8 November 2017

Workin’ It-Planning for the Holidays

Hey, Hey Friends!

These posts are always some of my FAVORITES of the month. Once a month, Shay and I get together and host Workin’ It Wednesdays, where we all share how we WORK at something. {We have a list of topics for the year.} Today, we’re all sharing how we plan for the holidays.

Planning for the holidays. I’m not so great at doing all the laundry or keeping my closet clean BUT I can plan for the holidays. 🙂

Kind of similar to things you need to get ready or order prior to the first day of school, there are lots of things you can get in order right now to make the Christmas season as stress-free as possible.

*EDITED-I CHANGED THE ADVENT CALENDAR LINKS AND ADDED SOME FOR YOU.*

*Christmas Pajamas*
Christmas pajamas are my favorite. 🙂 I’ve gotten my kids’ Christmas pajamas at Gymboree {where I ordered this year and 40% off right now}, Gap, Old Navy, Carter’s, and online boutiques {to have their names embroidered} throughout the years. I try to order these in November so we’ll be READY when December arrives. Actually we bust these out on Thanksgiving night.

*Address Labels*

This is something I only remember about 50% of the time, but when I do I am SO thankful. I don’t know about you but addressing Christmas cards is one of my least favorite things. If I have labels to stick on the envelopes, it saves me time and makes my life a little easier. I ordered mine from Shutterfly and used the code SPOOKY for 40% off.

*North Pole Breakfast Supplies*
I learned very early on my kiddos could care less about how nice I make the table so I serve breakfast {and have even set up a North Pole snack when our schedules were hectic in the morning}. Our Elf on the Shelf always brings donuts, strawberries, festive PAPER plates {HOLLA!}, and some treat. I either grab these while I’m out running errands or I order on Amazon Prime and they just show up! #easypeasy

*Advent Calendar*
A few years ago {when my big kiddos were old enough for Legos}, I began ordering these Advent Calendars. Sparky {our elf)} brings them as close to December 1st as possible. Every morning in December, it gives them something to open and get excited about. I order mine on Amazon and this year I branched out and got Paw Patrol {for Bowen}, Little People {for Britt}, American Girl {for Ebby Lee}, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles {for Nixon}.

*Write it ALL Down*

My favorite way to keep up with all the holiday events is to write it down in my Erin Condren planner. I write down everything and I mean EVERYTHING for the month of December. I’ll include holiday parties, special events, and anything else I can think of. I even write down simple things like…”Watch the Grinch” on a night I know we’ll be home. This way I can space out all the Christmas fun and I can add little things to a normal Thursday night like “make s’mores”. It’s a win-win! It brings a little Christmas cheer to a regular Thursday, this way I don’t forget anything I want to include in our Christmas fun, AND if I’m really on my “A” game, our elf can bring supplies for something I have scheduled that night. {New Christmas movie, ingredients for cookies, gingerbread house, etc.} Before I wrote everything down, I always assumed we’d make gingerbread houses, Christmas cookies, and watch Christmas Vacation when we had a free night but we’d forget, something else would come up, etc. I’ve learned that writing it all down REALLY helps! And it gets my kids excited about something simple.

Also when I’m planning for this year I looked back on my calendar from last year to see what we did last year to make sure I don’t forget anything.

*Keep a List*

Starting just last week, I typed out everyone I buy presents for in the “Notes” section of my phone. From now and until Christmas, anytime I’m out shopping or shopping from home-I add what I’ve bought beside their name. It helps me keep up with presents!

*Make it Work for YOU*

I decorate for Christmas early. For many reasons…I love the Christmas season, love how cozy those twinkling lights makes our home, and I love how those weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are way more stress free because I’ve already decorated. Tab always gives me the side eye when I tell him that I’m going to start decorating (usually early November), but it works well for our schedule. We still celebrate Thanksgiving. We just enjoy our turkey by the light of the twinkling Christmas lights. You should try it sometime. It makes the turkey taste even better. 😉 I truly believe that decorating early makes the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas easier.

*Shop Online*

I remember the days of driving from store to store to get everyone on my list something they really want. Well, now I shop at a variety of stores, but I never have to leave my house. I’m telling you this is a LIFESAVER! It also cuts down on the time it takes to shop for Christmas. I can knock out a ton of gifts in just a little time.

I know none of those tips were earth-shattering, but it’s what works for me. I hope it helped just a bit. What about YOU? If you have any tips, PLEASE share. We could all use any extra hints you have. 🙂

Be sure to join us next month when we chat about keeping SANE during the holidays! And we’ll be sharing our new link-up for 2018!

Have a great day, friends!

An InLinkz Link-up

Workin' It

27 Comments

11.8.17
Good Better Best Food said:

I am so with you on addressing Christmas cards! I need to get all of my supplies ordered like this week so get ahead of the game. I already have our photo picked out so it is go time!

Patty
GoodBetterBestFood.blogspot.com

Reply
11.8.17
Sarita @ it's my girls' world said:

Yes to all of these tips… especially shopping online ame early christmas pjs!

