Scary Christmas.

Every year it sneaks up on us and puts us in a half nelson of last minute stress.
join me in my crusade to enjoy each and every minute of the season this year {practically stress free} by planning ahead!

Here's what's worked in years' past and what will {i hope} work this year:

• MAKE A LIST - CHECK IT TWICE. you wouldn't go to the grocery store without one, why not gift shopping too? Rifle through catalogs and decide what to get before you enter the store and suffer amnesia. Also, people are talking about what they want now. keep a notepad and sneakily write it down when they casually mention all their socks have holes.
  
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• BUY PRESENTS YESTERDAY. i can never afford to buy all at once, but if i notice that season three of 30 rock is on sale, i grab it. and save it! and do take advantage of stores with lay-away. they don't charge interest, just a small fee, and then it's 8 weeks to pay it off. also, break out that notepad when you see something you were looking for but can't buy now. i hate trying to remember where i saw that stinking toy after trial-and-error store number 3.
  
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• INSTIGATE WRAPPER'S DELIGHT. wrap presents as soon as you buy them. i always do this for three reasons. one - because i'm a freak and i get a high out of wrapping presents. two - because then i can take my time and do a super cute job instead of trying to burn through a mountain of presents on Christmas eve. three - if someone happens upon their present {dan you nosy weasel!} it's already wrapped and they don't know what it is. let's throw in a fourth - Christmas trees look cuter with presents underneath.
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• SEE INTO THE FUTURE. sales on toys are rockin this time of year. i go ahead and buy caden's birthday presents too. i'd be too broke if i waited till january to do it after Christmas took my last can of who-hash.
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• START YOUR TO DO LIST. decide what festivities you want to do with your fam now. then look up dates online and pencil them into your schedule. december is a busy month and if you go see Santa when he first appears at the mall, you probably won't have to wait in a line.
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• TAKE A LOAD OFF. go through toys and clothes and take the biggest load you can manage to good will. play the 6 month game. if it hasn't been worn/played with for 6 months it won't be missed. you're making room for all the new goodies you'll get, plus you're providing a better selection to those who will be having a second hand Christmas this year.
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• BUY PB. when you go to the grocery store, throw in an extra jar of peanut butter or can of tuna. then when the food drives come - a - knocking you can give them the good stuff they really need.
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• GET HOT FOR TEACHER. not that way - with a glue gun! i love to give homemade crafts that parker helped make. if we start now, we can take our time and even to do a re-craft if the first turned out kinda scary.
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• ADDRESS THE PEOPLE. update your addresses and print your envelopes. or at least labels. even if you don't have your Christmas cards ready. it will put them in the front of your mind, and addressing is the most tedious part anyway, right?
  
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• BUY BATTERIES. and batteries, amen.
  

Good luck to you all and to all a merry Christmas.