50 Days...

...until Christmas.

YIKES!

When I saw that on another blog today, I nearly peed my pants or had a nervous breakdown or something like that. So much to do...so little time. Every year, I vow that "This year will be different" or "I'm going to make more time for really enjoying the holiday season" and it seems that every year is pretty much enjoyable with a touch of insanity. I have to admit that we, as women, tend to bring a lot of the insanity on ourselves by trying to create the picture perfect Christmas we see in magazines and on tv. The reality is that it's insane.

And so, as we enter into this most insane time of the year, I highly recommend some great encouraging friends, a nice hot cup of coffee, a warm fire and this.

When I posted about my Christmas Planning Binder last JANUARY, I know you all thought I was a bit off my rocker. But, I'm tellin' ya that it saves me every single time the countdown begins!

The address book is updated. The Christmas card labels are printed. The gift list is filling up. And I feel my blood pressure every so slowly returning to normal...if there is such a thing during November and December! Ha!

So, we want to know what keeps you somewhat sane during the Christmas season. Do you keep a handy binder like this? Do you wing it? What's your sanity keeping secret? We'd love to hear about it!

"What can I say, except it's Christmas and we're all in misery."

Ellen Griswold (Christmas Vacation)

-Sarai

Christmas Planning Binder

I know what you're thinking...She's one of THOSE crazies who thinks about and plans for Christmas all year long. And you'd be right! And you're probably also thinking Christmas was over a month ago! Let it rest for the next 11 months! And sorry, I can't! Go ahead and throw things at me if you wish, but I promise this post can make your life easier!

So, it's January and I'm already thinking about next Christmas. (I've even bought a couple of gifts already! Please don't hate me!) I know it sounds incredibly crazy. However, by planning for one of the craziest times of the year during one of the least crazy times of the year helps me to really focus on what I can do to make it as seamless as possible. During the first few weeks of the near year, I update my "Christmas Planning Binder", which is code for simple 1.5" notebook with dividers and is labeled appropriately.

You don't have to have a cute page in the front like I do, but I'm finding that the cuter I make things, the more likely I am to use them. So, thanks to some free digital scrapbook downloads and about 5 minutes of my time I have a nice little cover for my binder.


Inside, I keep all the Christmas planning/event supplies organized with labeled dividers.
In the Gift Ideas section, I keep tutorials for how to make homemade gifts and also magazine and catalog tear outs that contain items I might be interested in purchasing for a friend or family member.

In the Gift List section, I have a handy chart complete with the names of everyone that we purchase gifts for. This helps me to make note of ideas for that specific person, items already purchased and any type of budget for that person. This is just a simple chart I've made with the help of Microsoft Excel and can be done in a matter of minutes. Each year, I just print out a fresh copy.

The Cards S/R section contains a list of all the Christmas card recipients on out list. I have another handy Excel chart here to help me keep track of the cards we send and receive each year.

In the Addresses section, I have an address database containing all the names and addresses for the cards we send. In this section, I also keep a tutorial (thanks, Mom!) for how to properly complete the Mail Merge Action for Word/Excel so that I can print mailing labels to slap on the cards. This saves me TONS of time!

Under the Games tab I keep, you guessed it, games! I have copies of a couple of different Christmas themed games that I can use for parties or family gatherings. Games are a HUGE deal with our family at Christmas, so this section has proved to be helpful.

In the back of the notebook, I have several clear dividers to help keep something wrangled together. I have a divider for receipts that correspond with the items we purchase for gifts. I have a couple of dividers for Christmas letter stationery and mailing labels.
I also stash a little notebook paper in the back for note taking along with an ink pen.

I know this system won't work for everyone, but nearly every woman on my mom's side of the family has a binder like this and it's worked for us for years! So, take this time when Christmas isn't being jammed down our throats to thoughtfully plan and prepare for the most wonderful time of the year!

Do you already have a notebook of your own like this? How do you keep your Christmas plans and ideas organized? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

-Sarai

Christmas Tour Of Homes

This week, the Kelly's Korner Show Us How You Live series is participating in The Nester's Christmas Tour of Homes!



I've always thought it would be so neat to live in a community where everyone went all out in their Christmas decorating and then all the neighbors got to "tour" their homes. This virtual tour is a MUCH better idea, though, because I don't have to clean my house before I show off our Christmas digs :)

You're probably used to getting a little something from all three of us Simple Girls with the posts in this series, but this time, you're stuck with me, like it or not! Between a crazy end of the year time at school for Brooke and traveling and kids and family and pregnancy for Katrina, there's simply no time left in the days! My hubby's hanging out with the guys in his discipleship group tonight, so I'm free to do as I wish for the evening...and I'm spending it with you all! Call me devoted. Call me addicted to blogging. Call me crazy for not curling up by the fire with a book and some coffee. I might just be all of those things! Whether you're calling me names or not, WELCOME to my Christmas-ified house! Let me show you around!

