Journal Your Christmas Giveaway

Jyc20092

The first time I did any sort of journal/creative adventure during the holiday season was Shimelle Laine's Journal Your Christmas back in 2005 (
check out my December 2005 archives for more). 

My experience in Shimelle's workshop inspired me to create my first December Daily in 2007 that was published in my Studio A column in Creating Keepsakes magazine. The main differences being that I set up the structure of my album in advance (trying to keep it simple) and that I wanted to focus on documenting the daily activities over the course of the 25 days leading up to Christmas without specific prompts. 

Over the last couple of years there have been lots of people that have combined the two concepts - creating a foundation in advance and using Shimelle's prompts as guides for page topics and inspiration. 

It's a creative adventure I highly recommend so I thought it would be fitting to give away a spot to Shimelle's class this week. 

One person and a friend of their choice will recieve a spot in Shimelle Laine's fabulous Journal Your Christmas online workshop. 

Journal your Christmas is an online class that takes you right through the Christmas season, from the 1st of December to the 6th of January - the twelfth day of Christmas. Through 37 full colour prompts that arrive in your inbox daily, you'll be inspired by topics that let you enjoy this year's celebrations while reliving your very favourite Christmas memories, and you'll have plenty of ideas for making your pages with hundreds of beautiful examples from a variety of scrappers. 

Instead of letting the holidays run you, a Christmas journal has helped many women take back their Christmas so they can enjoy and celebrate the magic of Christmas. Other class benefits include a printable Christmas planner, digital and printable supplies designed exclusively for class and a bonus guide to improving your Christmas photographs including easy-to-use tips from dozens of professional photographers.

To be entered into the giveaway please leave a comment below sharing how you plan to create a more sane holiday season (or more crazy if that's what you need). Comments will be closed on Thursday at 8pm Pacific with the winners posted shortly after.

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1193 thoughts

  1. Sandy says…
    11/04/2009

    Keeping to the basics -- most important to me are sounds and smells so that is what we will focus on.

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  2. Erin says…
    11/04/2009

    I am going to make it more crazy by being more involved in my kindergartener's Christmas school activies---fun!

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  3. Tiff says…
    11/04/2009

    I hope to enjoy the season and not be so wrapped up in it that is is crazy and not enjoyable. Sometimes it just gets crazy.

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  4. Jessica says…
    11/04/2009

    My Christmas will be crazier than ever this year, and that's just the way I want it. I've planned my almost-step-sister's baby shower for the first weekend in December, my cousin's wedding is the next weekend, I have my junior year college exams during all of this, and then just the normal Christmas crazies on top of all that! The only thing I am really doing to try to make it more sane is planing ahead: I want all of my school stuff done the week before the wedding, that way I don't have to worry about it while I am trying to be a good bridesmaid. I love Christmas, though, and all the extra activities will just make it that much more special! I can't wait!!!

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  5. Jessica Salyers says…
    11/04/2009

    As I sat here thinking about all of the different "things I can do" to SIMPLIFY our Christmas holiday, it dawned on me that that is yet another list of "things to do." In reality, the truest way to simplify the CHRISTmaa season is to simply remember and simply celebrate the reason...the Lord, Jesus, a tiny baby who came to be the most important gift you or I coud ever receive.

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  6. Moira Coates says…
    11/04/2009

    Decorate simply, entertain simply, get cards written early, set a per person price limit and stick to it, and do my level best to stay calm and enjoy my family :-)

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  7. Kristen T. says…
    11/04/2009

    This holiday season, I just want to take everything in...all the sights, sounds and smells. I hope to take each day as it comes and not get caught up in all the hub-bub.

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  8. Kim Su says…
    11/04/2009

    I plan on getting my Christmas shopping completely done the first week of December. My girls wrap all the gifts and under the tree they go. I will also get our famiy Christmas photo taken and all Christmas cards sent out by the second week of December. The third week of December is spent baking holiday cookies...YUM! The last week is full of family, friends, and celebrating Christmas along with 8 family members birthdays from Dec. 17 thru Dec. 24 and 1 on New Years day.

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  9. Joanna says…
    11/04/2009

    To make things easier this year, I am starting my holiday preparations NOW! Instead of waiting until the last minute. Time flies in these two months!

