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:)