Journal Your Christmas Giveaway

I've been making lists and checking them twice. Lists for presents, lists for food gifts to make, lists of events! I'm hoping that being prepared will make me saner this holiday season.

Last year our family experienced a horrible tragedy, the loss of loved ones in a car accident Thanksgiving weekend. I had my Dec Daily album ready to go, but didn’t use it. I’m hopeful this year will be better, and am looking forward to celebrating the small, daily joys of the season. Reminders in my email would be a nice way to stay on track. Thank you for sharing, and for this opportunity.
maureen

I am guessing my Christmas season will be a little crazier this year as exams end later this year. There will be little time for the last minute preparations. It may all be last minute!

I am taking Shimelles Blogging class right now! love her! I am doing my december daily album (natch), i
also think that the whole build up is part of
why we love xmas. I just really embrace the crazy.
I also like to have PLANNED no plan nights. I
forewarn my family that there will be no visitors,
no phone calls in or out and no electronics for
a particular night or even a whole day on a weekend.
It just keeps us grounded when holiday stresses
begin to over shadow the real reason of the
season.
Cece K.

Two words: start earlier!

I hope to just enjoy the season, savor the true meaning of Christmas, and be caught in the excitement of just giving.

My kids are older so I plan to just pick the most important parts out. Simplifing, and getting done early. I want to enjoy people not make more stuff!!

I want to enjoy the moment more. And while I do not have any big plans to accomplish this, I am just going to go with the idea that we can enjoy those special moments by actually having them. Today, my daughter and I decided to make pumpkin bread. Everything else can go on hold for an hour to make it and clean up. Sometimes it is so easy to get swept up in routine and a rigidity to it. Stopping and taking the time out for the little things makes it all the more special to me. Oh yea....and lists. I'm a big list gal!! :>:>

simpler cooking ,simpler decorating and more time to stop and smell the beautiful fresh pine tree we get every year

Trying my best just to breath and enjoy every moment of my grandson's first Christmas.

I want to cut down on the decorating. My husband will have elbow surgery which will limit him taking down our large Christmas tree, so lots of thoughts going on about "what IS it we want to do this year"

I know it sounds weird, but my clue to a less hectic holiday is taking off time from work! Rather than be home the week between Christmas and New Year's, I will take off 5 days spaced out before Christmas. I have been trying this a day at a time, and find that prepping in advance makes the actual holiday more fun for me.

Yet another amazing giveaway!!! I want to cut the crazy out of Christmas and am planning to cut back on everything except family time. My girls are 8 & 11, and I'm afraid that the magic of Christmas might die a bit as they become teenagers, so I plan to enjoy each moment.

Oh my I have so been wanting to take this class. I love Shimelle and am in her Blogging class right now and while I love your idea and have my album already made, but I feel I need the daily prompts that Shimelle gives us.

In our house, we are going to keep it simple and see Christmas thorough the eyes of our children. My parents are going to visit my brother abroad so we are going to celebrate with mostly just my little family.

Well, I can definitely plan ahead to avoid the christmas rush but everytime I try - I fail. I wonder if it's me that's really the problem I guess so. But since I have been able to organize my scraproom the past 2 weeks, I think I might be successful this time. Crossing my fingers!

We are palnning now for both Christmas and Thanksgiving to help with the craziness and have a more relaxed time with family and friends. We will be busy but we are including time alone to rest. I get sick almost every year so we are NOT doing that this time :)

We are simplifying our Christmas - less gift exchanges, simple meals, more family time.

I am going to start and COMPLETE a December Daily album. ha
As a family, we decided to keep everything low key and be all about family. We lost my Dad in April and it's been a rough year... We are getting back to the things to be thankful for-family.

My big kids have already made their Christmas lists and my husband and I are going to start shopping this weekend. We hope to be done shopping by Thanksgiving. Two of my three kids have December birthday's so the holidays are guaranteed to be a little hectic. This class looks wonderful for being prepared ahead of time for documenting the season.