Marissa Henley

Encouraging weary women to hope in Christ alone

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas . . .

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Ok, not really.  I think it was almost 90 degrees today.  But in my head, it’s beginning to look like Christmas.  And at Hobby Lobby, which I used to find annoying.  But not since I discovered the greatest idea since Kid Cuisine frozen meals . . . finishing Christmas preparations by December 1!

Last year I tried my new December 1 strategy for the first time, and it was such a blessing to me and my family.  I was so much less stressed and able to enjoy celebrating the birth of my Savior.  So I’m planning to do it again and would like to invite you, dear reader, to join me.

Here’s my plan:

By October 1:  I’m going to request Christmas wish lists from family members.  They might shoot me.  But I’ll play nice and supply our family wish lists at the time I make the request.

Mid-October:  I’ll start Christmas shopping, relying heavily on Amazon.com and any other online merchant who would like to supply me with a free-shipping coupon code.  (No lines, no gasoline, and no time spent during precious mother’s day out hours!)  While shopping, I’ll pick up any clothing items needed to take the Most Adorable Christmas Card Photo Ever.

Late-October:  I’ll take the Most Adorable Christmas Card Photo Ever.  Given past experiences, this will take me approximately 4 days.  When not yelling, “Smile!  Look like you love each other!” I’ll bake some things and stick them in the freezer for holiday parties in December.

Early November:  I’ll order Christmas cards and envelopes, write the Christmas letter, buy stamps, and check the accuracy of the Christmas card mailing list.  I also hope to be close to finished with shopping and will start wrapping gifts.

Mid-November:  Wrapping will be in full swing, shopping should be finished.

Late November:  Address and stuff Christmas cards, finish wrapping, decorate the house.  Eat some turkey and watch some football.

The Monday after Thanksgiving, I will mail our Christmas cards and annoy all my friends who haven’t even started thinking about such things.  I will feel slightly guilty about that, but I will try to remember that I’m not doing this for my pride, I’m doing this so I can enjoy the Advent season with my family.

December:  As I learned last year, December will still be busy.  There will be school parties, work parties, crafts, baking, cleaning . . . but most of all, I hope Christ will be exalted and worshipped in my home!

That’s my plan.  Who’s with me?  You can come to my blog and click on the “Christmas by Dec. 1” tab at the top if you’d like to ignore all my posts about Radical and prayer binders and just focus on getting ready for Christmas.  I’d love to have you on this adventure with me!

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Christmas By December 1

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I tried something new this year.  Several weeks before my friend Karen wrote this post about simplifying Christmas, she wrote about how she and several friends encouraged each other to finish their Christmas shopping, wrapping and cards by December 1.  When I read that, I knew immediately that it would be a great idea for me.  Since having kids (maybe before, but I can’t remember life before kids), I find myself stressed out every December.  By Christmas day, I am exhausted and overwhelmed, I haven’t cracked a Bible open in weeks, and I know I’ve been too consumed by all the work to spend time talking to my children about Christ’s birth.  Not exactly how I should be preparing my heart or my family to celebrate the birth of our Savior!

This December, I was going to visit my sister and newborn nephew for 5 days right before Christmas, so I had already gotten an early start.  When I read Karen’s December 1 goal, I kicked it into high gear and got it done.  Here’s my timeline:

  • Early October:  Asked for wish lists from family members
  • Mid-October:  Started shopping (was almost entirely done by mid-November), using Amazon.com and other sites with free shipping to save time
  • Late October:  Bought outfits for kids’ Christmas picture
  • Early November:  Took Christmas card picture, updated Christmas card address list
  • Mid-November:  Started wrapping gifts; wrote Christmas letter, got cards printed, got return address labels, stamps, etc.
  • Thanksgiving week:  Addressed Christmas cards, finished wrapping gifts
  • Weekend after Thanksgiving:  Decorated house, cards were ready to mail
  • December:  Talked about Advent with the kids, Christmas crafts with kids, baking, holiday gatherings, school parties, cleaning, travelled to Utah

As you can see, December was still pretty full.  It was a little more chaotic than I thought it would be, due in part to my pre-Christmas travels.  But I knew it would have been so much worse if my shopping, wrapping and cards hadn’t been done!

Next year, I’d like to do some baking in October and put things in the freezer.  This year, I found myself constantly running to the store because I had to bake something for one of several holiday gatherings.  My friend Lynette made multiple batches of cinnamon rolls, froze them, and pulled a pan out for each gathering.  Genius!  I’m not a good freezer girl, so I’m going to experiment between now and October and find some things that freeze well and can serve as my signature item next December.

If you found yourself overwhelmed and exhausted this Christmas, consider joining me for the December 1 Challenge 2010!  Make a timeline now so you are ready in October or September or whenever you need to start to give yourself time to enjoy Advent and prepare your heart to celebrate Christ’s birth.  I want that to be my purpose:  not to impress others with my organizational skills or be the first Christmas card you receive, but to make time for me and my family to mediate on the incarnation, the Word made flesh, God coming to earth to save His people from their sins.

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