Week 9

October 21st-27th

Is it me, or does it feel like October just arrived?  And yet, here we are headed into our final full week of the month.  I have to admit that I'm saddened by the fact that this time of year is passing as quickly as it is.  We are indeed on a fast moving train headed into the holidays.  Thankfully, because we've chosen to plan ahead, that train isn't moving recklessly into the holidays.  If you've been able to keep up, you should feel like you've got a pretty good handle on your preparations.  You could potentially have six batches of goodies already prepared and in your freezer and six freezer meals ready to pop in the oven at a moment's notice.  You should also have made a noticeable dent in your gift purchasing.  Hopefully this is the case, but if not, that's okay!  Any progress is good progress.  This week we'll give ourselves a chance to catch up.  Let's do this!

Make a batch of holiday goodies- Consider how many goodies you have.  If you're not one to give away a lot of treats, you may be finished with this portion of your planning. Or, if you've decided to give away more than you feel you have, double up this week.

Make a freezer meal-This is one area  I encourage you to continue working on.  Those meals will never go to waste, regardless of how many you have.  Consider the days after Christmas.  Do you really want to make a meal on the 26th, just as you've started recovering from your holiday celebration?  What about New Years Eve?  Or, in the worst case scenario, if you have extra freezer meals through the month of January, will you regret it?  The answer is no.  Since you're already in that mode, keep going.

Buy canned food- If you no longer need any canned items for your holiday menus, consider buying at least one or two cans of food.  Local food drives will be starting any day now in preparation for Thanksgiving.  Pick up a couple next time you're at the grocery store so you're not forced to donate that year old can of garbanzo beans no one in your family (or anyone else's) will eat.

Purchase at least 1 Christmas gift- Naturally, I suggest you take advantage of sales and coupons and get as many as your budget allows.  But, again, one is better than nothing.  If you don't have a chance to go shopping this week, set aside the money you would like to spend on a gift so that in the weeks to come you can catch up without hurting your wallet.

Work on any homemade gifts or crafts- I admit, I have fallen terribly behind on this task.  This week is my week to catch up.  If I can't I'll have to consider scrapping those projects in lieu of a purchased gift and try again next year.  That's okay!

Start addressing your Christmas cards

Send invites for Thanksgiving- Evites work great for this!  It may seem premature, but a lot of people are still finalizing their plans.  Having all the info on hand will make their decision process easier.  Not to mention, an early R.S.V.P for you means you can prepare in advance for your guests.

Buy extra batteries- Be sure to check your gifts. How many parents have been there Christmas morning when your child opens a new gift and wants to play with it only to find that batteries are required and you forgot to get them?  It is a sad, sad place to be.  They don't last as long, but your local dollar store is a great place to stock up.  You can buy your copper-tops later on when you're not spending so much extra money on food and gifts.

Order or purchase your turkey- I'll admit, I've never ordered a turkey.  I'm not even sure how one goes about this.  One day, I'd like to figure that out.  But for now, check your grocery store adds.  Turkeys are beginning to go on sale.  Don't wait until the week before when prices hit rock bottom because so does the selection and you'll end up with a 24lb turkey to feed your family of 6.  Spend an extra $0.10 or $0.20 a pound to get what you want while it's available.