Journal Your Christmas Giveaway

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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. Laura says…
    11/05/2009

    To be honest last year we made our first "Advent Scrapbook" where daily we made a page together. I had a basket of blank pages & supplies & sometimes we worked on one page together & sometimes is was the kids drawing or journaling about their day & it so made the season more meaningful because we "check-in" with a purpose every evening, we will surely do that again this year.
    We love doing our Advent calendar before school each morning & as often as possible eating dinner by the glow our of Advent Wreath's candles. Bliss :)

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  2. Jessica Woodford says…
    11/05/2009

    Ohhh! I just love it!! Since this will be our FIRST Christmas in Austin, TX (big smile!) I am really hoping to carve out time during the day while my three kiddos are in school to get my Christmas gifts done, bake our favorite things and do a Daily December album (and get caught up on last years!). I plan on being more "go with the flow" and doing much less stress! Saying no to commitments & yes to more family things.
    This is so very cool! Thanks :)
    Jessica

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  3. Krystal Barb says…
    11/05/2009

    I plan to have all my shopping done by the 1st of December and then do crafts and have outings with the kids. I also want to bake a lot this year. I want my boys to have memories of doing things with me in the kitchen around the holidays. Thanks!
    Krystal
    New Mexico

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  4. Holly Ford says…
    11/05/2009

    This year, since we have little money, but lots of time (unemployment really stinks) we are making a good chunk of our gifts for family. I've chosen to work on a project a week, instead of trying to do them all at once!

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  5. StacyS. says…
    11/05/2009

    Instead of all of the traditional photos, I want to focus more on the feeling of the Christmas season and how we celebrate as a family.
    Love the December Daily - maybe this will be the year I create my own:)

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  6. Dianne says…
    11/05/2009

    I plan on focusing more on the true meaning of Christmas and the season of Advent that acatually leads up to it. This will help to keep things in the true spirit of Christmas and sane.

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  7. Kerry Trujillo says…
    11/05/2009

    I am determined to go look at Christmas lights this year. We always say we will and it never happens. So this year we're going to make a starbucks stop and go take in all the sparkle.

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  8. Ann says…
    11/05/2009

    Thanks for the chance to enter Ali! This year, I am trying to get my house cleaned and organized by Thanksgiving...Once that is done, I feel that I can sit back and really take in the holiday season this year. My kids are getting older and it seems like the last two years, I haven't really gotten into the "Spirit" as I used to. Last year was the worse...We were in the middle of a remodel and I let that take over. This year I want to make it special. I want a "cozy" Holiday season this year. I believe that either doing your December Daily or Shimelle's Journal your Christmas will help me "live in the moment" and let me see the holiday season as I used to.

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  9. Kirsty says…
    11/05/2009

    I am taking 3 days of vacation time at the beginning of December while my kids are in dayhome to use to shop, prep, bake, etc. I hope that will take some of the stress off later on!

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  10. Jennifer Land says…
    11/05/2009

    I've trimmed down my gift list to a very special few, updated my Christmas card list, and begun getting gifts for my children and husband. When the holidays arrive, we'll spend them at home together.

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  11. Melinda says…
    11/05/2009

    I have a list of the things I like to do and want to do every year, but I have learned that sometimes it just doesn't work out to do everything. That's OK! It's still a tradition even if we don't get to it every single year. Also, I have really tried to give up some of my 'control' and let the kids help do things more over the last few years. They are old enough to help and it is OK to not have the tree be decorated perfectly and the cookies to be lopsided. With them doing more to help out they get to practice and learn and hopefully come to appreciate the things we do and know why we do them.

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  12. kathryn young says…
    11/05/2009

    I am going to try and have a great Christmas this year! It will the first year I am getting to go visit my brothers and dad for the holidays for the first time in 17yrs I'll get to spend it w/ my family and I'm so thankful! Can't wait to scrap all the photos I am going to take! Hopefully I remember to journal it all too!

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  13. Sherry says…
    11/05/2009

    I want to simplify the holidays be getting rid of chores that are self-imposed, not enjoyable and that don't add to my family's quality of life. Instead I want to focus on enjoying each other and celebrate being a family.

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  14. Kristy Gussio says…
    11/05/2009

    I am hoping to keep things a little more sane this year by doing some advanced planning and then just allowing myself to be in the moment. I know we will benefit as a family from a bit of planning, but I also know that things rarely go as planned, and that is OK too. For me this year, the trick is going to be to just breath and let things take their natural course.

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  15. Kirsten V. says…
    11/05/2009

    Simplify, Simplify,
    Simplify!
    My baby is due Dec. 12 so I will be taking it easy and choosing simple meals, simple decorations, simple activities to do with my children and husband.

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  16. Goodman says…
    11/05/2009

    The only way for me to stay sane during the holiday season is to plan in advance for everything. I start Christmas shopping in September, make lots of list for groceries, meals, cookies, and keep everything organized. I don't work well under pressure, so planning is the way to go for me.
    Wendy Goodman

    Reply 0 Replies
  17. Kathi says…
    11/05/2009

    This Christmas will be so different for me - this is a time of sharing my traditions that I created with my husband and children with my sisters (we are scattered to the opposite corners for so many yeas). No one has ever come to my home before for Christmas and this will be so very special. Having an opportunity to chronicle and share this special Christmas while not getting distracted by the retail Christmas activities is a goal that I know I will realize. I love structure and this would be perfect.

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  18. Jackie Hughes says…
    11/05/2009

    Less shopping and more focusing on moments and relationships.

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  19. Kathy F says…
    11/05/2009

    We have really gotten away from purchasing gifts just to have a gift to give someone. The kids will get things they really need. But otherwise we have started focusing more on providing experiences. This has worked very well for us. The extended family focuses more on the gathering and spending time together than on the stress of gift giving. There is always a small gift for everyone though.

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  20. mrstjshelby says…
    11/05/2009

    I'm on my way to having all presents created and wrapped before Thanksgiving. Just having that out of my brain will make a gigantic difference.

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  21. Sharna says…
    11/05/2009

    I'm one who needs a more crazy holiday season! Every January I say to myself, "We should have done more." Well, this year we plan to bake, decorate, sing and have a blast!!!

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  22. Anne Alley says…
    11/05/2009

    I start as much I can as early as I can. My shopping is about done, and I'm starting my cards this weekend. Things eventually get hectic, but if I've started early at least I have a few things under control.

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  23. Chris says…
    11/05/2009

    Every year we host a huge Thanksgiving meal for family and extended family. The rest of the holidays are about the 4 of us, we have several traditions that keep us focused and we culminate the holiday season with a small vacation. With the economy the way it is, this year it will most likely be a stay-cation, but it is our way of staying grounded and not getting wrapped up in the commerce of the holidays.

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  24. andrea g. says…
    11/05/2009

    I plan to keep it sane by planning ahead, doing what I can now, and keeping it simple. Not sure it will work, but that's the plan. ;)

    Reply 0 Replies
  25. Kathy F says…
    11/05/2009

    We started a few years ago to focus on providing new experiences for our children rather than gifts for the sake of the grand experiences. My kids remember these experiences much more clearly than the gifts and grateful for them. Now that they are off to college, they really understand the value of this. Extended family focuses more on the gathering together and spending time together.

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