Gift Planning: Pick a Theme and Start Planning

Today is July 5th, which means we are just 5 days over the half-way mark of the year. For me, I think July is a good time to reflect and to refocus on what you want for the second half of the year. Do you want more time with family? Do you want more vacations? Do you want to be more creative and craft more? Whatever it is that you want to accomplish, you have to take time to refocus, and to begin to lay the foundation for the rest of the year. Summer is busy, life is busy, and time is fleeting. Plus we live with this concept of plenty of time until it is all gone and we are left with scraps, unable to fully enjoy the moment. July, and summer in general, for me is a time to reflect on the year, to think about the second half of the year's gifts/events, and to refocus on what I want to accomplish. Today, the primary focus is on the gifts and events that are on the horizon for the rest of the year.

I don't know if this is just me, but I really like to think of a theme when I am giving gifts. If you have read any of my Christmas preparation posts then you know that establishing a theme is what focuses me and allows me to make critical decisions about content. Choosing a theme isn't always easy when it comes to giving a gift, but I try to start with one item I know they need or that they want. For my cousin's baby shower I chose Goofy because I knew she has loved Goofy since she was a little girl. I then utilized Google to further refine the desired contents of my gift and decided upon a Goofy outfit, which I would crochet for her. I explored various options, but decided for the time constraints that I had I would combine store bought items, such as a onesie, and handmade items, such as the beanie, diaper cover, and booties. I then added to the outfit by including another handmade item, a Goofy hat for her, and a store bought item, a Goofy plushie for her baby. The gift itself was small, but it was well-thought out and took a lot of time so I don't want anyone to think that size should matter in determining a gift for someone. 

My cousin's baby shower is just one example of how I use a theme to help decide upon and execute a gift for someone, but I can't state enough how helpful it is to have a theme. As I spend today reflecting on the remaining events this year, I am thinking of themes and planning gifts, all of which include handmade aspects. The best part about a theme and advance planning is that I get to compile the gift as I go along and in this way the gift is well thought out. I am able to find things I wouldn't have been able to find last minute or I am able to find unique items from my adventures and travels that you just can't find near the gift recipient. In a previous post on  gifts I shared an idea for storing gifts, both gifts for last minute events and for the pieces of themed gifts. Using a photo storage box I am able to store most of the items I will use for gift giving. Right now my box is full of various items that can used for last minute gifts or incorporated in Christmas, such as various lotions, perfumes, and an assortment of notepads. I also have a Hello Kitty wallet and a 49ers scarf that are reserved for specific recipients. 

My most helpful tip for gift planning is picking a theme, but I know that it can be just as overwhelming to organize your thoughts after picking a theme so here are some additional tips. 

Gift Planning

1. I created a table, shown right, that allows me to write down all of my ideas and needs when gift planning. The table is explained in tips 2-5, listed below. The table includes a generic row and then a specific row with a real example of a gift I am planning.
2. Decide on a spending limit. It is important to decide on a spending limit or you will be tempted to buy more. Making a budget isn't fun, but it will save you regret later. 
3. Decide if you want to make anything and then remember to factor in the supplies you need as part of your budget. It might not seem like you are spending that much, but the cost of supplies adds up quick.
4. If you decide that you will be making a part of a person's gift then you need to realistically determine how much time you need to finish the gift. Remember to give yourself extra time because accidents happen and there are days when you just don't feel like working on it. 
5. Brainstorm categories or types of items you want to include in your gift. If your theme is sports then you might write down sports gear or an athlete's autograph. This isn't a shopping list, but a way of helping you focus when you are looking at these types of items. 

Christmas Preparation: Budget Planning

Maybe Christmas she thought doesn't have to make me poor...maybe this Christmas perhaps I should budget more. Dave Ramsey once said, "A budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went." There is no denying Christmas is expensive, but it doesn't have to leave you poor this year. Creating a budget, along with saving throughout the year, is an effective way to have a wonderful Christmas without spending a fortune. Use the gift planning template, menu template, and decorations template in the Christmas Planner template posted in February. It is April so I don't blame you if you don't have a complete grasp on gifts, menu, or decorations needed for December, but take what you do know already and start filling out your templates. 

