Tag: planning

Planning For a Meaningful (or at least sane) Christmas, part 3

December 3, 2022 /

I’ve been thinking…If I was going to do a series of posts like this, I probably should have sent them a month ago. That was the plan, but stuff happens. So, my word for you today is “Let it go!”

I totally understand if you’re already too busy to read these or try to put them to use. Just delete and move on!

But today there are a few gift ideas, so you may want to take a peek at them. Also, this is the last time I’ll show up in your email till after Christmas, but I’ll be posting what I hope will be uplifting and helpful posts over on Instagram, so join me there!

Day 3 – Prepare

  • Are there traditional Christmas baked goods that you make every year? Make a comprehensive grocery list and stock up now. Or order on Amazon!
  • If Pinterest is your thing and creating is life-giving for you, now is the time to scroll through your “Christmas” file and choose one new craft, recipe, or party you’d like to try. Here’s one I want to try from Boxwood Avenue
  • Look at the days you know will be crazy and write in “pizza” now. (And if you want a fantastic gift idea to send to your grown kids and grands to take some stress off, order here! ) Look at the days when you will be hosting and make out tentative menus now (it will make you feel better to have something down on paper!)

Hostess (and other) Gift ideas:

  • Appetizer on a keep-it platter 
  • Homemade Granola in decorated mason jar
  • Christmas towel wrapped around a bottle of wine
  • Energy bites for hiking (recipe below) (Add this amazing book and give it to the hiker in your family!)
  • Fancy lighter with candle (these are our favs)
  • Paper-white bulbs (This is also a lovely gift for the person in your life who needs a picture of hope – something ugly that becomes beautiful. Add Kate Bowler’s book, Good Enough for a meaningful present)
  • Quick bread or baked goodie for the morning after breakfast. (buy cheap mini ceramic loaf pans at Michaels or Hobby Lobby)
  • A book for the family to enjoy. If you haven’t read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, add it to your holiday traditions!

If you’re staying several days:

  • Festive holiday paper plates, napkins and printed cups – all of which can be put to use while you’re visiting so there are fewer dishes to wash.
  • Something from your hometown – like wild rice and a recipe from MN or toffee from a local candy shop.

And if you’re all done with your shopping and prepping, a Christmassy book I found delightful is here.

Energy bites

INGREDIENTS

Yields: 16-18 balls

2/3 cup creamy peanut butter (can use chunky too)

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1½ Tbsp. honey

1/4 cup miniature chocolate chips

1/4 cup flaxseeds 

PREPARATION

Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well-combined.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Once done chilling, roll into approximately 1 inch balls. (Cover hands in a light layer of butter or oil to facilitate rolling and avoid getting sticky hands.) Wrap in squares of Saran wrap and tie with festive ribbon or string.

Store in the refrigerator until ready to be eaten. Enjoy!

That’s it from me! Please share your best Christmas planning tips and gift ideas in the comments!!!

Soul Food For a New Decade

January 11, 2020 /

Peace. Understanding. Lack of division. 2019 was a rough year in these areas. Or did it just seem worse than usual?

Monday I wrote about building bridges with people different from us. Next week I’ll be posting more on complicated relationships, but until then, our friend Matt Norman wrote such a helpful article on The Number One Principle in Relationships and Influence. Check it out!

Two well-written, engaging books I read over the holidays?

Winter Solstice by Rosamund Pilcher, about a variety of people whose lives intersect one Christmas at an old house in snowy northern Scotland. Loved it!

And Shepherds Abiding by Jan Karon. I love the Mitford books with all the characters – quirky, gentle, kind, hopeful. I had read this, but rereading it at Christmas was perfect.

Trying to get organized? Here’s a good article I read: Got a New Planner? Here are 7 Things to Write in it Now

And lastly some grins and inspiration from Instagram.

I want to stay here! Who’s with me?

As always I’d love to hear from you in the comments! Have a great weekend!

Towards the Making of a More Relaxed Christmas 2018

December 29, 2017 /

It’s the 28th of December as I write this. I’m guessing both you and I are both feeling a bit “over” – overfed, overtired, over-partied, over-drawn – after weeks of celebrating. Am I right?

Most of us are looking forward to taking down our Christmas tree for a fresh start, and simultaneously feeling sad for the passing of this holy time.

