Holiday Tips
Decorating and Organizing Ideas
for Enjoying the Season
12/25/99 - Gift Lists - As you open gifts make a gift list to refer to when writing thank you notes. I like a one page version on a grid, showing names down the left and across the top, with gift items entered in the appropriate intersecting box.
12/24/99 - Traditions
- Christmas Eve is one of the most wonderful days to make and keep family traditions. From menus to dishes, from centerpieces and decorations to quiet drives looking at lights, make your traditions a special part of each holiday season.
12/23/99 - Clothing for Memories
- Spend a few moments pondering your clothing choices for the upcoming days. Instead of showing up for gift opening wearing a ratty robe or sweat pants, find something lovely to slip on. Holiday memories don't need to include us at our worst, but at our best!
12/22/99 - Food Decor
- Decorate holiday meals and buffet trays with simple garnishes. A sprinkle of fresh herbs, lemon slices, lady apples, or parsley on savory dishes, with powdered sugar or cocoa, chocolate shavings, raspberries, or mint leaves on desserts. Or take a few moments to garnish the food, the plate, or the tablesetting with holiday greenery.
12/21/99 - Cook Ahead
- Go over menus for holiday entertaining and prepare some items ahead. Sauces can be made and refrigerated, vegetables chopped, and punch ingredients chilled. Tape signs on food containers with instructions ("dip for Tuesday", "dry muffin ingredients", "warm for 20 mins. at 350", or "add this bottle to 4 qts. punch").
12/20/99 - Tablesettings
- Get creative with holiday tablesettings this year. One beautiful evergreen centerpiece made versatile with placemats, holiday dishes, and special touches with decorations, glitter, raffia, cedar, and more. See three pages of gorgeous photos you can use on your own Christmas table.
12/19/99 - Check it Twice
- Spend a few planning minutes with your lists for gifts, meals, groceries, and schedules. Double check with family members to see if they need any last minute gifts or treats for the office or school.
12/18/99 - Deck the Halls
- Clear the decks before the big day. Get a box and temporarily move out any living room tabletop accessories that could be in the way of holiday entertaining or gift opening. (Store them in the basement for a week or two.) While you're at it, find a knife, scissors, pencil and paper to facilitate opening and recording gifts received.
12/17/99 - Guest Rooms
- Prepare for guests by making room in closets and chests, providing hangers, an alarm clock, and a bench for luggage. Put out fresh sheets, towels, and extra blankets. Then fill a basket with magazines, city maps, water bottles, and even a few munchies (pretzels, cookies, peanuts in cello bags). If you are super organized, prepare a date and time list of holiday events so everyone will be aware of the schedule. In your kitchen make mornings easier by assembling a tray of supplies guests can use themselves including, cereal, bowls, mugs, coffee, sugar, spoons, bread, butter, and jam, and perhaps simple instructions on using the toaster or microwave.
12/16/99 - Holiday Entertaining
- Holiday parties can be simpler if you use one special recipe for inspiration. Plan a brunch around one wonderful make-ahead strata casserole and a few simple side dishes. Or try a dinner featuring holiday pizza for the kids (use green pepper strips to form the outline of a tree, with "decorations" of pepperoni, mushrooms, etc.) A "Christmas Coffee and Cocoa Party" lets your friends sample gourmet hot beverages with homemade or purchased cookies, while dessert parties can include one fabulous dessert -- or many -- and could be "pot luck".
12/15/99 - Toys for the Needy
- Find a "Giving Tree" or "Angel Tree" in your neighborhood department store and purchase a gift or two for those who are needy. Encourage your kids to do the same, and they will remember the glow of generosity for years to come.
12/15/99 - Give Quality
- Think classic, timeless, lasting. Instead of loading up on tiny trinkets, candy, or toys that will be forgotten in 3 months, think about giving quality. One friend gave her daughters one piece of classic jewelry each year, all through their teen years. Another added a placesetting a year to an adult daughter's silver and china collection. Think one -- one wonderful gift rather than lots of little "things to open" that may cost just as much but won't last as long. One cashmere shawl, one set of wonderful brass candlesticks, one real pearl necklace, one quality tool, one treasured collectible....
