I start planning every year at around Aug. I map out comings and goings (when are we going where, who is coming to ours etc), how I want the table to look like, budget, what to get to whom, what do I need to do the cards and when will they need to be sent, the timetable to clear out surfaces (meaning, decorations will be packed to storage to make space for Yule decorations), acquiring the non- perishables (flour, spices, beeswax sheets-we make our own candles, syrups, condiments, things to shove in the freezer etc) will be webbed to shopping lists, getting the kitchen ready beforehand (we need space to store the ingredients), doing the lighting planning, where will the tree be set this year- is there need to re-arrange the furniture, checking the library-wall (I have my books in categories and the categories are arranged alphabetically. It´s just nicer to place new books when you know things are in order. Just this week I found nearly a meter of misplaced P´s. How did that happen?) and figuring out the depth of chronical need for new bookshelves, what needs to be baked and prepared beforehand, do I have everything for our wrapping needs. My goal is that by Dec first the decorations are up, gifts will be acquired and wrapped, everything is set. All that is left is enjoying it all and eating chocolate and drinking spicy mulled wine. Several years ago I figured that since this thing comes by every year, I might as well get it all planned well ahead of time and I´ve never gone back. There´s no reason to panic and stress over this all. This time is to be relaxing in warm new socks and a good book while the scent of beeswax lingers, mixed with other spices. Even the preparations can be enjoyable when there´s proper time to do it all. And then when there´s a break from school, we have ample time to bake the largest gingerbread- castle in the world with my son. Because these moments are what children will remember. Doing things together and good, relaxed feeling. I do have a section for planning Yule, and it falls upon "projects". In the projects also is my son´s BD party which will be quite a spectacle. We´ve invited all of his classmates and their parents. Guest count has already exceeded 20 and is approaching closer to thirty. The more the merrier! All it means is more preparations and more baking but this will be a wonderful experience for the whole class in a much more relaxed environment than a school.
Since we suddenly and unexpectedly found out on 2nd November that we'll be moving house (again.....) this coming week, everything Christmas has been put on hold, so this year we are well behind on our planning. However, we've usually got it planned and most stuff that can be, bought in advance, by mid-November. Right now, though, the only things on my horizon are getting our furniture into our new home (we're off to Wales this weekend to retrieve the stuff which is still up there), and trying not to get too far behind work-wise. When we *do* resurface in two weeks' time, it's good to know that I have a tried and tested system (my FF) for making sure everything gets attended to.
Thanks Alison! I really can't believe we're doing this again!
However, when we're sat at our dinner table on Christmas Day (currently it's in Wales), with the remainder of our three piece suite reunited with the rest (ditto), I think on reflection we'll think it has been worth it - right now, it's chaos all the way!
It means more space for the furniture which has been stranded up in Wales. I really don't want to start proliferating Filofaxes - or anything - again! The strategy of trying to live as simply as possible remains :)
All the best with the house move David. As you say, more space doesn't necessarily mean you have to fill it! Have a fabulous Christmas on your re-united dining table.
I have my lists from last year to use as my guide, but need to start actually doing stuff - like working out what presents to buy, writing out cards, etc.
I have to say I hate Christmas with a passion, and always have done, so for me there's nothing worse than HAVING to shop last minute. So, we have our Christmas present buy lists formulated by September and everything bought by the beginning of November! All thats left for December is to buy a few selection boxes. Oh and we go out for a curry for Christmas lunch!
where I am now it is 819 in the morning and I am currently waiting for the movers to arrive.I can't tell you how much I dread movIng. I am very fortunate that I have a wonderful house in which to move. the only thing of importance that I'm actually caring with me all day is my filofax.
where I am now it is 819 in the morning and I am currently waiting for the movers to arrive.I can't tell you how much I dread movIng. I am very fortunate that I have a wonderful house in which to move. the only thing of importance that I'm actually caring with me all day is my filofax.