We'll start with our trees. (You can read about all the Simple Girls' trees here.) Yes, we have more than one. Here's our Winter Wonderland tree. It's filled with snowflakes and snowmen and penguins. I've added some pictures of my favorite ornaments.

This is our Memory Tree and it's filled with ornaments from my childhood and those that were passed down to me from my maternal grandmother's Christmas tree. This little corner of our house is dedicated to the memories of Christmas past and even some cute little wooden snowmen (handmade by my mom and step-dad!).

This tree finds its home in our lime green, black and white kitchen. It's adorned primarily with black, white and silver and has a few hits of green (hoping a good after Christmas sale will help me tie in more of the green!). I love those monogram ornaments!

While we're in the kitchen, I should show you our super simple, yet classy table scape.
I love that my everyday black damask dishes are the perfect touch for our Christmas table. Some lime green, napkins are the perfect thing to break up the black and white on the plates. The centerpiece, anchoring a homemade table runner, is just a couple of serving platters topped with a hurricane vase from target. The bottom of the vase is filled with small ball ornaments in silver and green. A simple pewter snowflake tealight holder tops each place setting.

Now, onto the living room...The Willow Tree nativity takes center stage on top of the fireplace. I've added soft, light fabrics, sparkly ribbon and lights to create an ethereal feel in this corner of the room. The stockings are hung, the fire is going, the presents are under the tree...bring on Christmas!!

Here are a few other touches around the house:
A sparkly outdoor wreath welcomes our guests. Garland, lights and snowflakes top our kitchen cabinets for a really nice glow. A cute snowman wall plaque hangs in the hallway. My 10 cent (yes, TEN CENTS...thank you, Target after Christmas sales!) Christmas card holder shows off all the fun photo cards we've gotten so far.

These cute little guys always make me smile! Some of them make noise and do little dances, while others are just for snuggling.

Sparkly ornaments in a silver pail add a nice touch to the bathroom counter. Simple pillar candles and Christmas books are a nice addition on the sofa table. That little metal snowman is one of my favorite Christmas things (He's like a gigantic bobble head doll! His whole upper body bounces and it's so cute!) The penguin salt & pepper shakers are perfect for our kitchen color scheme. And really, no Christmas would be complete without Christmas candy on the coffee table for constant munching :)

Thanks so much for stopping by! Hope you've enjoyed enjoyed your time with this Simple Girl! Now that you've seen how we decorate for the season, head on over to The Nesting Place for the list of links of other participants in the Christmas Tour of Homes!

Many wishes for a truly blessed Christmas season!

-Sarai

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree!

Update from Katrina: So sorry I couldn't join in this week to show off the Christmas tree spirit! My husband has been out of town, our Internet has been down, and our computer refuses to hold any more pictures! Whew, anyway... I'll try to do another post here soon with pics of our special story tree and the girls mini bedroom trees. Until then, enjoy Sarai and Brooke's below... makes me want to hurry on over to their houses for a cup of cocoa!
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Once again we're participating in the Kelly's Korner "Show Us How You Live" series. This week, we're showing you our Christmas trees! Enjoy!

In our house, one Christmas tree apparently isn't enough! I could go through the story of how we came to have three trees in our house every year, but instead of boring you with that, I'll just show your our pretty trees!

"Winter Wonderland"
(Big Living Room Tree)

Sometimes I think filling this 7.5 foot HUGE tree (the tree at the base is 6 feet!!) is too daunting a task to be worth it...and then I get it all finished and remember why I love it so much! This tree combines my love for snowmen, my husband's love for penguins and our combined love for snow. The main colors in our living room are blue & red, so I've incorporated lots of shiny ball ornaments in those colors to tie it all together. There are tons of snowflakes and penguins and snowmen filling nearly every inch of this tree. The silver snowflake ribbon wrapping the tree gives it softer edges and really makes the tree sparkle. And I really love the 3D snowflake topper.