12/14/99 - Avoid the Crowds
- Here are some ideas if you're running out of time and need some last minute gifts. Avoid most mall crowds by arriving at stores just as they open on weekday mornings. Or, avoid the mall altogether and shop in smaller neighborhood stores. Hardware stores will have lots of choices for handymen, office supply stores offer planners, software, calendars and pens, or pick up stationery and photo albums at card shops. Order gift certificates over the phone for spas, restaurants, or theatres and have them mailed to your home or to the recipient. Many florists have gifts, decorations, and beautiful arrangements, and an antique dealer will be happy to help you find a collectible for someone special. Grocery stores and specialty food markets often have gift basket materials and suggestions ready for your inspiration. Even your local copy center can be a lifesaver if you want some personalized notepads, letterhead, or envelopes on pretty papers, using copy you've printed out on your computer.
12/13/99 - Hostess Gifts
- Put together a basket of small gifts to keep in your entry so you'll be ready with holiday cheer for teachers, hairdressers, neighbors, the paperboy, party hosts, the mail carrier, and others. Some ideas to consider include candles, personalized ornaments, homemade cookies, special candy, tip money inside holiday cards, gift certificates to restaurants or stores, books, calendars, mugs with cocoa mix, and travel clocks.
12/12/99 - Ornaments as Gifts
- Look for special tree ornaments to give as gifts, or to use as gift tags. Choose with the recipient in mind, whether they like cooking, collect angels, or are an avid sports fan. Then use a fine point gold, black, or silver pen to personalize the ornament with the year, your name, and perhaps mention of a memorable event that year ("To Dan -- that '99 bar exam didn't have a chance!").
12/11/99 - Address List
- Keep a roll of tape and a small pair of scissors in your Christmas card basket this year. As cards arrive, cut the return address off of the envelope and tape it to the back of the card. After the holidays check the address and zip code with your address book records to keep everything up to date.
12/10/99 - Mini Trees
- A wonderful tradition is to put a mini Christmas tree in every bedroom. The tree can be artificial or real, and in a height from 12" to 36" that will easily fit on a tabletop in the room. Let each child or adult choose their own color scheme and decorating theme. Use special lights in a favorite theme such as teddy bear lites, snowman lights, chili pepper lights, or even bubble lights. Then add simple garlands and a few homemade or themed ornaments, even small framed family photos. Around the base of the tree set up a miniature train, a display of toys, or a tiny village. These trees need so little to look great -- one or two strings of lights, a package of garland, and a dozen or more ornaments. Turn on the lights whenever you're in the room and enjoy the holiday glow!
12/9/99 - Poinsettias
- Add some beautiful poinsettias to your home's decor. Red is traditional, but these plants also come in white, pink, peach, yellow, and peppermint flecked colors. Besides the entry table, use small plants in bathrooms, on shelves, or grouped in the corner with your other green houseplants. Place plants in decorative planters, or cover the pot with holiday fabric, foil, or mylar. Add bows to coordinate the plants with your other decorations.
12/8/99 - The Gift of Tradition
- Everyone loves traditions, whether it is Grandma's cookie recipe, having 'Santa' deliver gifts to little ones, or using a wonderful family treetop decoration. Ask friends what their traditions are, and choose some to add to your holiday celebrations. Sometimes the simplest things are the most cherished, such as opening one gift on Christmas Eve or opening one Advent Calendar window a day. Some of my favorite traditions include putting up the Christmas tree on Thanksgiving weekend, placing electric 'candle' lights in every window, giving specially selected tree ornaments to loved ones (signed and dated in gold ink), cooking a traditional Christmas morning breakfast menu, and making up cookie plates to deliver to friends on Christmas Eve.
