Thursday, October 31, 2013

A Simplicity Christmas: The Challenge, a Notebook, and a Give-Away

This is my first post on crafting for the holidays. Over the next few months, I also plan to write some general holiday posts on my other blog Questioning my Intelligence and some Bible-based posts on my blog Transforming Common Days, for those who are interested.


The Challenge
The holidays are a hectic time. (statement of the obvious)

We want to enjoy peaceful holidays, but the rush and hurry and mile-long to-do lists leave us too exhausted to enjoy anything. (irony)

The expense of it all worries us and seems to grow each year no matter how we try to control our budgets. (Consumerism 101...who signed us up for this class?)

Happy Holidays! (more irony)

The first year I made Christmas cards, I decided to mass-produce a simple, embossed card with a single bow accent. Half-way through the embossing and before I'd tied the first bow, I said out loud so my husband could hear, "This is so boring!"

George replied, "So don't do it. I thought crafting was supposed to be fun."

"But I've already cut the card stock and ribbon," I whined.

"So what?" he shot back. "It's only paper and ribbon. You can use it for other stuff later."

He's mine. You can't have him.

Of course our crafting is supposed to be fun, though sometimes we could all use a reminder of this simple fact. For the vast majority of us, crafting is a hobby, a way to unwind after a busy day and a creative way to express ourselves freely and with the joyful abandon of small children.

Handcrafting should never be anything less than fun.

So if you're not having fun crafting or baking or decorating or wrapping gifts during the holidays, don't do those things. The world will NOT stop spinning if we send out store-bought cards or only put up a tiny table-top tree or don't hang lights outside our houses or don't bake a single cookie or plop gifts into pretty gift bags.

If our handcrafted Christmas doesn't fill us with joy, what's the point of it?

Your crafty challenge this season, should you choose to accept it, is to simplify your celebration to have all the fun without so much stress.

For some of you, this might mean no craftiness at all...a burden lifted! For others, it might mean doing everything crafty you've ever done before and more, but with greater intention and more joy. The rest of us will fall somewhere in between these two extremes.

A Notebook
Start your intentional Christmas planning with a Christmas notebook. You may use a pretty blank book like I do (I use this one), pick up a cheap spiral notebook at the grocery store, or create a file on your computer, tablet, or smart phone. The point is to have a single place where you keep your ideas and notes together from year to year.

Your Christmas notebook will be the place you plan your gift-giving, your crafting, your decorating. After the holidays, go back over your notes and write comments in the margins. "This didn't work." "Do this instead next year." "This was fun!" "Try doing it this way next time." "Never, ever buy the white wrapping paper at Hobby Lobby...it isn't opaque!" After several years of reflecting on what worked and what didn't, you'll feel much more confident about navigating the holidays and see solutions you might never have discovered otherwise.

For example, my boys enjoy making sugar plums, which are large marshmallows dipped in chocolate coating and sprinkles. We put them on lollipop sticks and wrap them with cello bags to give as gifts to other children and teachers. When we first started doing this, the boys were very small, and the job of tying on the cello bags fell to me. I tried using string, ribbon, and curly ribbon three years in a row, and each year, I noted that this was incredibly boring and time-consuming for 40-50 sugar plums and not much fun after all the fun of making the pretty things.

After re-reading my notes the fourth year, I saw a package of red pipe cleaners at Hobby Lobby and had an epiphany. Now, I cut the pipe cleaners into thirds, string a medium-size jingle bell on a piece, and use that to seal the bags. It's such a small thing, but it makes a big difference in that task of making sugar plums. If I hadn't re-read my notes before going shopping for the supplies, however, I never would have remembered how boring the chore was or thought to look for alternatives.

Your Christmas notebook is also an excellent place to comment on what you choose NOT to do for the holidays. If you decide not to put up outside lights this year, for instance, you can evaluate how that affected you and your family. If no one noticed the lack, make a note of that. If your kids cried Christmas Eve when they noticed the lights weren't up, make a note. If you felt that Christmas was not as bright for you without the lights, write it down. Your notes will help in planning for next year.

Remember that you won't remember anything unless you write it down!