Mine is in my bag ready to make the trip to Wales this evening, to retrieve the furniture we have there. I have lists, contact numbers, the works. My wife thinks I'm mad (or slightly 1980s) for carrying it everywhere....but then she also knows we won't be caught out......:)
Good luck with your own move.....are you moving far? This is just 20 miles up the road but it might as well be another planet for all the effort involved!
Good luck with move as well, Patricia! I didn't own a Filofax when I last moved house (weird to think that now), but if I did now my Malden would be the hub of organising it all & I wouldn't let it out of my sight on the day :)
I like Christmas and the holiday season. I didn't come from a family that celebrated it so when we began incorporating the traditions, it was easy and low stress. It is hectic seeing so many in the malls though.
Question: Does anyone own a Filofax folder? I'm looking at buying a zipped one. Maybe for work. It is also a good accessory to carry around. Do people who have them find them useful in conjunction to their FF? What notepads do you use for the A4? I'd probably stick a Rhodia in there. Thanks!
Our Christmas planning tends to start on the 1st December. I admit that I hate that everything gets into the shops so early, so waiting until December makes it feel more Christmassy. I can sometimes feel a bit overwhelmed by the festive season, so my present list gets drawn up, along with another list to think about where we will be Christmas day, food to buy etc.
I need someone's help. I have tried to create my own Filofax inserts for myself as a property manager. I basically need appointments with a notes/to do section. I like the vertical ones, Ideally I like the appointments 1 week over 2 days but there is no notes/todo section. I tried to create my own, I failed miserably! Mail Merge isn't for me! anyway ....... I seen your one "•Week on two pages Vertical" This one would work, although I don't want to do my own printing. Where can I buy this and have it sent me already printed? I have hunted the internet and cant find anything like this already printed? please help, my diary is a mess at the moment! Thanks Jenna (UK)
Good luck to anyone having to move house at *any* time - one of the most stressful events in life, and one I've been lucky to avoid for the last 20 years...
As far as Christmas planning is concerned, I've got as far as writing a single to-do: "Brainstorm Christmas plan" in my filofax. But I haven't done anything yet - don't really know what degree or form of Christmas celebration will happen this year. For a couple of decades my partner L and I were always host to L's parents over the Christmas break (my own parents having passed on many years ago); both L's parents having now passed on, this will be our second Christmas without them. Last year was very... quiet. No decorations, some cards on the mantelpiece, some small gifts to each other and lunch on 25th. I suspect this year will be similar!
Like Anita, I *hate* the hype and hoopla about the whole thing which seems to start earlier every year (my local supermarket started putting up Christmas stuff to replace the Halloween stuff on 1st November!) and generally, by the time the Big Day actually arrives I'm heartily sick of the endless artificiality of it. Give me a quiet Christmas at home with my partner and the dogs, a few inches of snow on the ground and no pressure of expectation, and I'm a happy man.
I start a Christmas project in my project book. I always keep a list of the gifts I give each year, so I won't give duplicates! I wish I could be like Weird Rock Star, but even with multiple Filofaxes, I can't be that organized!
I got a bit ahead of the game this year. Although I cheated in a way by buying on line and getting things shipped to the final address rather than to here and then posting things. And everything has arrived so now my main task it to start drafting out Christmas Newsletter.
This is where my journalling skills come in to play because I use my journal and my Filofax to pick out events from the last 12 months and add them in to a Word document to then fill in the details. Alison and I have been doing our Christmas newsletters for over 25 years now! I know some people find them boring, but we enjoy putting them together.
