Happy Wednesday! It’s time for October’s Let’s Look Blog Post! Shay and I host a party once a month and we always invite you to join us!
In January we shared our closets. Spoiler alert, my girl, Lauren, and I are still trying to find a day for her to come and help me. Promise to show you pics when she’s finished though!
In February, we discussed the little things we do every day. From coffee to walking to chatting with girlfriends, I shared all the things I sneak in my days to make them a little extra special
In March, we shared a look at our grocery carts. I find myself enjoying other’s grocery store hauls in search of some new food ideas. Hope it helped you too!
In April, we took a peek at our quiet times and what that looks like/even means!
In May, we took a look at our summer closet staples.
June had us chatting, about our summer schedules.
In July, we shared our favorite podcasts and shows to binge.
In August, we chit chatted about what’s in our pantries.
And last month, we shared our families’ quick weeknight go-to meals.
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Today, we’re gonna chit chat about how to prep for the upcoming holiday season! You guys I’m a self-proclaimed procrastinator when it comes to holidays and birthdays. Anyone else? I will always remember the night before Bowen’s birthday several years ago driving from store to store trying to find his birthday presents. WHY did I wait that long?! Instead of ordering it weeks before, I put my anxiety to work and decided to drive around to shop on his birthday eve. TERRIBLE IDEA!
This topic couldn’t have some on a better year because my sister-in-law texted me at the beginning of this month asking me for some gift ideas for my kids. My first thought was, “IT’S ONLY OCTOBER!”. But the more we went back and forth, I realized she’s a genius. I tend to wait until the end of November or early December to knock out all of our Christmas gift buying but WHY?! I always have the fear kids will change their minds but they’re not gonna change their minds on EVERY gift. They might add a gift or change one thing, right? Anyway, needless to say, forty-one-year-old Erika is turning over a new leaf. I’ve already purchased TWELVE Christmas gifts! Yes, TWELVE! This is gonna be the year I’m finished shopping by December 1st. Wish me luck. 😉
To prepare for the upcoming holiday season, I do a few things…
*FESTIVE GOODS-I like to make the holidays a little extra festive with holiday plates and napkins. I’ve ordered these from Amazon {remember July 4th at the beach?} or grabbed them from a local store. I like to get Halloween, fall, and Christmas paper goods to have on hand. If I know we’ll have guests over a certain holiday, I grab a few extra for us to use while they’re visiting.
*MAKE A LIST-This one really refers to Christmas but I always keep a list of who we buy gifts for and I write it all down. I put a little {*} next to the gift when I order or purchase it and then I do another symbol when it’s wrapped and under the tree. This helps me keep even numbers on all the kids and it insures I don’t forget about anyone!
*ORDER A STUDY-One of my FAVORITE things to do is start a new Bible Study revolving around Christmas over the holiday season. I’m on the look out now for a study to do in between Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you have a great suggestion, please let me know!
*CLEAN OUT-A big closet/drawer clean out always happens around this time of year.
*GIVE EXTRA GRACE-And by that I mean my mama heart often tries to see and do IT ALL for my family. I can run myself ragged trying to produce ALL the holiday magic when so much of that really doesn’t mean anything to my family. I try to remind myself {and often ask my family} what are the traditions you REALLY love. We make it a priority to do those traditions every year and then I let the rest go. As much as we want every day to be extra special, we need to give ourselves some grace. Let’s do our best and ENJOY each moment!
And that’s really it! I try to soak up each and every minute!
Next month I’m going to have Tab pop over here to share some of his best gift ideas for the men in your lives!
XO
All great reminders! How in the world are we are in holiday prep mode again?!?
GIRL! I don’t even know but we’re HERE!
So many practical ideas but i love the idea of giving yourself grace, such an important thing to remember!
http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
Yes!
I love that you added the giving grace and actually asking people what they enjoy rather than insisting “you will love this”. I feel like that’s my biggest struggle and I need to follow your lead and involve my kids and spouse in the planning so they can enjoy that part too! 💛
Hey Jess! I used to just repeat the same things over and over because “traditions” but often I was a sweaty/stressed out mess when my kids could have CARED less if we did it!
I can’t believe it’s October and it’s time to chat about all the holiday things! This was such a fun post topic and I’m getting my booty in gear with some of my shopping already, and I absolutely love that you mentioned giving extra grace – we absolutely need that for ourselves and for others!
Make Life Marvelous
Ashley, I’ll need you to remind me of this mid-December. 🙂
I’m doing the Daily Grace Co Advent study this year. I am excited to get started as I have been studying the Old Testament all year and am ready to expect Jesus!
Thank you, Jennifer! I’m going to check it out!
Much older reader – but growing up my family got together at Thanksgiving so we had to have aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents presents all wrapped and ready to go. I’m sure this was a big help to my mom. She did have the year she bought me a gift and hid it only to find it just before Easter. Oops
BAHAHAHAHA! I’ve done THE SAME THING!
So many things make use besties but the fact that we both overly plan, organize, schedule, and prep for the holidays might be up there at the top for me. 🙂
I’m READY!!!
My Bible study group is doing Lisa Harper and Christine Caine’s new Advent study called The Marvel and Miracle of Advent. It’s brand new so I can’t give a review but I love anything either of these ladies do. There are videos to go with the study and the book provides a link to those so there is no extra charge that I am aware of.
Susan, THANK YOU for the suggestion! I’m going to check us this out!