Christmas Party: Ornament Exchange

December 4, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

When I was a teenager, I got invited to my first Christmas ornament exchange. My Sunday School teacher was very creative and wanted a special party for our class.

All dressed up, my friend and I went together with our new ornaments purchased and wrapped. Feeling all grown up, I remember unwrapping the red and green striped paper to reveal a shiny gold sleigh ride ornament.

Though I did not have a Christmas tree in my room, we had a family tree where I proudly displayed my new ornament. Today, that ornament is no longer bright and shiny, but I still proudly hang in on my tree year after year.

My Favorite Ornament Exchange

Since my first ornament exchange, I have attended a number of parties that included an ornament exchange.

My favorite exchange occurred with my roommates in college. After purchasing and wrapping ornaments for each other, we met for the campus lighting ceremony complete with singing Christmas carols. Then we headed out to dinner and exchanged our ornaments over dessert.

We took turns giving our ornaments to each other. When we got back to our dorm room, we decorated our Christmas tree with our new ornaments. This ornament exchange holds a special place in my heart as the experience brings back fond memories with special friends.

Options for Your Ornament Exchange

As you plan your holiday festivities, an ornament exchange offers an opportunity for making special memories. You can allow one participate to gift her ornament. Then the one gifted, chooses another participant to give her wrapped gift until all have a new ornament.

Another option is to turn the ornament exchange into a game where all the ornaments are put together. Then numbers are drawn. When it is your turn, you may either choose from the group or “steal” from one that already opened an ornament you want.

In using time wisely this holiday season, an ornament exchange requires little planning with lots of fun, laughs, and memories. If you need (or want) a reason to party, consider an ornament exchange or a cookie exchange. Both include seasonal items to make the gathering fun for adults, teenagers, and children. Enjoy this Christmas season with those you love. Happy planning!

Question: What gatherings are you planning this holiday season?

My 25 Days ’til Christmas

November 27, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

I don’t know about you, but each year I have such good intentions of doing so many fun things for Christmas that never end up happening.

My problem is that I think of fun things, but I don’t make a plan. Well, this year is going to be different. I may not get everything accomplished, but I will have a plan. 😉

Since most of our Christmas traditions begin on December 1, I will highlight one item per day for my 25 Days ’til Christmas.

My 25 Days ’til Christmas

1 – Take a Christmas museum tour.

2 – Decorate our home for Christmas.

3 – Read the Christmas story.

4 – Start making gifts for my children’s classmates and teachers.

5 – Begin wrapping gifts.

6 – Place remaining on-line orders for gifts.

7 – Watch a Christmas movie.

8 – Assist with Sunday School Christmas Party.

9 – Prepare packages for mailing.

10 – Continue working on gifts for teachers and classmates.

11 – Mail all Christmas presents to friends and relatives.

12 – Bake Christmas cookies for school friends.

13 – Package gifts for my children’s classes.

14 – Deliver packages to school.

15 – Wrap more presents.

16 – Drive through town looking at Christmas lights with our Wendy’s Jr. Frosty desserts.

17 – Finish shopping for stocking stuffers.

18 – Wrap stocking stuffers.

19 – Bake Christmas cookies.

20 – Bake Christmas goodies.

21 – Wrap Christmas goodies for delivery.

22 – Deliver Christmas goodies to neighbors.

23 – Attend Bethlehem Revisited – a reenactment of Bethlehem at the time of Christ’s birth.

24 – Distribute the “Reindeer food” in our front yard.

25 – Read the Christmas story and celebrate the birth of Jesus, my Savior.

With a list of only one item per day, I am excited at crossing these items off my Christmas list. As some of these items occur multiple times, our family can adjust this list as needed. Now, I shouldn’t forget to mail the packages or send the goodies to school. 😉

As you prepare for the holiday season, consider writing down your Christmas list. With one item per day, you can accomplish your list leading to 25 Days ‘til Christmas. Happy planning and deciding!

Question: What’s on your 25 Days ‘til Christmas list?

Preparing: Thanksgiving Week Schedule

November 13, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

In preparing for Turkey Day, I am thrilled to have minimal responsibilities this year. My mother-in-law has invited our family over for dinner, so I will not prepare a huge meal.

Without the family responsibility of the Thanksgiving Feast, I will make the sweet potato casserole and bake the pies for our family celebration. Yum!

As our family is so grateful for the blessings of which we do not deserve, we are joining with our Sunday school class to supply a meal to a charitable organization.

Our class has adopted this ministry and will provide a Thanksgiving meal for the moms and kids less fortunate than ourselves.

