Good gracious have I neglected this blog! Well, I am here and ready to get us ready for the holidays! I just looooove Thanksgiving and Christmas!!! I will be giving some tips and strategies for a homemade, handmade, stress-reduced (*notice I said stress-reduced not stress-free-I am a realist:-) , holy season. I hope to share my own schedule and any blogs or sites that will help you have a blessed holiday season.
Now let's start dear, at the beginning. Will you be hosting any of the parties? If so, then ....
Get a three ring binder or a notebook to use for this. This site Organized Christmas is excellent for FREE, yes FREE downloads and I use alot of these forms.
1. Make up your guest list for each holiday you will host. A separate page for each.
2. Plan your menu--appetizers, soup, main course, desserts, drinks, coffee, etc. Do this for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years.
3. Decide which dishes you will prepare and the ones, if a guest offers to make, you will delegate.
4. Call your guests and confirm attendance. If asked, give your guest a choice of two on what they would like to bring. If the guest offers to bring their prize winning pumpkin pie and you had that down as an item you will make, well then concede to the guest. It's not good manners to say no and then suggest to them something else:-) You can still make your own recipe if you like.
5. Start a grocery list of items you will need from your recipes, this way you won't miss an item. Peruse the sale flyers and see what you can stock up on. This weeks shopping pick up some of the items you need for the first holiday you will host and if you can afford it, get some for the next holiday your hosting.
Now listen up gals!
I have my guest lists for Thanksgiving and Christmas confirmed and I have my menus. Already a couple of dishes have been "assigned" with a few more call backs to make.
Next up gift giving...... but in the meantime lets enjoy a bit of Christmas with Donna!
{turn the playlist off at the bottom so you can hear the show!}
I really loved watching Donna! Makes me long for the good old days. Have to say, Christmas trees are prettier now though!
ReplyDeleteJane
Don't forget to list what bowl/plate will be used for each thing you cook too. I have waited till the last minute and had to climb up and get it off a high shelf etc! Now I try to wash them and stack them in the extra bedroom the day before to be ready [cause kit. is too small for the extra stacks :) ] Great article thanks a lot! Jody
ReplyDeleteJody--excellent advice! I am always a spoon short...LOL!
ReplyDelete