Squeeee!!!

[Jenn Barrette]

22 days until it is Christmas morning

Where are you at in your "holiday prep"?

So far: I have a list of "Elf on the Shelf" planned for the rest of the month, all my baking planned out, 90% of my gifts purchased, meals planned for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and a list of crafts/most of the supplies ready!

Still haven't started my Daily December album...but I am waiting on a few supplies I ordered (doing a paper scrapbooking album for the first time!) and I haven't wrapped a single present. And...I am running out of money for all the little extras I still want. LOL We are trying to keep within our budget this year...but it seems to be proving difficult for me.

[heathergw]

I have done nothing but put up the tree lol

[hollyxann]

^ slacker

I've got nothing lol I haven't even done my Christmas shopping except a few small things for Kennedy lol

[julifish]

I'm feeling totally overwhelmed to be quite honest.

We have up one tree and have it decorated. The other tree is up but it's still bare.
The elf has been visiting since Thanksgiving and I think making a plan for each day would ease my mind and then DH could help set it up (thanks for that idea)
We're also doing a small advent gift, thought, activity each day - need to come up with stuff for that.
I've got some gifts wrapped but many more to go and still over half my shopping to get done.
Calendars and photo book are ordered. Still have to do cards - sigh! And we are having Christmas here on Sunday for my half-sis and her dad (my ex-step dad) so I guess I had better actually decorate the house before then and clean.
Oh yeah and that working full time thing is going on too! LOL! Crazy, crazy, but fun time of year!

[meganmecrazy]

I'm a slacker! I've only done a little bit of shopping. that's it

[Jenn Barrette]

I skipped calendars this year, but now I am regretting it I think I will order some after Christmas...better late than never right?

Remember now that I really have to find the 12 Christmas books I bought (I got them last year and then forgot to wrap them...) and get them wrapped to give them out as a 12 days of Christmas gifts for the girls.

[kelley]

Another slacker here!! I consider myself on the ball since I've got the tree up, bought a couple of gifts (like 1 for each kid), and did the first 2 pages of my album. No menus, baking list, or anything like that, but I never have that kind of lists - I just fly by the seat of my pants and it all works out. I guess if I hosted Christmas it would be different, but we are always with the in laws.

[ayaandjudah]

For us, hanukkah begins at sundown on Saturday night...this coming saturday! YIKES!
So we've finished all our shopping except a bedding set for my 5 year old and some arts and craft supplies (whatever is on sale this week). Everything that we've bought has been wrapped except for clothes. I'll wrap those this week.

We have our menorahs out and we bought candles (last year we forgot to buy them...ooops) and we really are ready to go.

Hanukkah isn't really a big deal to adults so until we had kids we didn't really do anything special for the holiday. But now we're so excited because the kids get into it!

[Gemma]

I'm about 85% done with my shopping and that's it lol.

I'm going to try and get all the stocking things this week and I'll be going for the last few presents on the 22nd December! My tree and decorations will be going up on the 13/14th and I can't wait!

[Keely~B]

Well, I have our trees up and my youngest DD has lights up in her room. (DH does that for her every year ♥ ) I have some shopping done but that's about the extent of it. I'm not doing an advent this year and we don't do Elf on the Shelf. I'm out for Dec. daily but I'm tempted to do a mini-Dec album of some sort (because I so love everyone else's lol )

[LeeAndra]

The tree is up. Will be decorated tonight. We don't have much in the way of other decorations, so that'll be it. Need to buy St. Nicholas treats + stocking stuffers.

Have bought half of the kids' presents & the rest are picked out, just not purchased. Have picked out gifts for others, too, just not purchased. Need to buy tickets for DH to take MIL to 'The Nutcracker' for her bday+Christmas. Have planned out activities for most of month. Have Monkey's Christmas outfits. Need to confirm with MIL when we're celebrating with DH's side; already know what we're doing and when for my side. Have already meal planned.

The only two 'big' things left are working out our visitation schedule with SS (his mom is convinced that we had him for Christmas Eve/morning last year even though I have photos that prove otherwise -- sigh) and seeing if I have Christmas Eve and NYE off work.