Last month I posted the two ideas I have for handmade gifts, but I don't really have specific ideas for everyone else on my list. Yes I know sizes, favorite colors, sports teams, scents, etc., but I have yet to see how it will all fit together. This indecision can lead to an abundance in gifts for one person and none for another, but I have two tips for combating the gift and spending overload. Tip #1: Set a number of gifts per person. A few years ago my church put forth a 3 gift rule. The 3 gifts are representative of the gold, frankincense, and myrrh given to Jesus as a baby. One gift was to be the gift the person really wanted, another gift was something that would benefit the person spiritually, and the last gift was something the person would wear. Obviously you could tweak this a bit to fit your needs better, but the idea is great for keeping track of gift giving. Tip #2: Set an overall budget for gift giving and then divide the total into smaller increments for individual gift budgets. If your total budget is $500 then allot $300 for immediate family, $90 for relatives, $90 for friends, and $20 for emergency gifts or work parties. Stick to the budget your set and keep your receipts to keep track of your total spending. 

Tip #2 should be implemented for menu and decoration planning too. These are more easily planned in advance and more easily budgeted for. Ingredients like canned food can be bought and stored in advance. Shop sales in advance. This also means knowing the best sale price for a product. Save money on decorations by recycling old Christmas decorations. If you want gold Christmas ball ornaments then take gold spray paint to last year's red ornaments. Consider making your own decorations from recycled materials you already have at home before rushing out to buy more.

52 Week Money Challenge

Even budgeting and recycling materials will leave you broke if you don't start saving now. You can set a certain amount of money aside each week or month for Christmas or a certain percentage of your paycheck. We are already 12 weeks into this year, but the 52 week money saving challenge is a great way to put away money throughout the year. If you would rather do a percentage of your check then I recommend saving 10% of your first week's check for gifts and next paycheck 5% for menu and 5% for decorations. Obviously, adjust the percentages as needed.

Have your own tips for saving money this Christmas? Be sure to leave your tips in the comments below and stay tuned for next month's Christmas preparation post. 

Christmas Preparation: Handmade Gift Planning

The little bear elves are busy at work on Christmas gifts in BooBear's Workshop. Wouldn't that be nice if elves, bear or otherwise, took over making handmade gifts for you? Well until then it is just me and my busy fingers working away on gifts for Christmas. Every year I make at least one handmade gift, usually it is at least 5 homemade gifts, but poor planning leads to a chaotic December. Working well into Christmas Eve just trying to finish your handmade gifts while your family wonders where you have wandered off to or why there are no gifts under the tree from you is not how anyone wants to spend Christmas. 

Last month I posted templates for a Christmas planner with the promise I would show how to use the templates throughout the year. This month I am showing you how to use the homemade gift planning templates. If you haven't done so already download the template and print it out. Take your favorite colored pen and get ready to brainstorm. I have been brainstorming for awhile and this year I am planning on making a zebra 3pc pajama set and a men's crochet sweater. I will likely add to this list, but these gifts are going to take the most time.

Handmade Gifts

Now that you know what you want to make, it is time to start planning. How long will it take you to make each item? Error on the side of caution when deciding the length of time. If you usually make blankets in a month then plan for two months, giving yourself plenty of time for errors and life to get in the way. Once you know how much time it will take plan out time to work on the project using the monthly calendars. Depending on your level of interest in the project you might want to start and finish the project right away or you might want to procrastinate and finish the project later in the year. Whether you decide now or later make a plan and stick to the time. If you need to reschedule time to work on the project then reschedule, but stick to the new scheduled time.

Know your project and the materials needed to complete the project. Record the materials needed using the template provided in the Christmas planner. If you don't want to purchase all of the materials now then make sure to record what materials you have already purchased. Depending on the materials used I recommend purchasing the materials now when you know where they are and how much you need. Certain materials are seasonal or temporary features at the craft store. These materials should be purchased as soon as you know you need them because they will not be available all year long.

The best thing you can do in homemade gift planning is making a plan and sticking to your plan all year long. As the year progresses I will post pictures of my progress on my own homemade gifts. The pictures will most likely be shown on my Instagram account @BooBearDesigns. Be sure to follow me on Instagram for the latest pictures of my designs and inspiration.

