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Start Now For the Holidays
Follow our simple steps to prepare for the holiday season--forward ho-ho-ho!
By Carolanne Griffith Roberts; photography Van Chaplin; styling Cari South
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Web Exclusive: Stocking pattern and variations.
December is just around the corner. So are the festivities that come with it. Will you make them a blur--or bliss?
We predict joy in your world if you tackle little projects each weekend from now till then (and think how you’ll spread out the spending). Here’s how.
Spin a Yarn
Knit one, purl two all the way to a great Christmas stocking. Pick up our easy project at
random times during the weekend, and, by the time the pumpkins come up, you’ll be in stitches--and on your way to a finished gift.
Play Cards
Go online, and order your Christmas cards (our current favorite is www.exposuresonline.com
for a good selection and quick delivery). By next weekend, you can curl up on the couch, pop in a
DVD, and start addressing. If you don’t finish or can’t find an address, there’s always the next weekend.
(Can you say that in December when you’re decorating the tree and wrapping gifts?) Tip: Don’t take the Christmas photo yet--you can easily slip those in at the last minute.
Make It, Check Twice
List time. Start deciding now what to give to whom. What gifts can you make?
There’s time. What gifts can you order from the catalogs that are already stacking up in your
mailbox? Comparison shop online--we like www.mysimon.com and www.froogle.com, which allow you
to enter the item and see various prices. Let the gifts crawl to you by snail mail
(no big express charges needed), and find a secret place to store them. One more list: Record each gift, as completed, so you won’t lose track.
Party Plan
Want to carol like angels, stage a decorating bash, or organize a cookie swap? It’s easy if you start now--make your to-do list, designate your date (check local calendars to ensure you don’t clash with big school
or civic events), and design a menu. (Tip: It’s okay to add a potluck
spin so your only job is to set a stylish table.) Bring on the friends--and the merriment.
Round Up the Recipes
Take a deep breath. Plot out each holiday meal, and clip those recipes
together so you’ll have them close at hand when it’s time to cook. Bonus points for making your grocery shopping list now (just tuck it under
the clip--you can add the "just-thought-of-its" later). Extra, extra bonus points for asking other family members to make some of the recipes
for the occasion.
Get in the Groove
Take a cue from your favorite store, and blast the tunes early in the season. Many stores put together
compilation CDs that often sell for as little as $10. Try Old Navy, Banana Republic, Starbucks, and Barnes & Noble
for a good selection, or, better yet, burn your own mix for family and friends.
Don’t limit yourself to holiday tunes though. Raid your collection or download songs from iTunes or
similar sites, and customize your own CDs. These make great stocking stuffers for everyone on your list.
Send your college roommate a mix from the year you graduated; it’ll be a fun blast from the past. Your parents might like
some classics, and you can get silly with the kids. Tip: Keep several on hand. When a coworker or neighbor shows up with an
unexpected gift, present him or her with a CD instead of an awkward pause.
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