/5 Wrapped a gift that arrived via UPS. Polished a few silver trays.

11/6 Bought one present.

11/7 Ordered a gift. It should be good for a laugh once it’s opened.

11/8 Streamlined a plan for having 3 different dinner parties during the holiday season. Read (looked through) 3 Christmas magazines and found some wonderful ideas.

Ho, Ho, Hop to it Anne!

This week needs to be a "getting the house in order" week. Less shopping, less looking, more scrubbing!