Comment below with your ideas for homemade gifts this Christmas, your favorite homemade gifts that have been given to you, or the homemade gift you made that was the best received by your recipient. 

Organizational Tips: Gifts

The last few months I have talked a lot about gift giving planning as well as gift ideas that are quick and easy to make ahead of time for last minute emergency gifts, but I haven't talked about how to store/organize these gifts. This week's tips are are devoted to organizing and storing gifts. I have gifts for specific people in my life, birthdays or other celebrations, as well as emergency gifts for unexpected events. These gifts are stored together while gifts for Christmas are stored separately. I store Christmas gifts separately because the gifts only really need to be accessed once a year while other gifts are constantly being used throughout the year. If you have a large family consider storing each person's gifts separately.

Tip #1: Store gifts in storage bins, boxes, and baskets. Choose your storage so that it matches other storage in your craft area. If you have snoopers then blending it with your storage is great, but also consider not labeling the boxes or bins. I chose photo boxes that matched my craft storage. Currently I have 4 photo boxes devoted to gift storage: family gifts that are small, emergency gifts for unexpected celebrations or events, charity donations, and Etsy sales. Granted charity donations and Etsy sales are not traditionally gifts, but I have stored them with my gifts because I access these boxes the same amount and they are typically the same type of things stored. 

Optional Tip: Large gifts can be stored in larger bins or baskets, but don't go overboard. The majority of my gift storage is meant for smaller gifts because that is the majority of the gifts I ended up storing for long periods of time. However, frequently some aspect of the gift is usually larger than what will fit in my photo box. I don't really have storage set aside for large gifts and store the gifts as I accumulate them, mainly because I usually purchase large gifts closer to the birthday or celebration. That said, if you have the space and the need, then store larger gifts in bins or baskets, but don't purchase too many boxes.

Tip #2: Create an inventory of your gifts or items. Depending on your needs or preferences, type or write a simple inventory of items in each boxes. Include who the gift is for if you think you might forget. Finally include an envelope for gift receipts. This may not be necessary for you, but it is helpful if you have lots of store bought gifts. If you tend to purchase gifts in advance then be aware that gift receipts are only good for a set amount of days before items can only be returned for store credit. 

Optional, but helpful tip: Have many different gifts saved as emergency gifts. This isn't really an organization tip, but will help save you stress throughout the year. Personally, I never had the budget to just go out and shop for emergency gifts, but I have also never had a shortage of gifts. I keep my emergency gift box stocked through reward programs and choice shopping during annual sales events. If you have extra time on your hands, or even 5 minutes once a week, online surveys are great for accumulating gift cards or small cash rewards that can be stored away or used to purchase gifts. My favorite online survey, shopping rewards, and participation points website is MyPoints. I have been using MyPoints for the last few years and have been rewarded with many many gift cards, including Starbucks, Macy's, Red Lobster, and the Rainforest Cafe. The total amount claimed, between all of the gift cards, is something close to $100.

With MyPoints I am rewarded through online shopping, survey taking, and general participation in clubs. 

The other online shopping reward company I love is eBates. eBates gives you cash back for shopping online through their website. Unlike MyPoints, eBates gives rewards in the form of a check or PayPal. 

I am really bad about just cashing the check and spending the money, but if you can resist the temptation then eBates checks are great for spending on emergency gifts. 

I know there are people reading this and wondering what gifts I have in my emergency gift box and what gifts make great last minute gifts so hopefully I can help answer those questions. The gifts in my box are headphones with bag (I have about 6 pairs), iTunes gift card ($10), Victoria's Secret Fantasy lotion and perfume set, bath salts, and an assortment of beanies. The headphones were actually free gifts that I received when I ordered off of  the Greater Good Network's websites: Animal Rescue Site, Breast Cancer Site, The Hunger Site, The Literacy Site, Autism Site, and The Veteran's Site. These websites frequently offer promotions with purchase that would make great gifts. I have received the headphones, socks, coin purses, bracelets, necklaces, ornaments, and a purse as free promotional items. The Victoria's Secret Fantasy lotion and perfume set were left over from a larger set of perfumes and lotions, which I used as gifts at Christmas. Emergency gifts are any small gifts that you would like to be gifted as well as small gifts associated with specific interests. The iTunes gift card and headphones will make a great gift for someone who loves music while the bath salts, lotion, and perfume are a great gift for someone who likes to be pampered (pair with a gift certificate for a spa service, massage, or manicure for a more luxurious gift). 

