Jump Start

It's August!  Can you believe it?  I'm not a huge fan of summers around here, but I can't help but ask, "where did my summer go?".  In just one week, our kids head back to school and the daily grind begins again for many mothers.  In this last week of school supply shopping and readjusting sleep schedules, Christmas is the last thing on the minds of most people.  But, we are not most people!

The Holiday Grand Plan begins on August 26th and there is much we can do to prepare for it (or any other holiday plan you might choose to follow) in the coming weeks.   Here are a few ideas to help jump start your holiday preparations:

• Take advantage of back to school sales- Stock up now on tape, glue, sticks, & pens for all that wrapping and labeling you will need to do.  Grab a few stacks of sticky notes to label your gifts, since you'll be wrapping them well ahead of time.
• If you haven't created your holiday planner, now is a great time to get a smokin' deal on a three ring binder and printer paper.  Grab them now and I'll tell you what to do with them later! :)
• Stock up on crayons, markers, pencils, and assorted goodies for stocking stuffers.
• Buy disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer while they are on sale.  Be prepared to wipe out germs that make your family sick during the holiday season!
• If you like to give gifts "in a jar", now is the time to purchase your canning jars.  They are readily available and may not be closer to Christmas.
• Find great deals on gifts by taking advantage of sales on socks, underwear, and back to school clothes.
• Summer clearance means great deals on Christmas gifts!  Look for special discounts on outdoor toys and home decor items as stores clear out their inventory in time.
• If you already have a holiday planner from last year, pull it out and glance through it.  Clear out any old catalogs or lists you no longer need.  Reprint your planning pages so that you are ready to roll!  If you are new to this and haven't used a holiday planner before, I'll introduce you to some and help you make the best choice in the next few weeks.