Christmas 2005 Season

Today is the day I put the rest of the decorations away.  I have most of the trees down, with the exception of the Nativity (memory) tree that is in the dining room because I still need to take some more pictures of it.

I will have the children help me bring down the boxes from the attic and begin unpacking the non-Christmas items and replacing it in the boxes with the Christmas items. 

This process hopefully will only take about an hour or two.

Then I will go and take down the outside lights and greenery.  It will be in the upper 50's here today.

Back to work for me . .. 

Krisann
The Christmas Coach 

Well as you might know from earlier blog entries I am traveling this season.  I will be gone for about 12 nights total and of that 9 nights will be in a hotel room.  I knew I would feel lost without a tree so we are traveling with our very own!  I took one of our smaller trees (2 feet) along with lights and non-breakable ornaments.  As we drive I sit it in the seat beside me - up so other travelers can see it also and then take it into the hotel room when we arrive.  It has really proved to be a great take-a-long.

I saw a similar idea at Hallmark - but it was a tree in a tube that could be mailed to someone.  I thought this was really a cute idea but at $30 plus postage -- it was out of my price range!  But this might be a great thing to buy items for after christmas for next year!

Krisann
The Christmas Coach

Well for the first time in over 14 years I am at my grandmother's for Christmas Eve.  As a little girl my mother brought me to my grandmother's house every Christmas eve.  Then we went home to celebrate Christmas day at our home then I would fly out to see my father the day after Christmas (sometimes on Christmas night).  So traveling at Christmas is something I am used to.  This is the biggest side of my family that I purchase gifts for.  Here is who I am giving to:

Grandmother

     Breadmaker (joint gift with my aunt)
     Washclothes
     Kitchen Spoons
     Yeast and flour to go with breadmaker
     Stocking filled with items
     A framed picture of her as a teenager
     Hand towels with embrodiery

Aunt D.
      Frog items (2 gifts)
Aunt E.
      Tupperware items (2 gifts)
Uncle J.
      Aftershave
      Belt
Uncle R.
      Stocking (8 gifts inside)
Uncle G.
     Set of travel mugs you can plug into car to keep warm
Cousin J.
     Belt
Cousin M.
     Belt
Cousin B.
      Belt
Cousin P.
      Belt
Cousin M.
      (need to find something - last gift to buy)
Cousin J.
     Belt
Cousin D.D.
      Totebag with bath stuff
Cousin M. fiance'
      Totebag with bath stuff
Cousin M (girl - 12)
      Totebag with tween stuff
       Game
Counsin P. child (boy 2 years)
      Little People toy
      Scarf with his name
      Blues Clue feeding bowl
Cousin P child (girl 8 months)     
      3 Outfits
      Rattle
Cousin P wife or girlfriend (do not know which will show up - long story - there is always some weird thing at Christmas)
      Make-up set
Great Aunt and Uncle
      Blenko glass with candies


I think that is it!  That is 42 gifts for this one place!   I may have missed something - will let you know later if I did.  I will also report back and let everyone know how much I spent on all of this.  If you have a guess - leave a comment with the amount you think I spent - I will be honest and I will send the person closest to the correct amount a Christmas Organizing packet!

Oh and I already know what I am giving everyone next year - Scarves with embordiery on them!  Read about that in the another post - under the Christmas 2006 section of my blog later on.
     
    

Well I am now on a quest to find more informaiton.  This year because of the home tour for the first time my house was accented all around with fresh greenery.  I love the look BUT it dies too quickly.  The fresh items are all free items out of my yard - including magnolia branches - so changing them out weekly is not a matter of money but of time and hassle.  Today I am going through the house and pulling down all the fresh greenery. 

My goal is to find information on how to prolong the life of fresh greenery so it will last longer next year.

I loved the look and smell of the fresh items and I am thinking that I will try to find artificial greenery and add the real into it so the main base is artificial accented with live items instead of it all being live.

Off to gather information . ..

Krisann
the Christmas Coach