I like keeping beanies, booties, and receiving blankets as emergency gifts as well because you never know when you will need a baby gift. For instance my coworker, who I met when she was already 7 months pregnant, had her baby early, which meant that I wouldn't have had enough time to make a nice baby gift had it not been for the baby gifts in my emergency gift box. These gifts also work great for the baby shower you forgot about or the unexpected invitation to a baby shower you weren't planning on attending. If you don't have a lot of babies in your life, but do have many young children or soon-to-be recent graduates, then something similar will work for you too. For young children, accumulate a lot of party favor type gifts, such as crayons, coloring books, and games, as well as dolls, Legos, and cars. Obviously for a child you knew well you would find more personalized gifts, but small toys work great for that child you weren't planning on gifting to. For graduates I suggest gift cards and small items that are either functional for college or sentimental. Young adults are very adamant about picking out their own items, especially for college, so I wouldn't suggest too many functional items, but you could always purchase laundry bags with silly sayings and a roll of quarters. Great sentimental gifts include Dr. Seuss' "Oh the Places You'll Go" with an encouraging note written to them inside or a collection of your own favorite recipes you made in college. 

When I graduated high school, and actually college too, most of my gifts were impersonal in the form of cash or gift cards with more personal sentiments expressed in the form of cards, but I did receive one sentimental gift, which was a College Humor book of college experiences, and would have enjoyed receiving similar gifts. Everyone has their own preferences though so don't feel bad if you just want to stock up on various cards and gift cards as emergency gifts for graduation, or any other event you may have to attend. 

Organizational Tips: Lunch Planning

Last week I posted my tips for a more efficient work week, which included meal planning and snack organization. This week I thought I would expand upon these tips with some ideas on how to organize lunches. I work full time and don't have a lot of time available to eat lunch. When you don't have a lot of time to eat lunch it is especially important to plan ahead and pack your lunch. I have spent plenty of lunches eating food I had found leftover in my fridge or pantry, food that was mismatched, and not really a nutritional lunch. If you're like me and have eaten more than one hurried lunch then you could continue to live this way or you could get organized and start eating nutritional lunches. 

Lunch Planning Template

My motivation, beyond eating a decent lunch, is my desire to eat healthy to correspond with my workouts, which I just recently started actively doing again. Tip #1: Plan out your lunches for the week. Whether your goal is to eat healthy or not, the first step is to plan out your lunches for the week or weeks, depending on how regularly you shop. I attempt to shop at least once a week, but I know some individuals and family who shop every two weeks. I know that lunch planning isn't always easy, but I have made a monthly lunch planning template. The template, shown left, can be downloaded and printed at your convenience. There are spaces for a lunch everyday each week for a month. Use the pre-made boxes to plan out your lunch and the shopping list underneath for recording everything you will need to pick up the next time you go grocery shopping. If there is a lunch that worked great for you, or a meal you particularly enjoyed, remember to highlight the corresponding box on your monthly planning page for future reference. 

Tip #2: Make as many lunches as will fit in your fridge ahead of time. Just like with meal planning last week the best method is to make as many of your lunches as you can ahead of time. This will save you time in the morning before you leave for work and ensure that your lunches are nutritional as well as fulfilling. If you plan on packing leftovers from dinner as your lunch then I recommend packing the leftovers the night before. This step takes only a few minutes, but will save you a headache in the morning. I recommend investing in a set of lunch containers and a sturdy lunch bag for optimal organization. I have tried out many Bento-style boxes, but haven't found any boxes that I absolutely love and/or are completely functional to my needs. I have, however, found some plastic containers that work great for my lunch at the Dollar Tree. My favorite is a square plastic container with separate compartment for sauce or dip. The separate compartment has its own lid so the contents do not leak into the larger container. 

