Happy Spring and Christmas Prep

We are less than 9 months away from Christmas this year.  It is time, dear friends, to start planning and preparing.  I mean just think about gradually getting done and having more time to actually savor the holiday when it comes.

Yes, I fully embrace the sentiment above.  I am here for you!!!

Don't worry we are going to start slowly.  These books from May Designs are my go to organizer for all the gift buying I have to do.  I make a list of every gift I am going to buy.  Yes. Every. Gift.  I start with Christmas and list every family member, friend, co-worker, service provider, and neighbor.  I even make a couple of pages for my kids - one for stocking stuffers, one for Santa, etc.

I also take a couple of pages to list the other occasions I will buy for - Valentines, Mothers/Fathers Day, graduation and birthdays.

Periodically I will post gift ideas here, but any of the retail items posted can be considered as great gift ideas.  Maybe they aren't things you are interested in for yourself but maybe someone on your list could use them.

Here's where your little gift planner comes in handy.  You can shop all year and keep up with what you buy and what you need to buy.  This little book helps me for two reasons 1) it helps me stay focused as I shop through the year and 2) it helps me not overbuy (I don't fully understand this concept but I've heard people mention it and wouldn't want it to happen to me).

So I will shop all year and when I run across something unusual, fun or cute I literally flip through my book and figure out who I can buy it for.  Plus occasionally people will mention something they want or wish they had and I jot that down too (but in pencil - only purchases get written in ink).

And you know how you always have some people you are going to buy a gift card for? Well often Kroger has 4x the fuel points on gift cards.  I usually buy at least a couple a month, rack up some fuel points and knock some gifts off the list.  Plus it feels much better to spend a little as I go thru the year than a fortune in November or December.

You could use any book - but I made these on on May Designs and I love them.  The one on the left is my Gift planner (my daughter's designed this one for me).  I use the one in the center to take notes at my Bible Study. The one on the right is a calendar for 2017 where I plan and record family obligations and events.

You can choose the cover, the wording, whether you want a calendar, lined pages and all sorts of other things.  All of mine are the 5x8 size.  I find that size is purse friendly.

Go ahead make yourself a little gift buying book and let's get started on Christmas 2017.  In about 9 months....you'll be really glad you did!  Trust me.

Oh and by the way, Happy First Day of Spring!!!