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Hello there. I’m so glad you stopped in.
Great news.
I’ve updated the holiday checklist for 2012.
You can download it right here.
Happy holiday prep!
xo
AmberLee
12 weeks out (week of September 28)
the week in short: Get organized. Get cards ready.
SHOP
Start browsing for cards or buy supplies for handmade cards (including holiday thank you cards).
For card addressing, buy a fun pen or labels.
DO
Make a gift list. Include birthdays and anniversaries through January. Start brainstorming.
Make a holiday budget.
Make a receipt envelope.
Get holiday calendar ready.
Make a rough list of people to send cards to, home and business.
Set out a box for items to donate.
Subscribe to online bargain updates.
Make a very rough draft of holiday menus.
11 weeks out (week of October 5)
the week in short: Buy handmade gift supplies. Make freeze-ahead goodies.
SHOP
Buy supplies for handmade gifts.
MAKE
Make and freeze some cookie dough and appetizers.
Start making cards if handmade.
DO
Begin to organize pictures for custom-made books and other photo gifts.
Put out handmade gift supplies and begin working on them whenever you have a moment.
10 weeks out (week of October 12)
the week in short: Finish up last week’s projects. Unschedule December.
SHOP
Finish buying supplies for handmade gifts.
MAKE
Make and freeze any other types of cookie dough and appetizers you’ll want.
Finish making handmade cards.
DO
Finish organizing pictures.
Look at December schedule and find things that can be done in advance.
CELEBRATE
Have friends over for a hot dish on a cool night.
9 weeks out (week of October 19)
the week in short: Buy packaging and ingredients. Start writing some cards!
SHOP
If you haven’t bought cards, do so.
Buy packaging for baked gifts, neighbor gifts.
Buy nonperishable ingredients for baking.
Buy any nonperishable specialty ingredients for holiday dishes.
MAKE
Make or buy tags for baked gifts and neighbor gifts.
Make any other gift tags.
DO
Write five cards!
Schedule any professional cleaning needed during the holidays.
8 weeks out (week of October 26)
the week in short: Shop for media. Happy Halloween!
SHOP
Start shopping for books, dvds, music.
DO
Write five cards.
CELEBRATE
Happy Halloween!
7 weeks out (week of November 2)
the week in short: Plan events and decorations.
SHOP
Shop for Thanksgiving and Christmas table settings, buy missing pieces.
Shop for any Christmas decorations.
Buy any gift wrap supplies still needed.
Buy tickets for holiday concerts and events.
MAKE
Continue working on handmade gifts as you find time (this includes photo books).
DO
Write 5 cards.
Make a note of missing addresses for cards.
Make a note of missing serverware for holiday meals.
Plan and assign Thanksgiving dishes.
Put away Halloween decorations.
Get into your storage, pull all Christmas decoration boxes to the front.
Plan a holiday photo.
6 weeks out (week of November 9)
the week in short: Buy office gifts, advent calendar, take your holiday photo.
SHOP
Buy gifts for the office.
Buy any specialty candy.
Buy holiday stamps.
Buy any holiday wardrobe pieces for yourself and kids.
MAKE
Make or buy an advent calendar.
DO
Write 5 cards.
Clean out the fridge.
Collect missing addresses for holiday cards.
Take your holiday photo.
5 weeks out (week of November 16)
the week in short: Make handmade gifts. Prepare teacher and hostess gifts. Buy groceries.
SHOP
Buy anything that takes a special trip.
Buy groceries for Thanksgiving, buy nonperishable groceries for Christmas.
MAKE
Make or buy teacher gifts.
Make or buy hostess gifts.
Get serious abut making handmade gifts and photo books.
DO
Write 5 cards.
Collect any pictures from others for custom photo books.
Make a list of people to take goodies to.
Visit GiversLog and share ideas of what you’re getting for kids.
4 weeks out (week of November 23)
the week in short: Happy Thanksgiving! Buy gifts for grown ups and get in the Christmas mood.
SHOP
Buy gifts for grown ups.
DO
After Thanksgiving, begin decorating for Christmas.
Test outdoor Christmas lights before putting them up.
Put together a Christmas playlist.
Mail any gifts abroad.
CELEBRATE
Happy Thanksgiving!
Go shopping for a new Christmas book.
First week of advent Sunday.
3 weeks out (week of November 30)
the week in short: Buy gifts for kids, mail gifts and cards.
SHOP
Buy gifts for kids.
Buy final gifts that need to be mailed.
Buy fresh garland and tree if fresh.
Order the holiday turkey or ham.
MAKE
Finish handmade gifts.
Finish and submit custom photo books.