The 3 compartment plastic containers, shown left and also found at Dollar Tree, are great for making your lunches ahead of time and storing in your fridge. The containers stack on top of each other nicely while providing compartments for dividing food. My only problem with this style container is that you can't separate the compartments if you only want to heat some of the food. You could put your main meal on a separate plate and heat it, but I have found this isn't always possible or efficient.

3 Compartment Plastic Containers

Stackable Plastic Containers

I love the stackable plastic containers, shown right, but  have found the containers are pricey. Since I like the concept, but not the price, I have taken it upon myself to make my own version, at a fraction of the price. I am still shopping around for the right containers to use. My idea, though, is to use containers like those pictured on the left and stack smaller containers on top. I will post pictures and information on my containers when I finish finding the perfect set.

Tip #3: Be realistic. It is important to be realistic with your time, means, and level of hunger. Do not waste time planning or packing a large lunch if you don't have the time to actually enjoy your meal. Do not plan a lunch that requires additional cook time, beyond simply reheating it, unless you truly have the time and space to do this. Do not underestimate your level of hunger throughout your work day. Don't starve yourself at lunch even if your goal is to eat healthy or even to lose weight. Starving yourself will only lead to over indulging later on in your day. If you get hungry frequently or have low blood sugar then pack snacks. Eating small meals throughout the day has been proven to be an effective method for losing weight. 

Organizational Tips: A More Efficient Work Week

I have been so busy at work these last few weeks that I haven't had much time to think let alone work on craft projects. Being busy translates into more stress and less time to eat healthy or eat at all. I know there are people out there who have it all together and can work 40 hours a week without losing time to eat healthy, but that is not me. I wrote this week's organizational tips with this in mind. So for all the busy individuals, moms, and families, these tips are for you. 

Tip #1: Plan a week's worth of meals. Breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, whatever you need for your week. Make a list of everything you need, but don't forget to double check your pantry before you leave, don't assume. Once you've bought your groceries, start cooking. Everything you can make ahead is time saved during the week when tired. Freeze or refrigerate until needed. A crock pot is a busy person's best friend and I highly suggest all of my readers to own one. Even in college, as broke as I was, I had a crock pot. My crock pot wasn't fancy and it wasn't expensive. I bought the 2 qt crock pot for under $10 at Walmart. This crock pot served me well throughout my college years and kept me eating healthy. 

If  you don't like the idea of cooking a week's worth of meals in a day then I suggest at least prepping for all of your meals at the start of the week. If you have the containers then chop, dice, and prepare all of the ingredients for your meals. Depending on the preparation needed for each meal this will save you an hour at the end of your week. If you don't have the containers then use Ziploc sandwich bags to contain each ingredient and then put all of the ingredients in a Ziploc gallon size bag. The Ziploc bag is not a cost effective solution, but it will save you time this week. I recommend investing in a container set if you don't want to cook all your meals in a day. Preparing or cooking your meals ahead of time saves you time during your week. If you cook all of your meals on a single day then your meals only need to be reheated not cooked. This is perfect for busy families. If cooking all at once seems overwhelming then look ahead to your week and identify your busiest days and just cook ahead for those meals.

Tip #2: Use Ziploc bags to pre-bag all snacks. Ziploc snack bags are a great time saving solution for lunch preparation. Whether you make your own lunches or your children's lunches this solution is for you. Dry snacks like crackers or cookies can be stored in a clear box in your pantry. Fresh snacks like fruit and vegetables can be stored in a clear box in your refrigerator. This is personally one of my favorite time saving tips. During the week I can grab whatever snack(s) I want to take to work that day and head out the door. Even if I am in a rush in the morning I still have time to reach in the pantry or the fridge and grab a snack because the snacks are already bagged. I plan on implementing this tip when I have my own children and need to make their lunches.

Command Center

Home Hub

Tip #3: Make a launch station. I think Fly Lady first introduced the concept of a launch station, but the basic premise is a place to store keys, bags, lunches, coats, and calendars, etc. This can be a memo board with hooks underneath the board. Use the memo board to store a family calendar and important events while utilizing the hooks below to store keys, bags, and coats. There are many fancy tutorials on how to create memo board launch stations. 