I have a bit of a confession to make about this tree. All our trees are fake and I don't do pre-lit (which most people think I'm crazy for!). In my opinion, pre-lit trees just don't have enough lights on them. I read somewhere that in order to have an adequately lit tree, you should have 100 lights for every 1.5 feet of tree. Well, we go for a full 600 lights on this tree. And for anyone out there with an non pre-lit tree like me, let me fill you in on my tree lighting secret. Our branches snap into the base (or trunk) of the tree. We assemble a row of branches at a time, starting with the bottom. After we have an entire row snapped in, we string the lights in and out of every branch before moving onto the next row. This keeps us from having to shove our hands in each row once it's all put together and it give us a break from going 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round :)

This tree has no name, but it's all about bling and sparkles and glitter :)
(Small Kitchen Tree)

Not really sure why I think I need a tree in my kitchen, but apparently I do! We have some bling-y monogram ornaments, some sparkly garland and silver, black, white and lime ornaments to match our kitchen decor. A small panel of black & white gingham fabric bunches at the bottom for an instant tree skirt.

"Memory Tree"
(Small Hallway Tree)

This tree takes me down Christmas Memory Lane. Ever part of this tree (except the lights and the actual tee itself) are from my childhood. The tree skirt is one we used every year at Christmas when I was younger. Every year, my brother and I received a special Christmas ornament for Christmas, so all those ornaments are on this tree. Even the little Christmas trolls were used to decorate our house when I was little! There are some handmade ornaments (made by my mom) and some of my favorite ornaments from our childhood tree on there too. The tinsel-y garland, glass ball ornaments and the tree topper all belonged to my maternal grandmother and were given to me when she passed away. When I decorate this tree, I'm reminded of the traditions kept year after year and the many blessings of past Christmas seasons.

So, whether you have no trees or 10 trees, my hope is that your Christmas will be filled with lots of love!

-Sarai

I agree with Sarai, the more Christmas trees the better at my house too! I love the lights and the ornaments and the tree toppers. I love everything about Christmas trees. I am still a real tree kinda gal! The smell of pine filling the house makes it really feel like Christmas in my little part of the world. I have not had the chance to put up my trees this year, but I have some pictures of trees past to give you a little idea of Christmas tree goodness at my house!

I never thought I would go with a theme for a tree, but as I have grown up, my tastes sure have changed. Red and gold ornaments fill this tree with lots of red and gold glitter snowflakes tucked in the branches. I have found lots of great ornaments on sale over the years. My other favorite part of this tree is something you probably can't see, it would be my tree skirt. My mom found some vintage lace fabric with Santa faces on it. I know it sounds kinda random, but it fits so nicely with the cottage style of my house.

Several years ago, I found some amazing Shabby Chic ornaments on sale at Target for around $2.00 a box. I could not pass them up. I found the perfect place to use them on my tree that I put up on my sun porch. The ornaments are pink, blue and clear etched glass and they are accented with lots of white and glittery snowflakes and icicles. I love how it adds that special Christmas touch to my sun porch, which is one of my favorite places to spend some quiet time during the busy days of the holidays. The tree topper was a great find too! I love the vintage style of the star! So fun!

Just posting this makes me excited to get those trees up for this year! May your home be filled with the glow of the Christmas season!

Brooke

A Tradition of Love

***Be sure to check out the post below to see if you're the giveaway winner!!**

Welcome, Kelly's Korner readers! Welcome, everyone!

We hope to participate in the Christmas "Show Us Your Life" series for the next several weeks. And you're in luck because you will get three simple girl styles for the price of one little click.

So as our sidebar says, grab a cup and stay a while. We're so glad you've come by to visit!

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Christmas as a whole is a favorite tradition in our family. From the day after Thanksgiving until after the New Year, we're lean, mean, Christmas celebratin' machines! We're all about Christmas movies and music and books, family and friend gatherings, opening gifts, giving to those who are less fortunate, food, food and more food, more Christmas goodies than you can shake a stick at and Christmas decorations galore! I love that every year, no matter what, some things just stay the same. It makes Christmas feel familiar and comfortable and very much like home. Here are a few of those traditions that make Christmas one of my favorite times of the year.

Family Pictures: While this is one is near the top of my favorites list, my husband would have it at the bottom of his :) Every year, for as long as I can remember, my mom's family has always taken family pictures when we gather for Christmas. It's so much fun to look back over the years at each year's pictures. This is one from a few years back of most of the grandchildren and their significant others.

For us, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without the Christmas Story...both the reading and actual event. I love that we pause (at nearly every gathering) to read that wonderful account of Jesus coming to live among us and are able to celebrate the blessings He's given us.