A Give-Away
I made the mistake of buying two Copic Markers (G43, G46) that I already have, so I'm going to give them away to some lucky random person who comments on this post before Sunday, November 3, 2013, at midnight, Eastern Standard Time. Just share with us what first steps you're going to take to make this a simpler, less stressful holiday season for yourself and your family.


Oh, and here's a card for today...a simple little Christmas card!


Supplies
stamps: Papertrey assorted
ink: Memento
paper: Papertrey
accessories: Smooch red for ornaments, Corner Chomper

54 comments:

  1. I wish I had some steps to make this holiday less stressful! This year travel is on the agenda. The first, what should be an amazing JOYFUL trip is to Germany to see my very best friend for the last 46 years get remarried. She is flying me over because she can't imagine NOT having me there. ( Neither can I ). However; the big event is Dec. 14th.

    I have never flown more than an hour out of my time zone ( hello jet lag! ) and I am a little afraid of flying in general. So an across the ocean flight fills me with a little trepidation. And having to go right before Christmas...stress. I hope to return safe and sound to my home by the 17th; then for the first time in four years we are driving to my in-laws for a "pre-Christmas" Christmas with that side of the family. It is an 8 hour drive. We are leaving on the 20th, back home on the 23rd!

    Merry Christmas!!

    I have started to try and think of ways to make this less stressful for me but haven't come up with anything yet. I'm not one that likes to travel much anyway and having two big trips so close together is just one of those "things" that I struggle with any time of year. Right before Christmas? Yikes. Wish me luck!! :-)

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  2. Hi Susan, the festive season is already here in India with our biggest festival DIWALI, the festival of lights on Nov 3.......and you know what, I haven't put the lights yet !! I've already convinced my son that it is much better to have candles and earthern lamps with oil than the electronic lights so this is what we are doing this year. AlsoI used to do a whole lot of baking, making chocolates( it was wrapping the chocolates which was so boring for me esp when you see all unwrapping and popping those chocolates so quickly.....) and sweets which I am skipping this year !! Yes, festivals need to be fun, so cutting down on work and money spent makes sense to me. Hugs & cheers.....

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  3. All I can say is AMEN! Your post exactly echoes my feelings on the holidays... We did try skipping the house lights a couple of years ago, and not only did my kids complain, several of my neighbors told me they had been looking forward to our lights and missed them. Now of course family, not neighbors, is the reason I decided not to skip the lights any more, but I don't know, I got sort of a happy feeling that our house brought a little joy to others too. And that was a good thing, in my mind one of the "payoffs" that is worth the efforts.
    In the spirit of simplifying and not doing what you don't love to do, please exclude me from the copic drawing -- copic coloring doesn't make my list.
    As always, thank you for sharing. Your blog brings happiness!

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  4. Well, I've told you before that I actually stopped sending out Christmas cards period several years ago. I will admit, that I am considering sending them out this year (mostly, because we are planning on taking snarky, "Duck Dynasty" type photos (beards already bought for everyone!!) for the yearly family calendar that the in-law uncle makes. I'm thinking that I might have to share the "lighten up People" attitude! We'll see. If they happen, great, if not, fine! No one will be expecting a card from me anyways!! haha!
    I also think I will try to do some holiday baking spread out over a few weekends vs the all day type thing. Cookies usually freeze well and I can enjoy the endeavor more that way! (again, if it doesn't happen, OH WELL!!)
    I really do like your idea of a Christmas/Holiday notebook. Might have to dig through my stash and see what I can come up with (as it might need to be altered :) )

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  5. Great post. I am simply starting earlier. I put specific dates in my calendar to tackle specific tasks at those times. I already have my photoshoot done for Christmas cards, no I need to peruse and select. Also re: gifts, doing less things and doing more events - like taking friends to dinner or a play or something. Too much stuff and not enough time well spent together! Xoxo

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  6. Don't enter my name. I just want to know if you do mail orders on those sugar plums?

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    1. Ahh, they are pure fun and ever so easy to make. But alas, mail order would make them more work than fun, and I must decline!

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  7. Loved your post. You have really expressed what I've been feeling the last few years...I've come to see the Christmas holidays as more hassle than joy. That really needs to change! I think one thing that I'll do this year is cut back on the baking. It's so easy to be sucked into "but it's tradition" mode. I'll pick a couple things we really enjoy and that is it. We definitely don't need all the extra carbs!!

