Did that subject line make you break out in a cold sweat, Dear Heart?
What are your Visions of Christmas Future?
Do you picture a Norman Rockwell morning
with everyone delighted opening Exactly What They Wanted
while you waft around the kitchen,
fully made up and deliciously attired,
putting the final touches on a feast that would make Martha Stewart chew her nails?
Or do you remember last year’s utterly mortifying moment
when Aunt Minnie unwrapped the hot pink vibrator
meant as a joke gift for your girlfriend?
(a debacle due entirely to the frenzied gift-wrapping marathon on Christmas Eve
and one that no amount of red-faced apologies has managed to ease?)
Well, Relax, my frazzled dahling.
Help is at hand.
Last year, I had fully intended to Create my very own Scrumptious Christmas Planner….
(you know, complete with lists, and recipes
and stirring quotes to urge you on to Domestic Goddess-hood),
but a quick rummage round the internet turned up sooooo many of them
that I thought ‘what the hell’
and made myself some more tea instead.
But I knew I needed something to keep myself organized,
my inner-Martha happily occupied
and my regrettable tendency to leave-everything-to-the-last-minute under control,
so I googled forth till I found …
Ta Daaa!
(Trumpets, drumroll, confetti, glitter-flinging!)
A Scrumptious Solution to Christmas Chaos.
This priceless gem is from Organized Home
and actually started yesterday,
hence the mad scramble to tell you about it today.
It’s all lusciously high-tech and super duper easy
with each week’s guidance arriving by RSS Feed
(opt-in at the bottom of the page to get the emails).
All the printables are laid out in an easy-to-find fashion
and if you just do the little bit recommended each day,
I can almost guarantee a frazzle-free season.
But, sweethearts, PLEASE resist the temptation to print out absolutely everything
or to dive headfirst into some kind of
Total-Life-ReOrganization-Before-The-In-Laws-Arrive, won’t you?
It’s really not recommended even at the best of times
and Certainly not right before the Holiday Madness –
unless you want to end up in a wine-soaked heap
under a partly decorated tree,
while your kids eat cereal for dinner.
(been there, done that)
R e l a x.
B r e a t h e . . . .
You still have plenty of time to get things done.
Take one little step at a time,
and you’ll sail through the celebrations
all calm,
unflustered
and utterly fahbulous!
So, sweetie, go sign up for the Christmas Countdown right away.
You’ll be ever so glad you did.
Bliss-ings and oodles of hugs,
PS … Hopefully you paid attention to my email a few weeks ago
and implemented my Ninja Christmas Saving Trick,
but don’t fret if you didn’t.
(and if you’re not on my list, I’m afraid you missed it!)
A little restructuring of the budget,
and focus your time and money
on spoiling your loved ones with Experiences Not Stuff
and you’ll be everybody’s favorite Santa!