In addition to providing sweet potato casserole, our family has the added privilege of delivering the meal to them which I hope is the highlight of our Thanksgiving season.

For those of you serving your family’s Thanksgiving Feast, planning and starting ahead alleviates the time constraints on Thursday morning. Last year, I posted my Tuesday and Wednesday preparations and then my detailed Thursday schedule.

This year, my Thanksgiving Week is different from last year as our situation has changed. My tentative plan for the week is as follows:

Thanksgiving Week Schedule

Monday – organize my coupons and general cleanup

Tuesday – pay bills and start cleaning

Wednesday – prepare sweet potatoes and bake pies

Thursday – bake sweet potatoes and Thanksgiving Feast

Friday – game night with friends

In using time wisely to prepare for your Thanksgiving week, plan a schedule, execute, and count your blessings. Enjoy the time with your family and friends as you bless others during this Grateful season. Happy planning!

Question: What are you planning for Turkey Day?

Our Halloween Bash – Part 3 of 3

November 6, 2012 by Tracy

Everything is set for our Halloween Bash with the menu planned, invitations distributed, and the itinerary created.

After making the meal, decorating our house, and gathering the supplies, we were ready for our guests to arrive.

Part 3: Executing the evening of the Halloween Bash

With the itinerary in hand, the party began.

Greet each guest and allow the children to play in the living room

While the children played, the adults put the final touches on dinner and served the children’s plates.

Serve dinner: lasagna, salad, and bread

With Paul’s help, we had three tables:

Adults
Older children
Younger children

Create crafts with the children

I purchased four different types of craft kits from the Target $1 section. Each child got to choose the craft of their choice. I had enough crafts for each child to do one, and each received their first choice. Glad it worked out. 😉

At the conclusion of the craft, each child was given an empty goody bag and allowed to choose prizes from the two containers.

Choose teams and play Bounce the Ball into the Pumpkin.

This game is one of the favorites. The children got so excited getting those ping pong balls into their pumpkin.

The real fun is choosing their prizes and playing with the Halloween-themed toys.

Play Mummy Wrap.

The children had so much fun playing Bounce the Ball and no one wanted to do the Mummy Wrap, so we skipped this game.

Serve Dessert

One of our guests offered to bring dessert, and her chocolate trifle was delightful!

Play Pin the Nose on the Pumpkin.

Following dessert, I assisted the children playing Pin the Nose on the Pumpkin. Almost all of them got it in the right spot. Pretty impressive if the blindfold worked! 😉

Each child then received more prizes for participating. Once finished playing with them, they added their prizes to their goody bag.

Play with toys and prizes from the games

Giving the children free time to play with each other, they chose different items. Some of them played the games again while others enjoyed the toys and prizes.

In executing the itinerary, I followed the plan making slight adjustments throughout the process. Seeing what the children enjoyed transitioned into a smooth running, enjoyable Halloween Bash.

As you carry out your itinerary, make adjustments as needed. Knowing where you are going in your plan gives you freedom to tweak and rearrange the order resulting in a fun event for all. Happy planning!

Question: During execution, do you adjust your itinerary?

Our Halloween Bash – Part 2 of 3

October 30, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

With the arrival of Halloween week, I need to finalize the plans for our Halloween Bash.

Last week, I began this short series with preparing 2 weeks prior to the party with the menu and invitations.

During party week, I focus on the itinerary for our Halloween Bash.

Part 2: Finalizing the week of the Halloween Bash

The week of the party is when I work on all the details of the meal, games, and prizes. The goal is in sight as we prepare our house for our celebratory Halloween Bash.

Our Halloween Bash Itinerary

Greet each guest and allow the children to play in the living room

Serve dinner: lasagna, salad, and bread

Create crafts with the children

Choose teams and play Bounce the Ball into the Pumpkin – Set a plastic pumpkin in the middle. Give each team the same number of ping pong balls. By bouncing or tossing the balls, the teams race to see who can get all their balls in before the other team.

Play Mummy Wrap – Using toilet paper and a person, each team races to see who can wrap their person using the entire roll of toilet paper the quickest.

Serve Dessert

Play Pin the Nose on the Pumpkin – the Classic Pin the Tail on the Donkey Halloween-style.

Play with toys and prizes from the games

With the itinerary set, the details fall into place. My home is decorated, prizes purchased, grocery shopping done, and the game pieces gathered.

By this step in the process, I am ready to execute the itinerary on the evening of our Halloween Bash. In using time wisely, I just need to follow the plan. Happy planning!

Question: How do you set your itinerary?

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