I start planning every year at around Aug. I map out comings and goings (when are we going where, who is coming to ours etc), how I want the table to look like, budget, what to get to whom, what do I need to do the cards and when will they need to be sent, the timetable to clear out surfaces (meaning, decorations will be packed to storage to make space for Yule decorations), acquiring the non- perishables (flour, spices, beeswax sheets-we make our own candles, syrups, condiments, things to shove in the freezer etc) will be webbed to shopping lists, getting the kitchen ready beforehand (we need space to store the ingredients), doing the lighting planning, where will the tree be set this year- is there need to re-arrange the furniture, checking the library-wall (I have my books in categories and the categories are arranged alphabetically. It´s just nicer to place new books when you know things are in order. Just this week I found nearly a meter of misplaced P´s. How did that happen?) and figuring out the depth of chronical need for new bookshelves, what needs to be baked and prepared beforehand, do I have everything for our wrapping needs.
ReplyDeleteMy goal is that by Dec first the decorations are up, gifts will be acquired and wrapped, everything is set. All that is left is enjoying it all and eating chocolate and drinking spicy mulled wine. Several years ago I figured that since this thing comes by every year, I might as well get it all planned well ahead of time and I´ve never gone back. There´s no reason to panic and stress over this all. This time is to be relaxing in warm new socks and a good book while the scent of beeswax lingers, mixed with other spices. Even the preparations can be enjoyable when there´s proper time to do it all. And then when there´s a break from school, we have ample time to bake the largest gingerbread- castle in the world with my son. Because these moments are what children will remember. Doing things together and good, relaxed feeling.
I do have a section for planning Yule, and it falls upon "projects". In the projects also is my son´s BD party which will be quite a spectacle. We´ve invited all of his classmates and their parents. Guest count has already exceeded 20 and is approaching closer to thirty. The more the merrier! All it means is more preparations and more baking but this will be a wonderful experience for the whole class in a much more relaxed environment than a school.
Since we suddenly and unexpectedly found out on 2nd November that we'll be moving house (again.....) this coming week, everything Christmas has been put on hold, so this year we are well behind on our planning. However, we've usually got it planned and most stuff that can be, bought in advance, by mid-November. Right now, though, the only things on my horizon are getting our furniture into our new home (we're off to Wales this weekend to retrieve the stuff which is still up there), and trying not to get too far behind work-wise. When we *do* resurface in two weeks' time, it's good to know that I have a tried and tested system (my FF) for making sure everything gets attended to.
ReplyDeleteDavid, may the Force move house with you!
DeleteThanks Alison! I really can't believe we're doing this again!
DeleteHowever, when we're sat at our dinner table on Christmas Day (currently it's in Wales), with the remainder of our three piece suite reunited with the rest (ditto), I think on reflection we'll think it has been worth it - right now, it's chaos all the way!
Best of luck :o)
DeleteSo does this mean more space for Filofaxes, David?
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteAlison -
DeleteAAAAARRRRRRRRGHHHHHHH!
It means more space for the furniture which has been stranded up in Wales. I really don't want to start proliferating Filofaxes - or anything - again! The strategy of trying to live as simply as possible remains :)
All the best with the house move David. As you say, more space doesn't necessarily mean you have to fill it! Have a fabulous Christmas on your re-united dining table.
DeleteYes, good luck with the house move, David!
DeleteI have my lists from last year to use as my guide, but need to start actually doing stuff - like working out what presents to buy, writing out cards, etc.
ReplyDeleteI have to say I hate Christmas with a passion, and always have done, so for me there's nothing worse than HAVING to shop last minute. So, we have our Christmas present buy lists formulated by September and everything bought by the beginning of November! All thats left for December is to buy a few selection boxes. Oh and we go out for a curry for Christmas lunch!
ReplyDeleteMe too. My birthday on Dec 22nd gets drowned out completely. I eat ham and eggs for Christmas lunch.
Deletewhere I am now it is 819 in the morning and I am currently waiting for the movers to arrive.I can't tell you how much I dread movIng. I am very fortunate that I have a wonderful house in which to move. the only thing of importance that I'm actually caring with me all day is my filofax.
ReplyDeletewhere I am now it is 819 in the morning and I am currently waiting for the movers to arrive.I can't tell you how much I dread movIng. I am very fortunate that I have a wonderful house in which to move. the only thing of importance that I'm actually caring with me all day is my filofax.
