Monday, November 24, 2008

holiday planner, part 1

It all started with an issue of Family Fun Magazine. That's how these things usually start.
It's not that I never have a good idea on my own, it's just that these people get paid to come up with brilliant little suggestions to make our holidays and our otherwise boring weekdays a bit more fun. A few years ago the magazine featured this "Amazing Holiday Planner". I think my sister Rachel decided to do it first. She tipped me off and we were both in the race to get ours ready for the start of December. The idea is to have a binder with sections that break down the parts of the holidays that require the most planning.


The planner opens with a calendar. You can visit the website for the printable templates or you can create your own. Here's the link: http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=11613

"Our Holiday Card List" is next in the binder. I use it to keep track of who I sent a card to each year. This year, however, I'm doing it differently. I'm creating a sheet with room for names and addresses. This one just has names. Gotta make it easier on myself:)

On to the gifts...the "Holiday Gift List" is a lifesaver. There are three columns. The first lists the names of the recipients. The second is where you write what gift you want to give. The third is where you write what you ended up choosing for that person. Each year you can remember who got what. If you're stumped about what to give Aunt Mary, maybe you can see what she's gotten in the past and give something that complements or completes a set. I usually need 2 of these sheets.



Next up..."Holiday Recipes, Menus and Party Plans". I use this section to highlight some of the newer recipes we tried this year. I write about parties we went to and the foods we ate. If I plan a party, the ideas go in here, too.

{**The picture for the next section is bringing out my inner scrooge...i'm omitting it b/c it keeps deleting itself}

The section for "Crafts and Decorations" can get a little tedious for me because I am a creature of habit with my Christmas decorating. I find that things belong only where I've always placed them and that is a hard habit to break. I manage to write down the new ornaments I've gotten and the other decorations I've acquired. Having these written down makes it easier to come back and look through the pages to find out how many years we've had a our jingle bell tree and such.


"Holiday Memories" brings the planner to an end. This gives you a record of the traditions, movies, parties and other things that shape your holidays. Create a journal that describes how your family celebrates the holidays. You'll turn to it often and remember the happiness you felt each year.

As you can see, I've made room for some scrapbook pages for many of the years. (I'm a little behind:) There are plastic pencil pouches to hold samples of cards we've sent, patterns of stockings I made (yes, I sewed), recipes I use every year, etc... Check out the website and create on of your own. I really is one of MY favorite traditions to get out the planner and let the holidays begin.

check back soon for holiday planner, part 2:)

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11 comments:

LeAnn said...

Wow! I'm very impressed. I think it's a great idea. The only problem for me is that I'm too unorganized to become organized. I'd put it off until it was too late and then it just wouldn't seem worth it.

I loved looking at your weekly menu that I'm guessing Harley wrote. I was just reading some of Tyler's spelling journal entries and the spelling cracks me up.

LeAnn said...

Oh, and I can't see the crafts and decorations pics. I'll have to come back later to see if they are working.

heidigoseek said...

leann- i'm so frustrated with that picture...i would load the picture, publish, yup..it all looks good...come back later and check...the pic is gone. did it all over again twice. i took the dang thing out:) you're not missing much on that one.

hdayton said...

As IF the bar wasn't already set high enough. Thanks! :0)

jaesi said...

dido to what LeAnn said.

Butler Family said...

That is really a neat thing to do!! Especially around the holiday season. Maybe if Istart now in 20 years I won't forget and it will be a piece of cake. By the way can you email me your address at TimmysQueen@hotmail.com because we have a christmas card waiting to send to you but have no address!!! Thanks. That again is such an awesome idea

Red said...

you are too organized for your own good. :-)

Your favorite sister said...

Heidi, you are just soooo good! I love this idea. I am constantly trying to remember what I got for whom, and what I did with that recipe etc. I am so going to do this!

Teresa said...

Thanks for sharing your genious (rather Family Fun's genious, but your genious for actually putting it into action.). I am very tempted to start doing this, then maybe I'll actually enjoy this time of year. I sound like so much fun, don't I?

Janice said...

Such a neat idea! They definitely have some really fun ideas. I just might have to make one of my own, thanks! Oh - and Happy Thanksgiving!

Tim said...

As if we needed yet another reason why you rock...