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  10. Deborah says…
    11/04/2009

    I fully intend to relax during the holidays. I have been doing some planning ahead and we are going to keep it simple. I want to really enjoy the spirit of the season.

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  11. Leeann says…
    11/04/2009

    We will be focusing on family traditions like a day of baking, making cookies,a day of decorating, a day watching old home videos, etc. I will be extremely selective with which holiday parties we attend.

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  12. nerdgrl says…
    11/04/2009

    DH and I plan on getting away for a few days at a resort a few hours from our home. Family lives far away and timing just doesn't work to visit during the holidays. So, it's just the two of us which one would think would be a lot easier, but seems to be just as stressful. A saner, relaxing Christmas is what we're looking forward to having.

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  13. Jan says…
    11/04/2009

    I'm planning on shopping from now until the day after Thanksgiving. I think this will allow me to truly enjoy the month of December. I am going to try to take the time to appreciate it and hopefully write down past memories, why we celebrate some of the traditions we do, and relish family time together doing the things I love to do (play games, look through photo albums, eat and be thankful for all that we have.)

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  14. cindy says…
    11/04/2009

    I was INSPIRED by your Days of December album last year it made me do alot more things with my children and create my own christmas traditions. I love the chaos of christmas wrapping paper everywhere christmas morning, prawns and turkey with roast vegies and of course mum's plum pudding Christmas would not be the same without my family and ofcourse the chaos

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  15. Marann says…
    11/04/2009

    Tonight my DH stated that this is going to be a great Christmas. Later he was changing the CD player and found a Christmas CD in it *caught!* Our DD and I listened to it today lol! We are anticipating a great time celebrating the true meaning of Christmas this year; although our family is small by many standards (3) and our extended family gatherings minimal, we have much to be thankful for and celebrate; and I can't think of a better way to remember it than my first December Daily album!
    Thank you, Ali, for your inspiration!

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  16. Kathy says…
    11/04/2009

    With an almost 2 year old grandson, I've decided to pare down my decorating and finish the decorating early in December so that I have more time to enjoy his excitement this Christmas.

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  17. Rani says…
    11/04/2009

    I won't be working this season, so I am looking forward to really diggin into some family traditions and creating new ones! We will be making a trip to the snow for sure this year too!

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  18. Monika Wright says…
    11/04/2009

    We are going to focus more on things we can do together as a family and be together as a family and less about what to buy, how much to get. We'll be getting by with less by choice. Who needs it all? It's really all about making memories with our "time" than with material things, we've found.

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  19. Suzi says…
    11/04/2009

    I don't have a specific plan (yet), but I know that I want to simplify and enjoy the moments.

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  20. Jessica Dougherty says…
    11/04/2009

    This will be my first Christmas away from my family, since my husband & I moved to Pennsylvania from Texas a few months ago. I figure it will be pretty low-key, since it will just be the two of us. But I'm hoping that instead of being sad about being away from our family, that I will treasure the time with my husband.

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  21. renata says…
    11/04/2009

    its always the unrealistic expectations that kill me during this time of the year. I hope I ease up on myself this year

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  22. Lynn says…
    11/04/2009

    I'd like to go somewhere with my husband and chldren and just enjoy each others company. We have three just out of college and one 16 y/o boy. I am burnt out on Christmas at home. I'd love to just enjoy the big city and eat nice meals and see the sites and talk and walk and hug and eat. I think my family would enjoy this more than all the hustle and bustle of the past. I know that being the mom, I can make this change happen. I'd like to start a new tradition, of meeting up somewhere and enjoying a day or three together, without gifts or expectations, cleaning the house, cooking or any gift wrapping.

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  23. Brandi says…
    11/04/2009

    Simplify, simplify, simplify. That is my plan for a joyful holiday season! In the past year several family members and friends have passed away at a fairly young age. This has me thinking that the holidays should be about spending time with my family making memories not worrying about the small stuff!

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  24. AnitaKC says…
    11/04/2009

    starting earlier!

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  25. qsogirl says…
    11/04/2009

    what a wonderful giveaway! I would love to participate in this class, because I'm going to try to do a project-365 type of album for 2010... this would be great "training" for the journaling part, which I am *not* very good at!
    This holiday season, I'd like to feel a little more sane by not trying to fit so many things in-- leaving a little bit later than normal to visit family, taking things as they come, rather than trying to "make" everything come out perfectly.
    thanks again for the chance to win

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