Plan Your Gifting

Organize your holiday by planning your gifting. This is the time of year to appreciate and remember friends, family, neighbors, teachers and all those you care about. Think back on gifts you have received that were most memorable to you. As always it is the thought behind the gift that makes it special. Consider giving the gift of time; a lunch date, movie date, a visit or helping with a task. Consider giving the gift of an experience; a membership, an event, or a lesson to learn a new skill. How will you organize and plan your gifting to make it meaningful and stress free?

Plan Your Schedule

Organize your holiday by planning your schedule. It is easy to lose sight of the meaning of the season in the flurry to get it all done. Going faster is not the answer, if speeding down the wrong road. When it gets chaotic stop, assess where you are and what you are doing, next prioritize, decide on a course of action and then continue moving forward. Have a plan and alter it as needed to keep yourself on track. Give yourself the gift of calmness this holiday and slow your pace.

Plan To Make Time For Your Traditions

Organize your holiday by focusing on and enjoying traditions. What is your favorite holiday family tradition? In my family one of our traditions is “The Box”. It appears every year and is given to a member of the family. At times it holds a present, other times just a note. The Box is a Carson Pirie Scott shirt box and in 1979 my younger brother gave my Mom a gift in it and instead of wrapping it (he was a busy college kid, no time for wrapping!) just wrote on the top of the box From Steve, To Mom. The next year she gave it back to him, again not wrapped and just wrote on the box.

A tradition was born and each year another inscription is added and The Box is given. The Box has our family history written all over it; long notes, short notes, silly notes, sad notes, milestones of births and losses, hardships and triumphs. The Box is now wrapped each year and the receiver is responsible to hold onto the box and give it the following year. Each receiver unwraps The Box and reads all the inscriptions from 1979 to the present Christmas. It is a silly, sentimental tradition that makes us smile and and cry, and is ours alone. It reminds us of Christmases past, time together and the love of family.

“The Box”

Take the time this holiday to plan your gifting, plan your schedule and honor the traditions you find important and meaningful!

Wishing you a joyful, organized and peaceful holiday season! Merry Christmas!