Some of you are thinking “coulda/shoulda/woulda” regarding some of the choices you made this Advent. Maybe you said too many “yes’s” or were totally unorganized. Maybe you over-spent, or were too tired to be present in the moments. Our dream is to be present to God and to others especially during this holy season, so what are we going to do about it?

At our church, every week we do a little post-service eval, asking what went well and what we could do better. I’m thinking that if we do that and give a little forethought, Christmas 2018 can be even better than 2018. So here are a few suggestions.

And let me just say, if you are a man reading this and thinking, “Not my thing”, think again. One of the best gifts you can give your wife if you’re married is your partnership in this season. Step up men!

December 2017 /January 2018 

Have a conversation today. Evaluate Christmas 2017. Discuss these questions:

  • What worked well for Christmas 2017? What are we thankful for?
  • If we were going to choose one word to characterize Christmas 2017, what would it be?
  • What mistakes do we want to avoid for Christmas 2018?

The putzy stuff I hate to do, but this helps:

  • LABEL EVERYTHING as you put it away. Attach pictures of how you decorated to your storage boxes. Buy a storage box and label it 2018.
  • Buy candles, ornaments, ribbon, and goodie bags at post-holiday sales. Put these together and label “Hostess gifts”

  • I LOVE making things, but when November rolls around I feel too pressured to get creative. This January I’m looking at some of the DIY gifts I have pinned and am committing to actually doing them during our cold Minnesota winter.
  • Write on your calendar for December, 2018 which cookies you absolutely loved this year and want to commit to baking next year.
  • Record which menus worked this year – for an Open House, for easy family dinners, for whatever.
  • Update your Christmas card list now.
  • Did you have a great idea for a gift or an activity? Write it down on your calendar – December 2018.

Throughout 2018

  • If you have trips or family gatherings planned for 2018, write in reminders on those dates – TAKE FAMILY PHOTOs for Christmas cards!
  • Keep a gift chart of people, ideas and budget through the year..

November 2018

  • Buy or order your Christmas cards before Thanksgiving if possible.
  • I know not everyone can do this, but I block off the 5 days after Thanksgiving to focus on prepping for Christmas – getting decorations up over time so I can be relaxed. We make a point of coming home from visiting relatives at least a day early to miss the crazy crowds driving/flying home and to give ourselves some time to get grounded before the rush of the holidays starts.
  • If you’re married and have kids at home, sit down with your calendars and see if there is one day you can both take off and work together on shopping (grocery or gift). Enjoy a lunch date!

December 2018

Talk about expectations with your family. What are the things each person is MOST looking forward to and what are they apprehensive about?

Gift ideas

  • A lot of Christmas gifts can’t be anticipated or bought way ahead, but one that everyone loves that you can do in November is to create photo books for family members. If you do this on Shutterfly you can add to save and add to your project throughout the year too.

  • One of the best gift ideas I heard this year was from a grandmother who is a voracious reader and has a huge library of books. She chose one of her books to give each of her kids and grandkids with a note saying why she thought they’d like it. My mom has given me similar gifts that are precious to me – classics we loved, my grandfather’s Bible and my grandmother’s scrap book (100 years old!)

  • For busy mom friends this year I made them the main course of a dinner they could freeze and pop in the oven on a busy day when they didn’t want to cook.

  • Time is our most precious commodity. It may sound like a cop-out, but giving a “date” with someone to take them to a movie and dinner is a precious gift.

 

  • I love it when friends use their gifts and talents to create something special. My friend Sharon, who runs a creative communications team called Open Book,  made these prints to give.

  • And my friend Cara, who has started Rooted by Design, a flower arranging business made these lovely gifts for each of her friends (in a votive holder that can be reused!).

  • Looking for a gift for neighbors or hostess gifts? Make a big batch of ONE thing and put it in the bags you got after Christmas last year. Attach a tiny ornament. Three of the things I have given in the past are homemade granola, or “Christmas crack” snack mix, or quick bread in inexpensive ceramic loaf pans (I got red ones for about $2.00 a piece at Michaels)

 

  • Do you know someone who is grieving? This one is tricky because everyone what is helpful to one might be hurtful to another. The first Christmas after my brother died, my sister-in-law didn’t have the will or energy to decorate herself, but friends snuck over and hung a wreath on her door. You also might give an ornament that reminds you of the person who died, with a note sharing a memory. 

Those are a few of my ideas. What would you add? Please share in comments!

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