Thinking About Christmas
I've been doing a little holiday planning/shopping the last few weeks and wanted to share a few of the things I've found and ordered for the kids this year.
- First up is a personalized My Very Merry Christmas Board Book (illustrated by my friend Mati Rose and shown above). This came in the mail yesterday and it's just perfect - Anna will love that it has her name and she's included in the story.
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Personalized pencils. These showed up one year in Simon's Easter basket and it's time for a new set. He's been doing his homework with them for quite a few years now. One set for Simon, one for Anna and one for each of the cousins. - Books to add to our Christmas collection. Richard Scarry's The Animal's Merry Christmas, Babar And Father Christmas and A Ghost Tale For Christmas Time (Magic Treehouse).
I started a Pinterest board where I'm adding things I'm thinking about (or just dreaming of) for the kids. I love that I can have that all in one place. You'll see a few things I mentioned above pinned there already.
For some of the adults I've been hecking out Amazon's 100 Best Books of 2011 list.
Are you working on this kind of stuff too?
I don't usually pull my Christmas stuff out until after Thanksgiving but I'm thinking about getting it out and going through some of it in advance. I always think at the end of the season I'll be really good about putting away only the stuff we really want but I often find myself just wanting the job to be done. Wanting the job to just be done results in extra stuff getting stored (or lights that don't work) that we might have been able to let go of last year.
Also... thank you for the wonderful book rec's! I need to pick up a couple. :)
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Those are great ideas.
I normally don't think about Christmas so early, but we just found out that my husband is losing his job, so it will be a handmade holiday this year. I'm glad I've been pinning handmade gift ideas. I finished one gift already and am halfway through a second gift now. :D
Kimberlee,
I'm so sorry about your husband's job loss. I hope another door opens for him real soon.
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Check out the stocking stuffers at restoration hardware. There are some super cute stocking stuffers for kids (fingerprinting art set, chalkboard door hanger, stamps & ink, etc).
Great link Holly - lots of cool stuff there.
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I've had the urge to get things done earlier this year too. In fact I just made up a google doc spreadsheet to keep track of gifts we've already collected. My husband can access it on the road and that way we both know who is left to buy/make for.
Love that Amber.
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Hi Ali. How do I get a pintrest account? I've filled out with my email to request but I've never heard back... no response. It looks so cool. Thanks!!
I'll send you an invite.
Hi Ali/Kelly - I had the same thing happened to me with Pin Interest. Could I request an invite from you Ali? :-)
Thanks...Sonu
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This post is so timely. Just like getting the foundation pages done before December so we can jump right in. Get our boxes and stuff done before hand so we can enjoy what we got during the holidays. I intend every year to dejunk the book box, etc. Who wants to do that during or after the holidays? No one, you are right!
Do the kids like the smencils? Those smelly pencils. They come in holiday fragrances too.
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The last few years I've started early as well. I keep track in an Excel spreadsheet, so I can see my spending and keep links handy as I find things. I start collecting ideas as early as summertime. I'm about halfway through my shopping this year and have almost everyone accounted for for ideas. Our nieces and nephews (variously) are getting striped pjs (thanks for the inspiration!), a video game to share, and the annual tradition of a new ornament (possibly handmade this year). I keep the holidays low-key, gift-wise, and make birthdays a bigger event. We have a wide age range to shop for (6 kids), which makes it so much more fun. :D
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I checked out your Pinterest board. That Lego Star Wars Death Star is awesome!!! I know two boys that would FLIP over it!!! Thanks for sharing!!!
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Thanks for the post. Needed a gift for my nephews birthday which is a few weeks away so ordered the personalized book. Not sure what has kicked Christmas in to high gear for me this year, but I want to get as much done ahead of time and thinking about ways to accomplish that...like decorating small trees and keeping them in the basement until December, etc.
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I always loved finding personalized pencils in my Christmas stocking. As others have posted, I have an unusual name, so there was nothing available if it wasn't special ordered. I think I'm going to order myself some to have on my desk at work!
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Have definately started here. With my husbands family overseas and in a different hemisphere, I often pick up gifts quite early and have them on hand ready to post early. I have several gifts sorted; Christmas cards ready (just need to write our annual letter); have the foundation for a "year-in-review" album I do for my in'laws every year and am now looking at what crafts/gifts I wish to make. I am LOVING Pinterest!