I'm feeling good abt my progress thus far. I am usually much more behind at the beginning of December!

[MamaBee]

I was feeling pretty good going into Dec, but now that we are here... yikes!

Polar Express, meeting Santa and Garden of Lights (light display at the Botanical Gardens) is done - that all was on this past Saturday.

Elf on the Shelf is all scheduled out for the month - and that is the only thing I feel like I have a grip on... haha I also have 31 Christmas books wrapped and ready to go...

Tree is up, not decorated - was suppose to do that yesterday during the Packer game, but I took a nap instead - hahaha...

Dec Daily scrapping is on hold - hubby to rebuild my laptop - and I'm still waiting... which means no scrapping is making a very crabby mama.

J's gifts are purchased - not wrapped yet. Haven't started on the rest of the family - haven't started the calendars so now I know I'll have to pay extra shipping on that.... still need to do the thank you gifts for J's outside teachers (church and Y)

Christmas Cards - not even on the radar yet... as is the rest of the holiday stuff... we are even late on starting advent readings and our Dec Daily devotional...

yes, I'm feeling very stressed out right now... hahaha

[marlathrall]

I'm not feeling overwhelmed very much this year and I have done very little so far. We had a big Thanksgiving get together with my family that I hosted, so much of the stress is now off me. lol.

I've decorated (although not as much as usual) and bought my husbands Christmas gift. I'm still waiting on it to be delivered. I got Christmas cards ordered on Friday and they will probably come in today or tomorrow.

I still need to get him something for our anniversary (Dec 23) and order canvas/prints for my inlaws.

We might need to decide soon what we are actually going to do for Christmas. My parents and siblings will be out of town and the in-laws aren't really planners. I'm half tempted to stay home with my husband, grill steaks, and relax... by ourselves... in peace. (Can you tell that Thanksgiving really overwhelmed me?)

I haven't even started my December Daily that I was oh so excited about in September/ October. I've been taking pictures, but have yet to make the time to edit them and that's putting me all behind. Hopefully I will get the first page completed today.

[Jenn Barrette]

You guys are helping me remember the stuff I still need to do. LOL Christmas cards are ordered, waiting for payday to purchase our "big gift" and I need to package up the photobook I made for my family and send it still.

[nesser1981]

Pretty much the same here! I'm still debating on menus.

Originally Posted by Jenn Barrette

22 days until it is Christmas morning

Where are you at in your "holiday prep"?

So far: I have a list of "Elf on the Shelf" planned for the rest of the month, all my baking planned out, 90% of my gifts purchased, meals planned for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and a list of crafts/most of the supplies ready!

Still haven't started my Daily December album...but I am waiting on a few supplies I ordered (doing a paper scrapbooking album for the first time!) and I haven't wrapped a single present. And...I am running out of money for all the little extras I still want. LOL We are trying to keep within our budget this year...but it seems to be proving difficult for me.

[mummytothree]

We are all decorated and I have all my countdown activities planned and all the supplies (this included something each day- craft, activity, baking). I have our menu for Christmas Eve and Christmas day and everything bought for that except the fresh veggies and fruit!!! My December album is coming along nicely so I'm feeling pretty good!!

But....I have nothing bought and I'm not going to get a chance to get out till the 11th!!! I'll take that back....hubby picked up the 3 boys main gifts on Friday last week from Game Stop - Skylanders for 3DS for oldest DS, 3DS for middle DS and a DS XLi for youngest DS. *lol*

I'm not really stressing though...we don't buy a ton of gifts and I KNOW what I want to buy and DH took the 11th & 12th off as personal days so I can shop all I want by myself and we can get everything wrapped!!!

[LJSDesigns]

Christmas is going to be quiet for us again this year and I love it. (Thanks giving is our big holiday.)

My sister and her husband, who we usually celebrate with with be out of town visiting friends, so it will be just my mother, son and I, plus his GF for a while. We are going to do something different for dinner, lasagna and salad with those tasty Hawaiian rolls I don't need, because we will still celebrate a traditional Christmas with my sis on the Sunday between Christmas and New years. Since that get together is at her house, all I have to do is make some food, ie whatever she tells me to make, to take.

