The Holidays are Coming! The Holidays are Coming! The holiday season is upon us, with Halloween due in a couple of weeks, followed by Thanksgiving shortly thereafter, and then Christmas and New Years. Where has the year gone?!
The stores are stocking up on all of the holiday goods, and we’re in full holiday mode in our home, making necessary preparations for family gatherings and fun times for all. I think my favorite holiday of all is Thanksgiving. Family and friends gathering together to enjoy each others company and joyful conversation, making memories, and enjoying good tasting food.
Christmas this year will be a bit thinner as far as gift-giving is concerned, having trimmed down our list of gift recipients to just our grandchildren. With an ever-growing family, new marriages bringing in additional in-laws, and with more and more grandkids coming along, the holiday-spending budget is feeling much happier now.
Having several young grandchildren to buy or make Christmas gifts for, plus the fall/winter months birthdays, has me working my sewing machine at every spare moment, making several homemade gifts that are sure to please the little ones. My favorite fabric stores are beginning to recognize me when I walk in and eventually head over to the fabric cutting table with a cart full of fabric to be cut. The great fabric sales and coupons have helped me build a small stash of fabric, several patterns for little girl’s clothes and outfits, plus some half-price patterns for making children’s stuffed toys.
While we haven’t gotten all of the holiday dinner gatherings firmly decided, who all is coming and what food will be served and the details written on the calendar, we’re getting very close to getting it all figured out. Whenever I’ve discussed making holiday preparations with people, usually the first thing they mention is all of the work involved in getting their house cleaned from top to bottom and ready for guests. But not me; some minor housecleaning will certainly be done ahead of guest’s arrival, but to me it’s not that big of a deal since our home is kept in guest-ready shape most of the time anyway.
I’m big on planning things and being organized, so I’ve made sure to give myself plenty of time to get fully prepared for Thanksgiving and Christmas. No rushing around buying food and gifts at the last minute for me. I’m making my lists and checking them twice, ensuring nothing important will be missed.
This year, for the very first time, I actually already purchased Christmas gifts for the grandchildren living out of state, and have already shipped them off to their family’s homes wrapped and ready to be put under the Christmas tree when the time comes. I’m a firm believer in early Christmas shopping, rather than waiting until after Thanksgiving to get started on making or buying gifts for Xmas. That’s too stressful to me, and I like having a low or no-stress holiday season, where I’m able to relax and enjoy holiday gatherings and parties with all of our family and friends.
Have you begun any of your Christmas shopping yet? Are you making any homemade gifts for Christmas gift recipients on your list?
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