(12/16/09 NOTE: This is such a good “to do” list for me, I’m going to modify it as I complete these tasks.)
That’s how close Christmas is — I can already hear Santa’s sleigh off in the distance, like the ticking of a clock, reminding me of all the things I need to do in the next week.
BAKING: I am not a prolific baker like my friend Pam who is making 13 kinds of cookies this year (and she doesn’t do easy cop-out cookies either!). I’m making my favorites: Swirled Mint Cookies, a peppermint pressed sugar cookie, Capuccino Flats (coffee/cinnamon/chocolate cookie), and neighbor Marilyn’s Taffy Cookies, a brown-sugar shortbread cookie with Hersey bar piece melted on top. The sugar cookies are done; two more batches to go. Mmmmmm.
SHOPPING: (almost) done. Now, in the spirit of truthfulness and full disclosure, our family is small, plus we draw names for each other, (plus I do smaller “mom” gifts for the “kids”). I have DH left to buy for (Jim, are you reading this? Reminder to leave a Sears ad out with some things circled).
CHRISTMAS LETTER: Done & Mailed. I have done a Christmas letter every year for probably 36 years until last year. It seemed like it was too depressing, since we were in the middle of some medical testing and didn’t know the outcome yet. Why make people worry? Skipped last year. All the medical stuff came out quite well, so I needed to do a letter for this year. I spent a couple of hours at the computer trying to do some kind of letter, and I felt like I was writing the same letter I had written 35 or 36 times before. So stale and boring. Here are most of our letters since 1996, including one written in verse; it’s a fun way to look back at what’s been happening in our lives since then:
So I searched on line for Christmas letter tips. Just the spark I needed. So my Christmas letter is now a newsletter (which I’ve done before), but I added a quiz. There were several other ideas on this web site for ways to make your Christmas letter more interesting, and I was able to keep to my cardinal rule: no more than one page. Once I had some fresh ideas, the letter practically wrote itself. Now I need to print the labels for the envelopes (yes, I know handwritten is more personal), and get those puppies in the mail! I like my letters to reach their destinations shortly before Christmas, so I am actually on track.
TREE & DECORATIONS: Done. Artificial permanent tree has been up and lit for two weeks, with nary an ornament to be found or my sweet angel on top. Yesterday I added ornaments, but only about half of them. I only hung the crystal and glass ornaments, the silk poinsettias, and the icicles. I’ll see if this tree grows on me this year. It looks a little sparce without all the kids’ ornaments on it.
Put up my snowman wall quilt, have to find a home for my little Christmas tree wall quilt, got out the silk poinsettias, put out my very favorite table runner, along with some other miscellaneous trims.
QUILTING: Have one gift quilt left to finish. (two days’ work)
FUN & PARTIES & FUN & FUN: A brunch, an afternoon “dinner”, a tea luncheon, Wednesday quilt group with cookies & snacks – get out my elastic-waisted pants and I’m ready! And we will try to get a date to work out for our card-playing group as it’s our turn to host (after Christmas).
CLEANING: Hah!
MAILING: Done! Package to DS in Virginia, and get the cards with letters in the mail (tomorrow).
CHRISTMAS DINNER: We always have the same thing — shrimp de jongh with rice, bread, and salad. Easy and special.
Okay, I know I’m forgetting something. Oh….
WRAPPING: Not done.
And let me share three wonderful gifts I got from three wonderful friends (we celebrate early — and often), in case there’s a gift idea that works out for you: an Oregon Scientific atomic alarm clock with the projector for the ceiling, a pressure cooker cookbook – Miss Vickie’s, and a purse (I was able to pick out the purse because I returned a gift that was a duplicate).
So, what are you doing reading my blog??? Don’t you have holiday prep to do? I know, some people are much more together than I am, but I feel like (finally) things are almost under control at our house.
How are you doing — can you hear the jingle of the sleigh???
–Sue
It looks to be about 16 pieces of pie, both blueberry and cherry! These are the cutest pincushions you’d ever want to see. She weighted them nicely, and they have sugar sprinkles (beads) across the top. And as with everything Mary makes, the workmanship is impeccable. And I particularly love that she signed and dated them on the bottom. What a treasure! Thank you, Mary!