We didn't have a tree last year and I am not sure we will have one this year either, but I got an new fake one just in case. There won't be much baking going on either, but I did get the stuff for Chex Party Mix because it is a fav at the holidays and a few cookie supplies.

I have done some Christmas shopping, but still have more to do. The budget is super tight this year, so I won't be doing much, but my family is all adults, so none of us really need much. I have finished shopping for my aunt's twins though (My sister and I do their Christmas presents each year as my aunt struggles financially) which was very important to me. They will have some nice things that I got at good deals. Love that!

Even though we love the holidays, we are not huge celebrators. We usually have a nice meal, watch some classic Christmas movies together, play a few family games and just enjoy the peacefulness of the day. I like it that way.

As to the December Daily, maybe next year. Those huge, dedicated projects scare me to death!

[mariewilcox]

I don't have a lot of prep for Christmas since we keep it pretty low key.

I started my cooking/baking a few weeks ago. For my grandfather (94) who has everything and wants for nothing, I cook for him and freeze meals throughout Nov/Dec. He loves this; since my grandmother died 6 years ago, he doesn't like to cook for himself so much. I end up with 20 to 30 different frozen meals for him. I'm also known among family and friends for my extensive array of cookies at Christmastime. I have 7 kinds made and about 7 more to go.

Decorating - No tree yet. We get a real tree and will be cutting it down this coming Saturday. We've been decorating bit by bit this past week between basketball, work, and school.

We always do a gingerbread house too - probably next weekend.

Gifts - all handmade stuff is done. Homemade vanilla for the women in my family, a remote control caddy for my dad's chair, calendar for my parents, desktop calendars for my sister and close cousin. Niece and nephew are bought for. Son, DIL, and granddaughter are done also. I basically just need to shop for Cheyanne but that will be the weekend before Christmas, except for a few things I need to order from Amazon this Friday when I get paid.

Other than that I don't worry about meals because we wing it. The Saturday right before Christmas we'll have dinner at my parents and exchange gifts with my sister and her family (doing this in between the 2 basketball games my daughter has that day!). No idea what we're doing Xmas eve yet, depends on son's schedule. Christmas Day is quiet - just us and I'm actually working from home that day.

[maryinaz]

Outside is decorated.

Advent candles have been purchased, just need to get out our ceramic wreath (and yes, I missed a day already).

Inside is in progress. I have no energy to do it this year, so I'm just taking it slow.

Baking day with friends is next Sunday. Not sure what all I'm making besides caramels.

I have very few gifts to buy since the boys all want something expensive, so it's more about spacing them out for fund availability and watching for deals.

I've done our "card" - just need to print and mail.

I still need to do the bottoms of the calendar, but I've been printing the tops.

It's just us for meals, so no plans yet. Last year we had a big variety on Christmas - steak, shrimp, crab legs, turkey breast, etc. We'll probably do something like that again. For Christmas Eve, we might do Italian out with DH's brother and his family - that was a tradition way back that we've let slide for years.

[staciahall]

After reading all that the rest of you have done, I am really feeling like a grinch. I have bought gifts for my two small cousins and that is it. Neither of my kids have done lists yet. I will have Christmas Eve at my house but that menu is like Thanksgiving normally. I have cookie baking day for family and friends on the 15th, my son turns 19 on the 16th.

Work is crazy busy, if I had small kids I might be more organized. I mean, I recall that I used to be... At this point my son is lucky to get dinner and clean clothes.

[jaylensmom]

You ladies are making me feel bad

I have most of my shopping done...I’m about 90% complete for everyone except my son. He is going to be difficult to shop for so I’m saving him for last.

I still have to make gifts for J’s classmates. I had one idea in mind but found a bunch of Christmas pencils I bought last year that I didn’t give out so I need to incorporate them in my gift idea

The decorations are a work in progress…One tree is decorated…The other will be decorated tonight. The fireplace has to be decorated… and other random decorations we put out. The outside lights and the lawn are decorated.

I have our December activities written down but I need to put them on the calendar.