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  8. wonderful idea about the joural, susan.
    i LOVE that you bought 2 copics that you already had, just because we all do that!
    thanks for the inspiration and your careful, thoughtful writing.
    your blog is one of the highlights of my crafting life!
    marty ferraro

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  9. Love your blog. It's usually the highlight of my day, because I can't craft right now due to being in grad school. (Sometimes I wonder fi the doctorate is work the effort). I live vicariously thru your card aking. Love them so much. Not sure about the holidays this year. with minimal time for crafting and making cards. Several are done, but that's about all. I have a granddaughter who's 3 so we willmake cookies and do some fun things, but not th e usual for me. Kinda makes me sad, but I know I'd drive my self crazy to try and do it all as in the past years. there's always 2015 to look forward to so I can do all the crafting and decorating I enjoy so much. Love to read all your blogs, they are inspiring.

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  10. This year I hope to be so much more organised, so your idea of a notebook is some thing I should do.

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  11. I'm so glad I found your blogs - all three of them! I love your wit and wisdom and I really admire a good writer. This year I will be decorating with/for a dear friend who isn't well. It will be fun to combine her favorite Christmas stuff with mine. I hope not to get carried away, always bearing in mind that what is taken out must be put away. God bless and have a wonderful Christmas.

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  12. Christmas note book!!!!!!!!!!!! What a great idea!! Living with intention is such a better way of living!! Thanks for the reminder!

    Therese
    www.tmalakart.blogspot.ca

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  13. Well, the first thing we are doing is alternating years with my family and hubby's so we don't have 2 turkey dinners and many hours of driving on Christmas Day as we have in years past. The second thing is going on a hot vacation on the 27th to recover from all the mayhem. This means taking a year off from hosting New Years' Eve. Well, really, that's more like the second and third things, because the first thing I did was play along with Festive Friday all year to get a head start on making Christmas cards!

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  14. 1. I will send out fewer Christmas greetings this year. 2. All cards will not be homemade. 3. I will focus on the true meaning of Christmas and be joyful just celebrating with those I love. 4. I will not feel guilty about numbers 1 & 2.

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  15. I got a head start on this year's cards, it's kind of a mass production, but with color and accent variation. I really like it so far.
    As far as making things easier this holiday season... I will try NOT to put so much thought into gifts to people outside the immediate family. I have wasted a lot of time in years past, overthinking things, stressing about it. I will try to be more selfish from now on and only worry about people, who are important in my life.
    Petra

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  16. I have made all my Christmas cards already. That has been such a stress reliever. I started in early September. It's funny that I decided to keep a notebook of gifts this year because I have a hard time remembering what we (my husband and I) have last year. Expanding it to include your ideas would be even better. Thanks so much for this post.

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  17. Since God blessed us with a high dependency on Him, Christmas has gotten simpler and better! We cannot afford gifts, apart from a small gift for our young son and maybe a little gift between us. So less stress....although it took time to work through the feeling of guilt.But our son, and even us, have been blessed by others with gifts. All the English food preparations are gone. I missed them at first but they were too expensive and we didn't eat everything anyway...such a waste. But last year, someone bought us a Christmas pudding and some mince pies back from England! Our food bank gave us a chicken last year...yum! Just perfect for Christmas! Cards are simple and few, e-cards augment Christmas wishes. I have made a little Christmas themed post-it-note cover for reminders this year and today our young son and I are making a few salt- dough tree ornaments.He wants to make sure that we don't tell Jesus what we are doing for His Birthday this year....!

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  18. Im blessed to do the Jewish holidays and it can be mighty challenging to remember and focus on the spiritual, joyful aspects of the holiday. as a small example of jewish holidays, we have the equivalent of the thanksgiving meal, with all the food, guests & whatever family can get together, twice a week, friday night and saturday noon in honor of the sabbath. passover is one of the most laborious holidays, as we scrub our houses from top to bottom to get rid of any bread-like crumbs and, after transforming our kitchens, we prepare huge holiday meals from scratch without using any flour ingredients or products (no bread, cake, cookies, crackers, etc.), most ready-made foods or any produce that cant be peeled. (some of it is required by jewish law; some of it is communal custom & some of it we assume/hope our ancsestors had a reason for it beyond market /funding limits.) the preparation, cleaning, errands, expense, hunger, etc. etc can seem endless at times, even though we know its for a special cause. one thing i did this year is i made an excel database, listing all the areas in my apartment i need to clean, everything that needs to be laundered, stuff to be dry cleaned, basic groceries, produce, papergoods, cleaning supplies, post-holiday restocking, etc. etc. next year ill know what i have in stock & i'll know what i need to buy and do before i start & ill have somewhere to write notes. it'll still be hard but hopefully slightly easier. in the meantime, y'all have one less competitor for most of the sept-dec contests and giveaways :)