ReplyDeleteMine is in my bag ready to make the trip to Wales this evening, to retrieve the furniture we have there. I have lists, contact numbers, the works. My wife thinks I'm mad (or slightly 1980s) for carrying it everywhere....but then she also knows we won't be caught out......:)
DeleteI understand totally!
DeleteGood luck with your own move.....are you moving far? This is just 20 miles up the road but it might as well be another planet for all the effort involved!
DeleteGood luck with move as well, Patricia!
DeleteI didn't own a Filofax when I last moved house (weird to think that now), but if I did now my Malden would be the hub of organising it all & I wouldn't let it out of my sight on the day :)
I like Christmas and the holiday season. I didn't come from a family that celebrated it so when we began incorporating the traditions, it was easy and low stress. It is hectic seeing so many in the malls though.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Does anyone own a Filofax folder? I'm looking at buying a zipped one. Maybe for work. It is also a good accessory to carry around. Do people who have them find them useful in conjunction to their FF? What notepads do you use for the A4? I'd probably stick a Rhodia in there. Thanks!
Our Christmas planning tends to start on the 1st December.
ReplyDeleteI admit that I hate that everything gets into the shops so early, so waiting until December makes it feel more Christmassy. I can sometimes feel a bit overwhelmed by the festive season, so my present list gets drawn up, along with another list to think about where we will be Christmas day, food to buy etc.
I need someone's help. I have tried to create my own Filofax inserts for myself as a property manager. I basically need appointments with a notes/to do section. I like the vertical ones, Ideally I like the appointments 1 week over 2 days but there is no notes/todo section. I tried to create my own, I failed miserably! Mail Merge isn't for me! anyway ....... I seen your one "•Week on two pages Vertical" This one would work, although I don't want to do my own printing. Where can I buy this and have it sent me already printed? I have hunted the internet and cant find anything like this already printed? please help, my diary is a mess at the moment! Thanks Jenna (UK)
ReplyDeleteGood luck to anyone having to move house at *any* time - one of the most stressful events in life, and one I've been lucky to avoid for the last 20 years...
ReplyDeleteAs far as Christmas planning is concerned, I've got as far as writing a single to-do: "Brainstorm Christmas plan" in my filofax. But I haven't done anything yet - don't really know what degree or form of Christmas celebration will happen this year. For a couple of decades my partner L and I were always host to L's parents over the Christmas break (my own parents having passed on many years ago); both L's parents having now passed on, this will be our second Christmas without them. Last year was very... quiet. No decorations, some cards on the mantelpiece, some small gifts to each other and lunch on 25th. I suspect this year will be similar!
Like Anita, I *hate* the hype and hoopla about the whole thing which seems to start earlier every year (my local supermarket started putting up Christmas stuff to replace the Halloween stuff on 1st November!) and generally, by the time the Big Day actually arrives I'm heartily sick of the endless artificiality of it. Give me a quiet Christmas at home with my partner and the dogs, a few inches of snow on the ground and no pressure of expectation, and I'm a happy man.
I start a Christmas project in my project book. I always keep a list of the gifts I give each year, so I won't give duplicates! I wish I could be like Weird Rock Star, but even with multiple Filofaxes, I can't be that organized!
ReplyDeleteI got a bit ahead of the game this year. Although I cheated in a way by buying on line and getting things shipped to the final address rather than to here and then posting things. And everything has arrived so now my main task it to start drafting out Christmas Newsletter.
ReplyDeleteThis is where my journalling skills come in to play because I use my journal and my Filofax to pick out events from the last 12 months and add them in to a Word document to then fill in the details. Alison and I have been doing our Christmas newsletters for over 25 years now! I know some people find them boring, but we enjoy putting them together.
Steve
Recyling the information from last years christmas planner - is working well for me so far.
ReplyDeleteSteve - While my family never do Christmas Newsletters - I do enjoy reading the newsletters of other friends and family.