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Have you received the email that is going around about choosing Christmas gifts that are made in America or that benefit small U.S. businesses (like car repair places, barber shops, local bakeries, etc). I hope you will consider using them for your Christmas gifts. Doing so you can help our country's economic recovery instead of buying things made in China.
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I have one gift already - my youngest wants underwater goggles with a camera in the goggles - it arrived last week. I have two groupon's for photos and I'm going to pick photos that each girl took last year on vacation and have them for their rooms. I am never this early in getting gifts but trying to spread the expense out so that it isn't painful in January. Gift cards are going to be helpful with teenagers. No ideas for my husband yet because he always buys what he wants, when he wants it. We always struggle to get him gifts.
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Ali,
You must check out the book "Santa Calls" by William Joyce. The incredible illustrations, fabulously written story and beautiful, goosebump-giving ending make it a perfect Christmas book.
Thanks for the suggestion - that one looks great.
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Ali, I love the personalized books. I have some great-nieces and nephews that would love these and it would be a keepsake instead of a toy that would soon disappear. I plan on ordering some this week.
Thanks for the info.
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I do the same thing.....plan to sort through and thin out then just want it all put away when the time comes. Hoping to go through some of it this weekend and next while the men in my life are gone hunting. We'll see if I actually do it.....kind of not ready just yet to hear Christmas music and see holiday decor. I've barely finished cleaning up from the Halloween party!!
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Well over thjis side of the pond I don't have thanksgiving to distract! I'm a food way into the list of presents I plan to make. and my 3 year old is already busy threading beads for his grandmas, aunties etc to make bracelets! I've done my DD and last night I made an advent calendar... so yes, I'm having fun. It's Christmas cards that are looming large here at the moment. I want to make them with my son this year but I can't get my head around it! And I need them first...
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what a awesome personal book! I want try to make it with my husband and my son :D
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Hi Ali,
Could you send me an invite to Pintrest, too? I'd like to check it out. Thanks, Mary Beth
P.S. I have great pictures of you and Paolo in Italy - will send soon! ;-}
Sure Mary Beth -
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Hello --- I am loving the that you ordered... My little Anabelle would love it too! I will have to check into that! Christmas is coming fast. I ordered the DD kit from SC and love it. I did my own last year for the first time and thought I would try the kit. I have done my foundation pages -- but my problem is the kit only came with 25 protectors and I need 31 for our extended Christmas parties with family the week after! The overlay set has the 31 days - but I can't seem to come up with a way to get the extra page protectors!!! I am sooo sad! Just wondered if I was missing somewhere that I could order some extra to complete my book???? Thanks!
Oooops!! I just found them!! YAY!!!
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Since moving away from my family..counting down the 25 days before Christmas hasspecial meaning. My husband says I act like a child. Ieven make one of those circle chains and take a loop off each day.
I think that's awesome - you should make it magical for yourself.
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Personalized pencils are the best. Am going to make a paper chain today, I just love those things.
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Ummmm ... I'm working on my own wish list. Does that count? Seriously though, I'm stealing the pencil idea. Thanks!
Totally counts :).
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Ali,
Hate to bother you but is there another way I can send you a message that's not on your blog. Kinda a personal question. Thanks.
thank you Ali, I sent one but it wouldn't send so will try again tonight. Gotta go buy kids snow boots!!
Let me know if for some reason you did get it though, just in case I'm wrong.
You can always email me ali@aliedwards.com
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I remember personalized pencils! And books! This year I may actually pull stuff out on Black Friday and get things going, not sure. I'm hoping to do a December Daily, which will be new for me and I'm afraid I won't have much to put in it since it's just the two of us and occassionally Sarah. It would have been fun to record stuff from when they were younger -- like you are able to do, but instead of making memories we can recall memories, distill them, what we liked, what worked, what didn't. Should be fun! So far I've made a card set for beloved spouse, number 1 son and number 1 daughter; he has an extremely expensive pen for endorsing, she got an almost as expensive bag from Coach; then there is the traditional socks and underwear (which began as a coal in the stocking kind of thing when they sounded greedy one year and has turned into a much counted on gift, although Sarah reached an age where opening underwear in front of her brother and dad was no longer fun so she gets a Victoria's Secret gift card... and books.
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