This one's a fairly new (about 4 years) tradition of ours, but it always makes my heart happy. This is what I call my "Memory Tree". It's just a small tree that sits by our front door and is filled with all kinds of vintage-y things. Growing up, my brother and I got a Christmas ornament every year in our stocking or under the tree. I know that those often times those ornaments, and the other items that accompanied them, were huge sacrifices on our parents' part to give us a fun Christmas. All those ornaments (as well as some others from our childhood Christmas tree) are scattered on this tree. It's also trimmed with colored glass ball ornaments, silver and gold tinsel and an angel/star combo that belonged to my Nanny (my mom's mom). When I decorate this tree, I'm reminded of Christmas Past...the good, the not-so-good and the love that remains through it all.

So, I guess you could say that my all-time favorite Christmas tradition is just that...LOVE. From the little baby born so long ago, to the love of family and friends, it's what makes Christmas, well, Christmas for me.
~Sarai

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I'll never forget sitting in a peaceful, candlelit church when the clock struck midnight. Driving past homes adorned with soft, twinkling lights afterwards. The inevitable lone indoor light on, probably with parents trying to give Santa a hand in putting together a bicycle or train table. The exciting thoughts of getting up so early you were never quite sure you actually ever went to bed.

Sweet traditions. The things we just can't forget. The things that tie us to our pasts and make us feel, as Sarai said, like home.

Since having children, this has taken on even more meaning to me. Now we get to help shape this feeling of home and remembrance for a couple of Christmas angels. Such joy to see it all again through their eyes! These are some of our favorite ways to do just that.

Beginning traditions. Since our girls are so young, there are some tradition we are starting and hope last for years to come. One of those is an advent calendar. I'm in the process of creating that now, so be sure to check back soon. Twenty-four days of having fun and, more importantly, giving to others... maybe squeezing in a visit to someone quite jolly along the way. Another one is a good, old fashioned Christmas carol through our neighborhood. I can't wait!
A specially chosen Christmas book. I had to go and get these out of the attic for you! Though I've been doing this for a while, I still never tire of titles like "The Crippled Lamb" or "Christmas Tapestry." I'm so excited to find and add this year's title to the collection. I hope our children will love pulling out these stories as much as I do.

Significant ornaments. Back when my husband and I started dating we chose an ornament for each other. Once we got married we started choosing one ornament together to represent something significant from that year of our lives. I try to write on a little tag that goes with the ornament so that each year as we unwrap a story is told. I also have a box or ornaments for the girls that I plan to give them when they turn eighteen. As I looked at my eldest's box I had to smile because her last year's ornament was of the nativity, which marked the year she learned of Baby "Jeshush."

An empty manger becomes full. We leave the manger of one nativity empty until Christmas morning. We reread Luke's account once more on Christmas Eve just before unwrapping that one special gift (Christmas jammies!) Then in the morning when we wake to cinnamon rolls, stockings, and surprises we get the best present of all... the baby is born!

But again, as Sarai said, the best tradition of all is love. That's what I hope these gestures speak to our hearts and to the hearts of our children!

~Katrina

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When thinking about Christmas traditions, I am immeditaly taken back to my childhood home and think of the sights and smells of this holiday. So many memories flood the mind of time spent with family and friends, baking, wrapping and unwrapping, traveling and so much more. I am anxious to get into the season to experience these special once a year moments with those I love.

As Katrina shared, my family also keeps the manger empty until Christmas morning. It was also such an honor to be chosen to place the greatest gift of all in the scene. Althought I do remember one year, when my little brother took it to the extreme. Realizing that Jesus was one important baby, he thought that it would be necessary to guard the manger scene with his Matchbox police cars and troops and troops of army soldiers. He loved telling people about how Jesus would be safe, I think he might even still get a kick out of telling that story even now.

Each Christmas morning, the house would be filled with the aroma of fresh baked cinnamon rolls. Christmas morning breakfast is a long standing tradition in our family. Even though the menu might look simple to some, the company is sweet and helps us to really start the day off by spending time with one another. Over the last few years, we have been traveling during the holiday season, and we take this tradition with us. Can't wait for those country ham biscuits and cinnamon rolls!

Reading Christmas favorites is a special tradition with my family as well. We always take time out to reflect and share the Christmas story from the Bible. My mom has been givine me a special Christmas book each year. Katrina definetly mentioned some of my favorites, but my all time new favorite is Great Joy by Kate DiCamillo. Maybe you and your family might like to check it out.

One of my three trees has become my butterfly tree. This is a very special tree to me as it symbolizes to me the new life that we are offered in Christ. Even though the tree is small, each ornament is a simple reminder that each day God is transforming us into new creations. Such a promise!

~Brooke