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  19. I will still make our cards, but the list has grown shorter this year. Instead of Christmas Cookies, the baking will be delayed until after the New Year. There's novelty in New Year's Cookies! And all the while, we will be listening to piano music instead of the usual high energy rock --- adds a certain peacefulness to the home!

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  20. Susan - you are so wonderful and I love reading your posts. This one really hit home. I used to be exactly what you described - creating all these expectations and plans for the "perfect" Christmas and then having a meltdown when the stress of getting it all done set in. I guess that's one of the joys of getting older - you really do learn what works and what doesn't work and eventually find a balance and happiness. A few years ago - and under much protest - I put up small tabletop artificial trees in a few rooms rather than having a big live tree in the living room. My husband had some collections of miniature ornaments he wanted to use and truth be told he didn't want to mess with the hassle of a big tree. So I gave in and it turned out to be one of the most magical Christmas ever. Even though I cringed at the sound of the fake plastic branches sliding out of the boxes and had to buy some pine-scented potpourri, when everything was lit and decorated it was joyful walking through each room of the house and seeing the twinkle of Christmas on an end table or counter. I love, love, love the idea of a Christmas notebook. I'm a big journaler myself and agree that looking back on the notes can help so much is sorting through what works in life and what doesn't. Thank you once again for all you share of yourself. It means so much. Best wishes toyou and your family for a wonderful holiday season this year.

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  21. My way of making things less stressful is simply to just NOT require myself to do anything specific. No one said you must get holiday cards out to everyone you know, or at least no one said you have to get them out on time :-)

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  22. Great post, Susan. I enjoy making our cards but have always waited to assemble until the last minute. This year, I have already started! ia m so happy about that. I also decided that I will make at least two different cards this year. I like your idea of the notebook. I am going to start doing that so I can organize all this "stuff" that I am under the delusion I will remember year after year. The brain is running low of available, unified storage space!!

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  23. Susan, I love your blog, even when your simplicity is too simple for me. It keeps me honest in card making tho. I have kept track of the buffet items I do on Christmas Day for years...but can't always find the notebook I did it in! Being retired and older we have done away with a big tree and found another idea that works for us. We have changed from the over abundance of gifts that were the result of loosing one of our children...we all needed to express our love and loss and thought many gifts would do it. Christmas eve is simple with soups and church. Cookies are only a couple favorites made a few days ahead. We live in the country and I love the lights and we only do simple ones.
    At this point Copics are not for me so don't consider me in your give away either. Keep up with your blog expressing simplicity...I love it.

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  24. Susan, thank you for another wonderful post. As someone else mentioned, you are on my "read this!" list each day. The George-story sounds oh-so-familiar. The question DH always asks me after my crafting adventures is "did you have FUN?"
    The time leading up to Christmas (which starts AFTER Thanksgiving, thank you very much) is my favorite time of the year. I love the baking, the crafting, the decorating, the music, the reason. And when the baking, crafting, and decorating is too much for me to handle, I stop.
    In that spirit, we've cut back mightily on Christmas over the years. Outside lights have been pared down. Only the closest of friends and family get hand crafted cards &/or gifts, and only if they would appreciate them. I no longer feel the need to find gifts for adult nieces and nephews plus their spouses and children. We make a larger donation to charity, instead. Christmas celebration is usually with DH's family. A simple dinner, with everyone responsible for part of it, leaves us open to spend time together instead of in the kitchen.
    Now, if I could just figure out how to take more vacation time in December, all would be lovely

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  25. I've already started with making my Christmas "prep" easier. I always make my Christmas cards and although I have good intentions of starting early, I am usually working feverishly about mid-December, but this year a good friend of mine (while practicing Christmas carols in church choir), decided to "partner" with making cards. So we went to Archivers, selected paper & glitter, combined our stamps so had an ample selection, and are making the cards in an assembly line project, complete with coffee and goodies. Our 2nd session is finished with 1/2 of the cards done and our 3rd & final session is in about a week. Never have I had my Christmas cards completed in November. I can feel the release of the stress already.