I’m not really into baking but this year I said I was going to try to bake at least 2 different cookies. So I have to figure out the easiest cookies to bake and that’s what I’m doing.

[MandaT]

Overwhelmed.

Tree is up, house is decorated, Elf has arrived.

No presents purchased, we'll be making our gifts this year. I've started the girls' nurse play kit and boy's getting a quilt. I've got to find some cheap fleece for some boot slippers that I found a pattern for.

Top that off with a trip to Sacramento for my little brothers wedding the week before and all3 of my kids are in the wedding and I'm doing some of the photography.

Haven't even thought about getting our family photos taken so I can get out our holiday cards. Although I'll probably end up using the outfits the kids have for the wedding.

Overwhelmed is the best I can do. :/

[carriesmom]

Here is where I am at.

Already done:

• tree is up and decorated
• other decorations are up
• advent calendars are a go
• elf is in full mischief mode.
• up to date on the December Daily album
• baked about a 12 dozen cookies this weekend
• stockings are up
• Most of the presents are bought

Left to do:

• finish up shopping for girls and m brother's family
• stocking stuffer left to be bought
• need to wrap presents
• need to finish and order calendars.
• buy new ornaments
• mail out Christmas cards

I was hoping to finish it up this week but I am now having to pay $700 bucks for a new radiator for my car, so it will have to wait until the 13th.

[marnel]

-My shopping is mostly done.
-We aren't putting up a tree this year and no elf on the shelf even though I am loving all the ideas and pics for next year maybe.
-My December Daily is coming along it just never gets posted, lol.
-We have lights up still from Halloween we are such slackers this year, I am honestly not in a festive mood it goes and comes but mostly goes :P

[farrijc]

I am very good at letting things go to avoid being overwhelmed! lol My house is decorated, I'm 99% done shopping, and I don't do anything with our elf that takes more than two minutes. I'm knee deep working on our Disneyworld album (we went over thanksgiving), so I opted to order Christmas cards from shutterfly instead of making them. I have no desire to do a December daily because I think it would stress me out. Last year I did an advent calendar with daily activities but this year it will just be things here and there, not every day.

On my to-do list are teacher gifts and a couple of projects that will be presents.... oh, and to take the kids to see Santa

I'm also fortunate that either my mom or one of her sisters hosts Christmas so I get out of cooking! It's a sweet deal, and I am grateful!!

[HeatherKS]

The house is decorated and has been since right after Thanksgiving. We have two of the kids' big gifts bought thanks to Cyber Monday sales but other than that I only have a few things purchased. I'm going shopping on Friday though so I'm hoping to knock a lot of it out then.

Our elf is arriving this afternoon while we are gone for dance (I know, the 3rd is weird but Corbin was gone a few days over the weekend and we were so busy with Camryn's birthday that I didn't need one more thing on my plate). I need to sit down and plan out my days so that it only takes a few minutes each evening to set him up. That would make things a ton simpler.

I'm getting supplies for my handmade gifts on Friday so I'll tackle them in the afternoons next week.

I'm feeling okay about where I am with stuff and will feel even better after Friday. I expect to be 75% done after that day and to only have handmade gifts left to do. Fingers crossed. LOL

[Sherri Tierney]

I feel good about my progress so far. Some things are done, some things are left to do but I'm not going to stress it.

DH put up some lights outside. I still have some outside decorations I want to put out but that can wait until this weekend. If they don't make it out at all, no fret.

DH and I picked out a tree on Friday. We got it set up and put lights on it but then I got sick so it is sitting in our living room undecorated. Not a problem. We'll do it and it will look great. In the meantime, it is a gorgeous Frasier fir that looks just fine with only lights. I have one of the artificial trees set up in the living room as well, a small one decorated in 'my color'. It looks gorgeous but needs a topper. None of the other decorations are out yet (oh, I take that back, I put a few things in the bathroom!) but I'm not stressing. I put out most of my Thanksgiving decorations the day before Thanksgiving and I loved it. I enjoyed them because I was home for a few days but I didn't get tired of them and I didn't feel claustrophobic like I sometimes do with too many decorations. So, if I finish up the last minute Christmas decorations on Christmas Eve, I'll still be happy.