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11.8.17
Lauren Morris said:

I agree….I try to calendar everything. If I don't write it down, I'll forget when when that movie is playing on tv or when breakfast with Santa is. Thanks for the reminder. I'm going to look up the Christmas movie listing today and write it on my calendar. 🙂 I have typically given my girls their Christmas pjs on Christmas Eve, but now I'm reconsidering. Great idea to give them the pjs at Thanksgiving so they can wear the new pjs all December long.

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11.8.17
Anonymous said:

These were some awesome tips! I'm going to go ahead and order labels right now! I always forget to do this! My fingers will thank you when I'm addressing all those Christmas cards! 😉

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11.8.17
Mix and Match Mama said:

Seriously, what would we do without our Erin Condren planners????

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- 11.8.17
  Whitney Pegram said:
  
  Amen!!! Love mine!
  
  Reply
11.8.17
Unknown said:

We like to have a “Merry Thanksgiving”, our tree goes up the first weekend after Halloween, when Halloween comes down. I may even have some presents already wrapped under the tree. I bought my daughters Christmas PJ’s last year after Christmas on clearance.

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11.8.17
Kait said:

Thank you for the reminder about labels!! 😊

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11.8.17
kelly said:

Oh Erika! You have no idea how helpful this is to people like me!! I LOVE your idea of writing down something as simple as “s’mores on a Thursday “. So many Christmas seasons have come and gone without me doing gingerbread houses with my kiddos but NOW I will write that stuff in my calendar!! Thank you for the reminder and ideas!!

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11.8.17
Whitney Pegram said:

That online shopping meme!! Yesssss!!! LOL!

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11.8.17
Simple Purposeful Living said:

LOL the UPS guy is like Santa all December long :). All the shopping online for this momma, although this year I have mostly shopped in store so far which is crazy! xoxo ERIN

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11.8.17
Alicia Marie said:

Great tips! We are a Christmas Day opening family, so every Christmas eve the kids get to open a present with their new Christmas jammies in it. They know what it is…but they look forward to opening something! I need to check out gymboree…I haven't found mine yet this year.

Also…I would love to look at the advent calendars…but your link goes to the pjs 🙂

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11.8.17
live compassionately said:

I LOVE the idea of writing everything down for Christmas in your planner! I had never even thought of writing down things like watching a movie, etc. GENIUS. Thanks for the idea!

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11.8.17
Laura said:

My biggest time savers are printing Christmas card addresses on clear mailing labels to save time addressing (I use a fun font so they still look cute!) and using a self-inking return address stamp (even faster than sticking return address labels on!)

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11.8.17
Design by Sydnee said:

Yes, love the UPS and Fedex guys, all year long, ha!

Design by Sydnee | A Lifestyle Blog

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11.8.17
Emily said:

Where did you find the American Girl Advent Calendar? Thanks!

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11.8.17
Amanda @ That Inspired Chick said:

100% agree with all of this!! I always want to have Shutterfly address my envelopes for me but I can't ever get my act together long enough to find and input all of the recipients' addresses into the website! I need to make a list and have that be number 1 this year. 😉 That Inspired Chick

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11.8.17
Mommaof3 said:

Just wanted to let you know the link for the advent calendar takes you to the cartwrs website? I ended up googling to find…

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11.8.17
Erika Slaughter said:

So sorry I didn't link the Advent Calendars! EEK! I changed the first link and added the others. 🙂

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11.8.17
Sheaffer {Pinterest Told Me To} said:

Chris and I got into one of the biggest fights we've ever been in one year when I was having him input addresses into a database for us to be able to print labels off. We started laughing a couple of minutes into it..but we were straight up yelling at each other!!!! I do have a return address stamp, which makes that part so much easier. It's even easier than the labels!

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11.8.17
Unknown said:

If the Shutterfly SPOOKY does not work for everyone, try this code: Getsavings
Just save $9 🙂

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11.8.17
mandabee said:

I love my Erin condren planner! Everything goes in there but I love the idea of putting in simple stuff like watching a movie. Helps those nights not pass by when other stuff gets in the way because technically you have plans!

Reply
11.8.17
Reader said:

Hey! Any plans to update the look of your website soon? Cant wait to see Britt on here too. Thank you for sharing your life with us!

Reply
- 11.8.17
  Erika Slaughter said:
  
  Absolutely! I have lots of plans but my web designer is knee deep in Christmas card designing at the moment. Hopefully in January!
  
  Reply
- 11.8.17
  Reader said:
  
  Exciting! Congratulations again.
  
  Reply
11.9.17
Unknown said:

We give Christmas pj's on Christmas Eve too. One thing we've added to Christmas Eve…siblings give and receive gifts from each other. We found over the years that that special drawing made by sister was overlooked when opened Christmas morning…overshadowed when compared to that must have Lego set. And maybe even tossed aside. Having my four exchange gifts the night before really gives them a chance to appreciate each other before the craziness the next morning is sure to hold.

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11.9.17
MarilynsTreats said:

Thanks for hosting and have a blessed week.

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Workin’ It-Planning for the Holidays

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