Those Last Minute Things and Merry Christmas!

Santa 2009

Today the kids and I will make some more Marshmallow Christmas Trees as the last task of our Christmas Preparation Plan. The last week has seen me finally complete some Christmas Preparations that I had planned to finish a lot earlier:

  • Christmas Shopping – Actually only finished it on Sunday. I had only a few left to get, but I just couldn’t seem to get to the shops without any children in tow.
  • Christmas Cards – I have this thing where I like to send the cards out in one set. They all went out this week and thanks to the kind words of some friends who emailed to say thanks, that I know they have just hit the letter boxes before Christmas.
  • Wrapping Presents – This was finished Monday. I always seem to underestimate how long this task will take.
  • Visiting Santa – I had not intended to take the kids to see Santa and this was going to plan until the weekend when two of the children explained to me just how much they wanted to see Santa. We visited Santa on Tuesday!
  • Making Christmas Paper Chains – We have made these the last couple of years and I didn’t have it on my to do list for this year. The children however on Wednesday decided that they would make some and I helped set them up with this activity.

So by the end of Wednesday, I was asking myself, how did it end up that with so many tasks being completed so late this year?

I think the key factor in this, was that I underestimated how few big chunks of time that I would get to do these tasks. Our dear baby generally sleeps 1.5 hours twice a day. In those blocks I try to tidy and cook a meal etc,which means that there is not a lot of child free time left over. Then doing some of these tasks with a little one around actually takes so much longer than I remembered.

This was also the first year that I organised the Christmas Craft Stall for my children’s school. It pretty much took over my entire November, in a way that I certainly hadn’t factored into my plan! Not that I mind at all, our beautiful baby is such a delight and I worked with some fantastic women in the craft group and it wasn’t a mad rush in the last week, but I have noted some things that I will do differently next year:

  • Christmas Cards – I have our family card printed up and go for blank inside. Next year I am having a greeting printed. Writing the cards on our continually growing list takes many, many hours, this should help reduce some time spent on these.
  • Santa – Just do it earlier! I think it will be many years before I can escape this, so I should just do it earlier in December, so we don’t have to spend so much time waiting in lines.
  • Wrapping Presents – I have found a fantastic paper stockist and will be purchasing paper for next year in the sales after Christmas. As I buy and make gifts earlier in the year, I am going to have an early wrapping session in November and then another in December to split up the work load.
  • Christmas Shopping – Next year I will have 2.5 hours one morning a week to myself!!! I will make sure that I use this optimally in November, so that I don’t have to head to the shops in the crazy busy time.

These points will definitely be factored into my Christmas Preparation Plan for next year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND THANK YOU!!!

I would like to thank readers of Planning With Kids for all their support, comments and emails throughout 2009. The feedback I receive from blogging is the aspect that gives me the greatest joy about writing the blog. I wish you a peaceful and joyous Christmas. May the New Year bring you good health, happiness and success!

PS. I will be maintaining my usual posting schedule, but won’t be online as much over the next two weeks, so it may take me a little longer to respond 🙂 .