Make preparations for baked gifts.
DO
Write 5 cards.
Mail Christmas cards that are finished. au revoir!
Finish decorating.
Put on a good Christmas flick and wrap gifts that need to be mailed.
Mail gifts (the last day to mail should be December 10).
Schedule the babysitter.
CELEBRATE
St. Nicholas Day (Dec 6).
Have a tree trimming party.
Join friends for a Christmas devotional.
2 weeks out (week of December 7)
the week in short: Buy gifts for household helpers, bake, clean.
SHOP
Buy gifts for household and neighborhood helpers (babysitter, mail man, etc).
Buy batteries for kids’ gifts.
Order food trays for any holiday parties.
MAKE
Make baked gifts.
Make neighbor gifts.
DO
Write remaining cards.
Mail any final gifts by December 10.
Plan New Years.
Put on a good Christmas flick and wrap gifts that are going to stay.
Clean house! Sort through toys. Don’t forget to add to the donate box.
Plan some Christmas service work.
CELEBRATE
Invite a friend, drive around and see Christmas lights.
Go to the city.
1 week out (week of December 14)
the week in short: Return and donate!
SHOP
Buy fresh ingredients for holiday meals.
DO
Give teacher gifts.
Return any merchandise you don’t need.
Donate items.
Polish silver.
CELEBRATE
Have a friend for cookies.
Enjoy some photos or videos of Christmases past.
Do some Christmas service for someone who could use it.
this is the week! (week of December 21)
the week in short: Enjoy! Merry Christmas.
DO
Prep camera, charge batteries.
Defrost the turkey 3 to 4 days ahead.
Set the holiday table a day or two ahead.
CELEBRATE
Merry Christmas.
For those of you who want to share the list, I’ve worked out two ways for you to do it.
You can add the calendar to your Google calendar.
Or get a button to add to your blog. (Copy the code below, then paste it into your blog as HTML).
Button on the left:
Button on the right:
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
that’s really great!!! thanks to much for sharing!
OH…MY….GOSH! You are are quite the organizing diva. Simply amazing!
I LOVE this! A woman after my own heart. :) Thank you!!
I think I’m in love. This is amazing. Thank you so much for sharing. I’ll definitely be following along as we’ve got a lot going on this year – plus baby’s first christmas. :D
Love it!
best idea ever. am so so happy to have a peek at yours and now one of my very own. would love to take part in the support group. yay for the holidays. yay for organization. yay for taking control before it takes over. xo. thank you for this.
this is absolutely awesome!
thank you for sharing your organizational genius!!!
once again, you don’t cease to amaze me! i’m printing as a i write. i don’t know how well i’ll be able to follow it, but i’ll do my best!
Let’s not forget, girlfriend, you are the one who manages to fit in 12 days of good deeds on top of everything else.
I hope you don’t mind me posting a link to this page on my blog..its just to fun not to share..Thanks for helping this helpless holiday planner!
A wonderful and very helpful list, but it would be great if sending out Hanukkah cards and baking some nice rugelah for our Jewish friends could be mentioned.
Hi Patrick, I totally agree! But since I lacked the personal experience I was afraid I wouldn’t be that helpful. I’ll keep my eyes open for advice from someone who does have that experience.
oh my gosh, this is my dream come true! I once had all my shopping done by Thanksgiving, and it was so great!
love this- mind if I link to it from my blog?
Hi Christina,
I’m flattered. A link would be great! I’m glad you liked it.
whoa, thanks! This is a lovely gift (wink!)
This is amazing!!! I will do my best to follow because I hate that I procrastinate so much until it’s too late during the holidays. It all seems less overwhelming with your wonderful plan!
YOU ARE AMAZING! One day I will be just like you … but, the linda-version. love you and the fam tons!!!!
Oh my how I love this. For being an organized person I always feel so unorganized at Christmas lately, waiting till the last minute.
Maybe your cute list will help me get in gear!
Thanks for sharing!
Hoo-ray! You have geared me up for the holidays! Two things I love combined: the holiday season and lists! Thanks. We’ll be linking on this weekend on our link love post. Hmm…now what to put down on your fabulous list first…
This is wonderful!!! Thank you so much!
Agh! You are ambitious and inspiring! I needed this kick to get going, thanks!
Late to the party, but just printed your list and will start checking things off. Thanks for your organization help.
Finally someone who shares my enthusiasm for being organised 12 weeks in advance (my friends think I’m nuts)… What a great checklist. Thanks for sharing.
Nicole (in Australia)
Thank you so much!! just what i needed!!!
This post just reminded me that Christmas is around the cornor!
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