Handmade Holidays: Organizing, Documenting and Recap

As most of you know-- this is my first year doing holiday stuff and I am already feeling the presser of staying organized. There is noway I can do this (holiday stuff)  and stay on top of what I already having going on in my personal and PDR life if I don't stay organized.

click on image for credit

I started making my Holiday organizer on Tuesday night. Inside of it you will find...

My to-do-list

Holiday Playlist

Gift list

Holiday card list w/ addresses

Cookies: 12 days of cookie (post coming next Thursday) If you emailed me a recipe, I will be linking you in my post ;) 

Other ways that I am staying organized is with my google calendar and iphone. oh, I can not for get this one...Erin's spreadsheet ;)

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Here is a recap of what I wrote over at  Smile and Wave on Tuesday.

Today, I want to talk about documenting your holidays. There is a trend going around the scrap blogs called December Daily that Ali Edwards started a few years back.

You are invited to join me in what has become a favorite holiday tradition: December Daily.

December Daily is an album project that documents the 25 days leading up to Christmas. Many people start their documentation earlier and many people go longer. I have found that 25 days is just right for me. One of the keys to success in this project is getting an album structure set-up in advance of December so that during December you can enjoy the season & enjoy the process of documenting your days without having to be putting the entire thing together at the same time. It is not meant to be stressful. It is meant to be a way to creatively celebrate the season and document your special holiday memories in one album.

Before you get started you should read the basics. Then if you have questions about this project, read this.
STEP ONE: GATHER & ORGANIZE YOUR MATERIALS

Easy enough. Get all your holiday stuff in one location. Having it all in one spot and accessible makes the entire process that much easier. My organizer for this project is usually just a box or basket. While you are gathering your supplies it's also a good opportunity to purge things you might be ready to pass along to someone else (think school, church, retirement home, shelter, etc). 

Read Ali's blog for the rest of the steps. She only has two right now for 2009.

Ali's 2009 December Daily

Ali's 2008 December Daily

Now if you want a little more help or planned out ideas then here is a class for you.An online class for the holidays :: Journal your Christmas

Here is a little info about the class. I pulled it from Shimelle's blog:Every year, Journal your Christmas includes daily prompts from the 1st of December to the 6th of January, the twelve days of Christmas. The 37 illustrated PDF files are delivered straight to your inbox so you can read them over your first cup of coffee and mull over each topic for a full day. There’s also an archive of the class materials online in case you can’t get to your email or in case something dreadful happens to your computer. And like every year, you can go it alone or be as social as you like, with a private discussion forum where you’ll find other Christmas journalers who will cheer you on and share your excitement, but if you prefer to stick to the prompts only, that’s completely fine too. And like every year, if you’re participated once, you can join us every Christmas for as long as you like at no extra cost.

The best thing about this class is you can register all year round. Once you join, you're a permanent member. Can't get much better than that!

 

However you choose to document this holiday season is up to you, but have fun!

I have not started my December Daily yet, but I will be as soon as I return from New York.

Comments

[Molly]

OOhh! I think you just inspired me to give my plain todo list notebook a pretty DIY face lift.

[Erin]

don't mock the spreadsheet, you know you love it!!

[Jaqueline]

I'm definitely going to have to do the December Daily this year. Journalling is starting to take over my life, slowly but surely! Hehe.

[janel]

love this post!! I can' t wait to start making Rachel's organizer either. I love it.
and I LOVE YOU!!!!
alot.
come over
right now!!
xoxo

[amy lapi]

this was amazing! i shared your site on facebook, but i couldn't figure out how to "friend" you?? grr..

[fischöl]

Really really brilliant!
I just can't imagine the level of out creativities. Those card layouts are mind blowing. You truly utilized your holiday. I wonder why i can do like this. My mother will surely feel glad to look this article. Thanks!