These are some of my favorite versions of launch stations, command centers, or home hubs. The command center, shown left, is featured on OrgJunkie  and is perfect for single individuals or couples. The whiteboard is perfect for writing down important dates while the cubbies are great for storing mail, etc. and the hooks are perfect for keys and bags. The home hub shown right is featured on ivillage and is designed for families. This family's entry way features a magnetic board for invitations and flyers and a white board calendar for event planning. Underneath these boards is a cubby shelf with hooks underneath. I love the cubby idea because it can be personalized for each child and is great for teaching little ones how to organize their things. The hooks underneath are great for their coats and backpacks. Pick a design that fits in with your needs and install it in your entry way or wherever is most convenient for you.

These tips have drastically impacted my work week and dramatically decreased my stress while saving me time all week long for activities I actually want to spend my time doing. Hopefully these tips save you just as much time and allow you a more relaxed week at work, home, or wherever you spend your time. Comment below with areas in your life or home that need organization help.

Organizational Tips: Paper Clutter

Good afternoon readers! I am currently bedridden with the flu and haven't had much time for crafting or home organization, but I have had a lot of time to think about my projects and what still needs to be organized. With this is mind, I have decided to post a new weekly series with organizational tips that can easily be completed during the week or a few hours over the weekend. I will try to keep each week's tips focused on a different area in your home or craft space. This week I am focusing on paper cutter, this can be papers in your office or your catch all table in the entryway. 

I don't know about you, but my family and I get a large amount of magazines, some we are subscribed to and others just seem to appear without asking, as well as catalogues, especially around the holidays and seasonal changes. I am not interested enough in each magazine or catalogue, nor do I have the time, to look through each magazine thoroughly, which means that the magazines end up stacking up places for a time when I do want to look at them. This wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have a constant stream of magazines and catalogues coming into my house, which is where tip #1 comes in: Choose a date each month and sort through all of your magazines and catalogues. Keep the pages you want, these can be organized in a binder, and recycle the rest. If you like to keep images for craft projects then take the time to cut images out of the magazines and store these images with your stickers and other embellishments. As for catalogues, if there is an item you wish to purchase or a style you like then I once again suggest clipping these images or pages and storing them away. For items you wish to purchase,  but do not intend to purchase immediately, I suggest storing these pages or images in a dream book, again this can be binder, which you can reference later when you have the funds or space to purchase the item. I recommend recording the exact name, product number or ID, the catalogue, price, and date of publication for the ad for easier referencing later. For styles that you admire or might want to replicate organize these images in a look book, once again this can be a binder, that you can easily go back to and reference later. My only exception to this rule is pattern magazines, magazines where the entire magazine is necessary to keep. For these magazines I suggest storing separately, either with your printed patterns or in a magazine holder on your bookshelf. 

Magazines and catalogues seem to be the most problematic source of paper clutter for me, but there are many other sources including junk mail, bills, account statements, and charity newsletters. Tip #2: Open and sort your mail every day. If you don't have the time then make a commitment to sort your mail once a week. For many people this is obvious, but for other people this is a daily challenge they face. I personally open my mail everyday, but I can relate to coming home and not wanting to open, let alone look at, my mail, especially when the mail is mainly bills or junk. I open my junk mail first, take out any paper with my information for the shred bag, and then toss the rest. Of course, I always recommend recycling unwanted paper. I open any bills next and file the papers in a desktop organizer, where I can easily access the information when it comes time for me to pay my bills. The same is done for account statements, except that I file these papers in a more permanent organizational system. I usually enjoy reading, or at least browsing, newsletters sent me by charities and so I have the option of reading the newsletters etc. then or I can choose to recycle the papers. If there is a donation I want to make then I file it away in the same desktop organizer where I filed my bills. Now, my greatest piece of advice is to switch to paperless options wherever you can. This has tremendously cut down the amount of papers I receive each day. 

My final tip for cutting down paper clutter has to do with your shredding. Tip #3: Ditch the shred bag or pile and instead shred your papers as needed. Doing this everyday, assuming it is needed everyday, prevents unnecessary paper clutter and prevents unnecessary stress over a massive shred pile. It might take you time to get caught up on your shredding, but I promise you it is worth it. Not to mention spending a few minutes a day shredding is so much better for your health than hoarding the papers until you're overwhelmed. Bonus tip: If you have the resources then I suggest a mail station with storage on top for sorting and storage underneath for a shredder. 