Cards - probably skipping them. No stress, right? That's seriously my motto this Christmas!! I have boxes of cards that I'll just slide a few pictures of the kids in to and put them in the mail with the gifts for the ILs. Easy peasy. I might send out New Year's cards this year though. I think that sounds way less stressful.

Calendars - same thing. If I decide to send them at all. One year I sent them in January and started them in February. It worked out just fine. I might do 18 month calendars this year and then I'll stress even less about them next Christmas.

Cooking - no menus planned but we pretty much know what we'll have. It's similar every year.

Baking/candy making - I'll probably do that after we're out of school for the holiday, then everything will be fresh. I'll make some stuff to take to work the last few days but otherwise it'll wait.

Gifts - DONE. Okay... I take that back, I need to send a gift card (probably an e-card) to my niece. Then we're done. Shopping for my kids, DH and everyone local is done.... and way under budget.

[YepBrook]

Sherri... love your new siggie!!!

*backing away from this thread* (I have waaaaaay too much still to do!!!)

[kristijoy]

I'm all done decorating! YEAH! The tree went up the day after Thanksgiving.

I've got a ton of cookie dough thawing in the refrigerator for all the baking on Wednesday and Thursday.

Shopping is mostly done. A few things left to wrap.

THe main thing I have to finish is the Christmas cards. Including taking a photo of the crew...which I've been trying to get together for the last hour!

[lovely1m]

We are moving in a week so our Christmas is all strange now. Trying not to do anything until last minute, so I don't have to move it.

[MandaT]

Add to the over-welming stress....I meet with a surgeon on Wednesday to get my gallbladder out.

[kscwgirl]

Cards are done and mostly addressed, 90% of presents bought, need to finish up a few small things and get stocking stuffers... and wrap.

Trees are up. Need to bake still and finish my calendar. Mom's is done and here already.

[mrshobbes]

I have done nothing...well, I've been earning money that will eventually go to presents, lol I gotta hustle!

[Jengerbread88]

I'm finished with everything but presents... I'm mostly done with those. I have Zach totally done (need to wrap some still) and I have my brother done (need to wrap that, too). I planned something for my mom, but it's not done and I'm really second guessing if it's the right gift anyway. I finished my grandmother's gift, but then it broke, so even if I fix it, I'm going to be worried that it will break again, so I need to figure that out, too... still need to buy my dad's. I know what to get, just haven't gotten it. And still haven't made our exchange student's gift, either. Ugh. Overwhelmed!

[Freckles]

Whaa, this thread makes me nervous! I can't believe how on top of thing you are!
I have my tree up and my house decorated. I'm still crocheting a couple of snow flakes to hang on my Christmas branches. I'm really just in decorating mode, I still have a couple of ideas I want to do.
But I have not made my card yet (don't even have photos for it yet!), I still need to decide on the menu and haven't got any presents yet. The card is something I can't postpone much longer so that'll be on my list next!

[Jengerbread88]

Woo! Cards are DONE! All I have now is finishing up Christmas gifts... bought everything I need for the last of those, too.

[jessica31876]

I have no Christmas Spirit this year really. Havent put up our tree. Havent started wrapping what presents Ive bought. Have not bought any presents for my son at all. The only people I have bought for is my daughter, son-in-law, granddaughter and niece/family in Hawaii. I still need to send her stuff to her in Hawaii. I got started really early but due to certain things happening I just lost any desire to do anything this year.

[Jennilyn]

The only thing I have left to do is wrap family presents. I already did my husband and kids, but need to do my niece, parents & ILs. Then I am totally done everything.

[Sherri Tierney]

Originally Posted by YepBrook

Sherri... love your new siggie!!!

*backing away from this thread* (I have waaaaaay too much still to do!!!)

Thank you It's about time I did one!

[Heather Prins]

Christmas shopping is nearly done
tree is up
Gingerbread house bought and ready to decorate
Advent calenders started
getting baking supplies together
Lovin every minute of it!!!!!!!!