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  26. My parents, my three sisters, and I decided we would no longer give gifts to each other (and that greatly simplifies Christmas and reduces the stress of trying to think of what to buy each person) - instead, we each put $50 in and my shopaholic sister will still get the fun and pleasure of shopping for a needy family, and my sister who loves gift wrapping will get the joy of wrapping those gifts beautifully. My mother, my other sister, and I will spend that shopping time baking the cookies we all love instead. And I will have more time to make Christmas cards!

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  27. I just wanted to say I so enjoy your commentary and the inspiration I receive when I come here. I have those Copic colors so don't put me in for the give-away.

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  28. I'm happy to say I started making my Christmas cards last January so I wouldn't be stressed this time of the year to finish them. My favorite cards to make are Christmas cards so I don't mind doing them all year long. Other than that I'm usually pretty disorganized about holiday plans. Your ideas sound wonderful if only I really believed I would follow them! Thanks for the inspiration and maybe, just maybe I'll take them to heart :)!

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  29. Lists keep me sane - Who to buy for and what to buy, things to do, foods to do ahead and later, etc. Plus, if it's written down, I can SEE where I'm overextending myself.
    Laura Holt
    PS - Google will list me as "unknown" for some reason, so I signed my name.]

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  30. With the kids and grandkids all living out of state now, everything has been simplified at our home. I miss the days of lots of activity at the holidays. This past summer, I gave both daughters many of our long treasured Christmas decorations to use in their homes and hopefully enjoy for many more years. They each choose the ones that held the special memories for them. That is simplifying our decorating here! Tomorrow I will assemble my cards - all the pieces are cut, stamped, and embossed. I am only sending those to friends that have some appreciation for hand crafting, the rest will get store bought. I am also hoping to get a couple of handmade framed gifts using my Cameo made. I saw a great idea that I would like to use, just need to find the right supplies. I am choosing to do what is fun this season of celebration, and if it no longer is - I'll find something else that will take it's place.:)
    Thank you for the chance to win the Copic pens. I don't have any yet, so they would be a treat.

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  31. Susan, I love your thoughts on this! I have had the same spiral-bound, chubby little notebook that I have used the same way as you suggested...without the notes added after-the-fact, however. As the kids have grown up, we have simplified a lot!! It is still fun to go back and read what random things we did from year to year, even though we have a much more relaxed holiday season now!!

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  32. Thanks for the tips on simplifying Christmas!

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  33. Susan, I have a suggestion to SIMPLIFY your life: a wonderful little ( free) program that you can download to your laptop and to your phone - Evernote. It will synchronize information between the two, and allows you to set up notes for anything you need. I have one set up for my Copics, so when I'm shopping, I can check my phone to see which colors I already have. (I have the colors you mentioned, so count me out of the giveaway.) Another way I use Evernote: if I'm surfing online and find a recipe I want to try, I save it to Evernote and have an instant shopping list.

    For your readers who would use their computer as a notebook, Evernote would be an excellent solution.

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  34. Oh, I have so many cardmaking/stamping/patterned paper supplies that I need to put to good use, and make Christmas cards. I lately have enjoyed making gift tags- they go quickly and are cute- have already made a bundle. Today I had a brainstorm (not too painful)- I will try making holiday cards with the 8 pads of 6x6 holiday patterned paper, and a tag will be part of the design that can be taken off and used for gift giving. In theory a good idea- now to see if I can pull it off!

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  35. Well my cardmaking will have to be simplified this Christmas because I have sudden guardianship of my 4-1/2 year old grandson! So I think the Christmas cards this year will have a fun boyish touch to them! Easy for me and such a personal touch! ;)

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    1. Best wishes with the new resident in your home! May he bring extra joy to you this season!

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  36. My daughters have mentioned recently they're finding the idea of Christmas stressful, so I'm helping them by giving them permission to not get me a gift!
    Loved your ideas, Susan, and really Christmas shouldn't been a burden. . .