I hope these tips have proved helpful to you and if you want to see any pictures of my organization leave a comment below. 

Christmas Preparation: Christmas Planner

She's making a list and checking it twice. She is going to find out what's been done and what is still left on her list. Not a detail will she miss in her Christmas planning. Yes, it is February 25th, which means it is once again time for a Christmas preparation post. This month I decided to make a Christmas planner with templates for my readers. I intended on posting a tutorial of my Christmas planner as well, but I have not had time to get all of the necessary materials. As soon as I am able to finish my Christmas planner I will post a tutorial as well.

This planner is a lot of fun and could save you a lot of work in the coming months. There are many templates, but you don't have to use all of the pages I used. While I filled out many of my pages you don't have to as I will showcase various pages throughout the year. There are various tutorials out there including turning your Christmas planner into a journal for a treasured family heirloom, but these templates and this method is what works best for my needs.

Christmas Planner 

Materials needed are a binder or notebook, printer, ink, printer paper, templates, scrapbook paper, and other embellishments. Also envelopes in various sizes.
Look through the templates provided and print the pages you need. You may need multiple copies of some pages like gift ideas and menu planning.
The page with the calendar should be printed 12 times for each month in the year.

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When I was printing out the template pages to make my own Christmas planner I accidentally printed the templates 2 sided, which is fine for some of the pages, but not all. Since I was unwilling to reprint the entire planner I put the pages in sheet protectors and am using a white board pen to write in the various items. This makes the planner reusable for next year, which is an added bonus to my mistake.

Baking and Holiday Bucket List

As you can see I have started filling out the pages of the planner that are the same every year. Every year I bake the same sweets with only the quantity changing so I wrote in the things I was planning on making, the quantity, and the shopping list. Then I filled out the holiday bucket list on the next page with the things I want to do every year like make a snowman and drink hot coco. If there is something you want to do every year and want to make it a family tradition then make sure to record it on the family tradition page.

Handmade Gifts

The final page I filled out was the homemade gift page. Next month's Christmas Preparation post will be about filling out the handmade gifts template. As you can see I started filling out the page with the two gifts I know I am making: a crochet sweater and a zebra pajama set. I have an idea of the materials I need to complete the gifts and have most of the materials I need already purchased, which is what I recommend doing, as well as a time estimate of how long it will take to complete each gift.

There are 22 pages in the Christmas Planner template and you may need multiple copies of one or more of the pages. Print as many pages as you need. Glue the pages into a notebook, embellish with scrapbook paper and stickers, or put into sheet protectors in a binder. Take pictures of your Christmas planner and be sure to upload the pictures below or share on Instagram using #BooBear'sChristmasPlanner.

Gift Planning Tutorial

February is almost over, which means it is almost the start of my gift giving season. Between my family and friends I have many birthdays from March through November, which usually leaves me feeling a bit frazzled thinking of gift planning. I have never implemented an organizational system for gift planning throughout the year, but as I was working on the next Christmas Preparation post I thought it would be a good idea. Of course I immediately sat down at my computer and started typing a template for monthly gift organization and another template for gift ideas, both of which are crucial for gift planning organization. The link to view and download these templates will be posted under the pictures below.

Gift Planning Template

Monthly Gift Template

I designed the Gift Planning Template to organize your gift recipients' favorite colors, scents, and activities as well as their shoe, pant, and shirt sizes. Depending on the person this gift planning page can be used over and over again. I have only printed 2 of these gift planning pages for use with my immediate family. Eventually I will be using more of these pages, but for this tutorial only 1 page is needed. I designed the Monthly Gift Template to record all of the birthdays for a given month, the gift you plan on giving, whether it is completed if you are making the gift, and whether you wrapped the present. If I ever create my own personal planner I will definitely be incorporating this template page every month and of course I will be sure to post the templates and pictures here.

