Jumping on the Christmas Bandwagon

Before I plunge into my post I need to take the time to apologize for being missing in action for over a month. I assure you that I am back and plan to be hard at work for the next few weeks. I must also apologize for being a day late to jump onto the Two-Months-Until-Christmas Bandwagon. Nevertheless, here I am fashionably late to share a few things that I am hoping will help me (and you, too) stay sane this year. So read up on my tips below and give the whole idea of overspending and over stressing the boot.

My family and I did something fabulous for Christmas last year. I'd love to say we went to Tuscany to celebrate in the Italian countryside or rented an amazing chalet in Vale but we did something more practical. We set a budget. It really is one of the best things we've ever done. We didn't stress about whether we were spending too much or too little and most importantly we didn't break out the credit card. I truly expected it to be an awkward conversation but it was incredibly easy. The collective sigh of relief was actually audible. If you have a chance at Thanksgiving it's definitely worth discussing.

While my family hadn't really set a budget until the past year or so I do remember one Christmas when we decided to try to get creative in order to save some money. Someone in my family (no one is able to recall specifically who this was) came up with the idea of making gifts for one another. While this is a very cute idea and brings to mind some heartwarming episode of "Little House on the Prairie" it does not work for this girl. Don't get me wrong, I love crafts when I have time and some of my favorite gifts are things that people have made me. I, however, do not have time to make gifts for everyone on my list. This is where people who do have time to make gifts and sell them on the Internet can help. There is a website that gives these crafty little elves a place to sell their wares called Etsy. The gifts that you buy here are guaranteed to be unique and there really is something for everyone. It does take time to peruse the vast number of items and sellers but it can really pay off.


If there is someone on your list who is more into haute couture than handiwork, I have two websites that you will find yourself checking everyday. HauteLook and Gilt both feature designer brands at ridiculously low prices. There are clothing items for women, men, and children, jewelery, cosmetics, accessories, and home items. The brands on sale change everyday and generally last two to three days. Both sites require you to sign up for a free account. The only catch is that you may have a new lunch time addiction.


Even with an arsenal of great websites it's still challenging to buy for some people on your list. It's also challenging (at least for me) to come up with something on the spot if someone says, "Is there anything that you need or want this year?" There are so many websites out there that allow you to make a wish list - Amazon and Sephora are just two. Once you make a list it's easy to e-mail to friends and family. There are even registry websites, such as MyRegistry.com, that allow you to add items from several different websites. It is kind of awkward to admit to someone that you're still making a wish list as an adult but if you suggest that everyone in your gift-giving circle joins in it really becomes quite useful. Try using Thanksgiving as an opportunity to discuss this, too, when you bring up the subject of the budget. It really is kind of fun once you get started and brings to mind the excitement that used to come when the JC Penny Wish Book arrived.


Christmas will be here before we know it and we all need as many reminders as we can get to remember the real reason for celebrating - Jesus. So as you shop remember that gifts from one another really are just icing on the cake to the best gift of all. Please feel free to share your favorite tips for making holiday shopping easier in the comments section below. Happy shopping, everyone!

Fall Is My Spring

Spring has all the luck. It brings to mind renewal and revival. It means its time to spring into action. Spring means plunging head long into cleaning, organization, and projects around the house. Spring means it's time to put an end to the hibernation that inevitably comes with winter and awaken to all a new season has to offer.

I, too, love to greet Spring after a long winter. I can't wait to see the green buds and welcome warmer temperatures. I'll do a few things around the house - maybe change a bedspread or replace my spicy, warm scented candles with more crisp, clean scents. I, however, do not find myself making large scale lists of things that I plan on doing as part of reviving myself after a long winter. Spring is simply not that time for me.

Fall, however, is a time when I find myself eager to do things around the house. As August ends and September appears around the corner I start thinking about all the things I need to do to make my house more of a home. I assume part of it is the fact that more people are going to visit during this time of year. Between football games, birthdays, Thanksgiving, and all the other events that work their way into these upcoming months I find myself entertaining more in the Fall than any other time of year. I also think these projects and improvements are my way of preparing myself for the long winter ahead. Sometimes I feel like a bear getting everything ready to hibernate in my den for the next few months.

This week I was overwhelmed with the ideas that kept popping into my head. While drying my hair on Monday - This is when I do my best thinking, by the way. I think it's the warm air and white noise. Anyhoo... - I kept thinking of new paint colors for various rooms throughout the house. At lunch on Wednesday I started budgeting replacing the carpet in our house with hardwood. While driving to work on Thursday I started wondering whether Space Bags really worked as well as they appear to on television and if so how much could I organize with them. I had an epiphany concerning a way to improve the look of my dogs' crates this morning in the shower. There might be a later post concerning the dog crate project. I might actually try to - gasp - sew.

I don't know how many of these projects will get done, if any. It's so much fun to just to think and plan, though. I think this is what most people feel like in March and April while I'm busy praying that I won't have to drive up our snow covered driveway one more time. I'm excited about the prospect of changing a few things and enjoying how a small effort can make a huge difference.

My mom and I have made a tradition of heading to an arts and crafts fair around this time every year and I always come home with some new autumnal decoration for the house (this year's purchase was the cute witch's boot pictured above). I think this is where the bug usually bites and I start itching to redecorate and redo. I started today by decorating a few things in my entryway, kitchen, and our formal-ish living room (nothing in this house is actually formal). I smile every time I walk past the curio cabinet in our breakfast nook and the sparkly "Happy Halloween" sign on the mantle. Hopefully all of you can find a few projects around the house to bring a smile to your face over the next few weeks. Happy Fall, everyone!