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  37. We are going to get each of our young grandchildren only one gift each this year. One totally awesome gift that they will love and their parents will remember who gave it to them too.

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  38. I'm such a planner/list maker. This morning I printed out some holiday timeline to do lists from Martha Stewart. A couple of years ago I used similar lists and my holiday prep was so much easier.

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  39. Here's the link for anyone who would like to check it out.
    http://www.marthastewart.com/274663/holiday-checklists/@center/276998/organizing-checklists?search_key=holiday%20planning%20timelines

    And thanks again for giving "permission" to do or not do holiday prep as it makes sense.

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  40. All my Christmas cards are done and that's because I'm old and I don't have many to give. Friends have fallen by the wayside or gone to greener pastures. I also miss my hometown of NYC...hear me now, ONLY at Christmas. It's magical. In hot AZ, no one does much except shop and our economy downturn has put a downer on the few things we did when I first moved here in the late 90s. It is with much gratitude that I enjoy my family and we keep the day quite minimal enjoying each others company and good company.
    I do love the idea of starting a book and I plan to devote a few sentences to what I occurred during the year that I'm thankful for.
    Christmas is what you make it.

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  41. Excuse me I meant each others' company and good food. But I'll bet you guessed that one word.

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  42. Well, I've already made things a little less stressful because I've finished my sister's present - usually I finish around the 23rd of December. I just need to keep my to-do list low. I'm still fighting a cold but as soon as I'm better I'm going to make my homemade caramels everyone insists on each year. They can be frozen without affecting the flavor and then that's another thing finished early!

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    1. Hope your cold is better. Mine is hanging on! Those caramels sound delightful!

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  43. Why didn't you have this blog back when I first left home and started my own traditions? This is an AWESOME idea for anyone, Susan, and I appreciate you sharing your notebook idea. Even though our holidays are less hectic (because we're older & don't do much gift giving any more), I still love to bake & make my own cards. My goal is to get started on my cards now so I'm not racing against the clock. Last year I had to skip the cards because my BIL was hospitalized several times before we had to move him to assisted living. I was too tired and my time was limited to enjoy creating them so I just gave up. Therefore, I have a headstart for this year. Thanks for the chance to win Copics. This would be the perfect way to try them since I haven't taken that plunge yet. Thanks, Susan!

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  44. What a great blog posting! I think the notebook is a wonderful idea to simplify and capture notes. To create my own I plan to use my cinch. I may send out less cards this year, so I can really enjoy them rather than feeling rushed on designs! Thank you!

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  45. Wow, the notebooks you linked to are so gorgeous! They have Mucha and Art Deco and Tiffany, oh my! You've helped me with my gift list (and I think I must get a couple for myself). Don't put me in the Copic drawing; I have those markers, but I'm indebted to you for pointing me to Paperblanks. (I'm so nervous about using a semicolon in front of you. I hope I didn't embarrass myself too much.)

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  46. Well -- on Sept. 28th my husband fell out of a tree while trying to help his 98 year old mother by trimming her trees. He broke 7 ribs in multiple places and his wrist. A week later we found out that our 4 year old grandson had a cancerous tumor on his kidney and within four days they removed his kidney and adrenal gland. After a second surgery for a bowel obstruction he is now starting chemo and radiation for his stage 3 cancer. So Christmas by necessity will be simple. The first thing I did was to give myself permission to not make my Christmas cards this year. So I have a good start on next year's cards! The other thing is to ask for help. So my son and his wife are coming tomorrow to help us decorate our Christmas trees. I think our simplest Christmas was the two years when we were missionaries in Africa.... we could not give or send cards or gifts... so it was very freeing. Yes we missed family terribly but the tension of the holidays was gone and the focus was where it should always be!

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  47. I am so sorry to read about your husband and grandson! Please email me at susanraihala at roadrdunner dot com. I would love to send your grandson a card for Christmas and keep him and your husband on our prayer list.

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  48. Today the comments make this the most complete blog post ever. We've shunned most of the traditional holiday doings for years now and do our own thing. The problem is hubby now thinks we "have to" do those things. I say no! We don't "have to" do any of the above if we don't want to. And I don't want to.

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Thank you so much for taking time to comment!