The Christmas Notebook

It’s the holiday season (the holiday season). So a whoop-de-doo.

Sorry.

As you may know, I am all about the organization. Stalking Pinterest gave me an idea to organize my Christmas with a notebook. It seemed like the best idea to have a great and productive season, considering how Halloween this year went.

And let me tell you, it is working amazingly!

All of my thoughts and plans in one place. “Why can’t you use your planner?” First of all, it’s more fun for me to create a notebook. Second, it keeps all ideas of one thing together so you’re not distracted. (“Let me write down when we get to do Christmas light scavenger hunting, while updating my weight-loss tracker”). It doesn’t work.

Keep the spirit of Christmas in one place on its own.

With that said, allow me to give you a sneak peak into the notebook itself. I won’t show you every page, but I’ll explain my process. Maybe, before the season is over, you can start your own.

I had to start with a fun cover. So, I decorated it to look like a present. That way I know exactly which notebook it is. Plus, it’s just too much fun to look at.

Always start with an index so you know what you have and on what page. I colored it to my discretion; there was barely any rhyme or reason to it.

After the index, I wanted to put a personal message just for me. What’s the goal for this season? What did I want to accomplish? What’s the theme? Whatever you think about the season, for you, put it down.

There’s a lot to do around this time of year, so I need to keep track of what I need to do AND what my family needs to do. (Not a complete list)

After that is my list of people to give Christmas cards to, with a check box next to their name so I can color it in when I send it rather than cross their name out. Next to it is my currently blank page of who sent me Christmas cards so I can send love.

The next several pages are dedicated to friends and family’s gift lists. I list out what they want, what they’d like to see in their stockings, and what they absolutely do not want for Christmas. I just write down everything; I can’t buy everything. But it’s helpful knowing in case someone else asks…

After the pages of gift lists, and a blank page to write what gifts I received (and from who for thank you card purposes), I have my little Christmas tree countdown. Every day, I color in a box. Come Christmas Day, I’ll have a pretty tree.

Following the cute little countdown, I have my December bucket list: things I want to complete in the Christmas season. (Along with Santa Claus’s phone number *wink wink*). Next to it, part of my bucket list, is to watch a bunch of Christmas movies. So I have a list of must-watch films. Yes, Die Hard and Edward Scissorhands are Christmas films, fight me.

After that is my gift-giving page(s). I had to mention this specifically because I have a method I’d like to share, if you please. I color-coded my friends and family’s names, usually with their favorite color if available. I write the gift I got them in their color so I know whose gift it is. Next to it, I put the price and/or if it’s been paid. Next to that, I put two columns, one labeled ‘have’ and one labeled ‘wrapped/sent’. I check under the column, next to the gift if I have the gift (since some stuff is being shipped to me) and if I have wrapped and/or sent it. It helps me know what I’ve done for who.

On the next page, I have two fun games. My family and I love going out and looking at house lights. Our new place is particularly great because we are across the street from the town’s most festive light show of a house. I came up with a scavenger hunt for us to do on our annual walk around town. Then I have trivia for the book we read every 24 December, The Night Before Christmas. Like I said earlier, I wanted to have fun.

The next several pages are ones I can’t show before Christmas, including a plan for Christmas Eve, craft lists and instructions for certain gifts, and other little Christmas spoilers.

But that’s my Christmas notebook: something to keep me organized during the most hectic and commercialized time of year.

I plan to have fun.

Hugs and Candy Canes

Alexandra

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