12/7/99 - Mailing Gifts
- To wrap gifts for easy mailing use flat decorations (instead of bows that crush easily). Place ribbon over the front of the package and tie it in a knot underneath. Then glue or tape a Christmas card on top, using the picture as the gift's decoration. Old cards from previous years can also be recycled this way by cutting off the sentiment and using the front of the card as a picture 'postcard' to place on gifts. Other ideas include using metallic cording to tie around packages, pasting a child's drawing on the front, gluing on artificial greenery, and taping bands of colored wrapping paper 'ribbon' around the gift.
12/6/99 - Party Ideas with a Twist
- Plan an extra special Christmas party this year. Have a group of children and parents over to bake cookies or gingerbread houses. Ask some friends to join you to decorate wreaths. Call a local charity and ask what they need, then plan a party to provide it - whether it is serving meals, caroling, or decorating a tree. Or find out what items are needed (blankets, toys, canned food), and have a party to assemble these donations as well as celebrate the holidays. Rent a van or limo and take a group on a champagne drive to look at Christmas lights. Get a block of tickets to a holiday concert and return to your house afterwards for a dessert buffet. Or, have a New Year's Brunch to watch parades and football.
12/5/99 - Tree Skirt
- The base of the tree can be a focal point or just a background. Use a beautiful tree skirt or a simple length of fabric draped around the tree stand. You'll need approximately 3-5 yards of fabric for draping (to get an exact measurement for your tree just measure the outside circumference of the area to be covered.) Standard color choices include dark green, red, gold lame or a calico country look, or repeat colors used on tree decorations such a burgundy or blue. Just about any type of fabric may be used, including cotton, satin, velvet, and shimmery sheers (an opaque lining can be placed under see-through fabrics if desired).
12/4/99 - Mix light sizes
- One of the newest trends is to layer light sizes. On a Christmas tree for instance, use some mini white lights, some tiny twinkling lights, as well as some of the medium size bulb white lights. Just be sure to evenly arrange them on your tree so there are some of each type of light everywhere on the tree. Outside, layer 2 colors of icicle lights (white and blue, for example), then top with a strip of larger multicolored bulbs.
12/3/99 - Candle Forest
- To decorate a table simply, but with a big impact, bring together a group of 3 - 9 pillar candles (or candles in candlesticks). Candles of identical color, but in various sizes, can be arranged on a tray, platter, or wooden board (so there won't be any worries of candlewax on the tabletop). Decorate the base of the candle arrangement with fresh greens or mound some artificial snow and/or (shown here) some sparkly glitter (not a good idea with little ones around, however.) A smaller single candle arrangement can decorate bathroom counters or guest rooms.
12/2/99 - Donate to Others
- Find out how to give toys to needy children. Or, donate food to the hungry with only a click of your mouse at The Hunger Site. (This is free to you, with monies being donated by sponsors for every click).
12/1/99 - Make a List and Check It Twice
- Keep a gift list in your planner, both of gifts needed and those you have ready to go. If you're worried about curious family members give each person a code number and mark that clearly in the center bottom of each gift.
11/30/99 - Card Strategy
- Pre-address envelopes with stamps and return address. Then sign (or write) several cards per night. Or, keep a batch of stamped cards at your desk and send one out for each one you receive.
11/29/99 - Cook Ahead
- Make your favorite freezable recipes and fill up your freezer. This is especially good for cookie dough, breads, desserts, and main dishes to reheat after a busy day.
11/28/99 - Decorating 101
- Here are the basics: Hang a fresh wreath on the front door. Set up and decorate a tree. Tie bows on everything. Get out the candles. Light a fire and play Christmas music. Use holiday dishes, and smile!
11/27/99 - Entertaining Twice
- To entertain two different groups more easily, plan two similar parties on consecutive days. Clean once, cook once, polish silver once. One centerpiece, one menu, and even choose your outfit only once. See more about holiday entertaining from About.com's Entertaining Guide.
11/26/99 - Wrapping Center
- Choose your favorite method: either wrap as you go, or do everything at once. Either way, assembling all of the materials ahead of time will make it easier: paper, tissue, ribbon, raffia, tags, tape, scissors, double face tape in a basket near a large work area.
© 1999, Glenna J. Morton - #991201GJM - DecemberTIPS
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