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As a reminder the promo code FOOTBALL50, to be used in my Etsy store BooBear Designs, expires in 4 days on February 28th, so be sure to check out the football team hats before then. There are ONLY 3 team hats left: San Diego Chargers, New England Patriots, and Seattle Seahawks. Be sure to enter the promo code shown above for 50% off these hats.

Christmas Preparation: Theme

On the night before January 25th, all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse, except for this busy blogger prepping for Christmas. 11 months until Santa makes his midnight run and there isn't a minute to spare to bring some Christmas cheer.

Alright, in all seriousness I know Christmas is many months away and most, if not all of my readers, are not even thinking about Christmas preparation for this year. The last few years I have been like my readers and not given much thought about Christmas until October or November. However, last year was so stressful waiting until the last minute that I decided to revert to my old ways and start planning Christmas earlier. Every month, on the 25th, I will post a Christmas preparation idea or tutorial. The tutorials will either be a gift idea for a loved one, a themed decoration, or a party idea (baked good containers, party favors, etc). I hope these posts will allow my readers to get a head start on Christmas.

Every year, even the last two years, I have started my Christmas preparation the same: the theme. I love having a different theme for every Christmas. It allows me to stay focused on ideas for Christmas cards, wrapping paper, and containers for baked goods. This may not be necessary if you only ever have Christmas celebrations with your immediate family, but my family has a Christmas Eve party with relatives and friends every year and a theme is definitely necessary. As I said before, it keeps me focused. Over the last few years my themes have been Sweet Candied Men (Gingerbread men in their candy homes), Frosty's Winter Wonderland (everything snow related),  Santa's Village, and Candy Cane Lane (stripes, lots of stripes). This year my theme is whimsical as A Whoville Christmas, which is essentially a play on How The Grinch Stole Christmas. 

The next thing I always do is design and order my themed Christmas cards. When I actually do this varies every year because I usually wait for "10 cards free" or "$20 off your order" deals on Shutterfly. If you don't use one of these deals then custom photo cards can get really expensive. There are a lot of photo sharing sites with deals of their own so don't be afraid to shop around. I don't always have time to take family pictures that are theme related and sometimes I just don't want to bother with it, which is when I just make the card itself themed, rather than the family photos. Christmas cards are a chance to be creative, a chance to be silly, and a chance to send memories to your loved ones so have fun. 

Boxed In Collage Christmas Card

Bubbles of Snowflakes Address Label

A Whoville Christmas is a really hard theme to order custom photo cards without using themed photos. However, I managed to find Christmas cards and labels that fit my theme. The Boxed in Collage Christmas Card allowed me the space and layout to tell a story. I used silly family photos from this last Christmas and told the story of how the Grinch stole Christmas. A few weeks after purchasing my cards, I received a promotion for free address labels, which I have just ordered. I ended up choosing these Bubbles of Snowflakes Address Labels, which I felt were whimsical and fit the color theme. 

When you are thinking of and planning your theme it is helpful to also specify a color scheme. A Whoville Christmas can be designed in several ways and using several different colors. If I were to use all of the colors that could be used it would end up feeling overwhelming. I actually used two color schemes, but I feel the colors integrate really nicely. The first color scheme is red, green, and white, which is the main color scheme used throughout and the second color scheme is pink, white, blue, and green. The pink, white, blue, and green are accent colors that will be used in gift wrapping. These colors were actually chosen by accident while I was shopping the post Christmas sale. This year I was fortunate enough to find many of the little details, think gift wrap and food containers, after Christmas instead of searching for the perfect items closer to Christmas. I will of course be posting my after Christmas finds at a later time.

There are a lot of pieces that go into Christmas planning from the cards to the food to the presents and it is easy to lose track of your ideas throughout the year. I know there are quite a bit of posts on other blogs about Christmas planners that are available as tutorials or for purchase and I encourage all of my readers to do a Google search for Christmas Planners to find a planner that best fits their needs. Personally, I have never used a Christmas planner and just use a notebook, but I definitely see the need for a planner and have even saved templates over the year to try.

If you want me to make a Christmas planner and show how I use it to organize my Christmas this year please leave a comment below. I look forward to reading your own ideas for organizing Christmas as well as what things you want me to post in future Christmas Preparation posts.