Countdown Week Three

It's week three of the countdown. This week has been all about gifts and giving. I had a long list of people who I wanted to give a gift to so I started way back in January. I'm proud to say that I have about 85 percent of my gifts made or bought. Gifts I have left to get are those that contain treats (food) like the movie baskets, pizza kits, an Italian basket and a wine & cheese basket. I haven't wrapped any gifts yet. I planned a whole day to do that in early December. And when it's time to wrap gifts, my mailing and wrap station is set up and ready. Over the weekend I spent some time sorting through the gifts I've bought/made thus far. I sorted according to families. Each family will have different but coordinated wrapping paper from the other family. It makes knowing whose is whose a lot easier for me. I always group each families' gifts together but by the time everyone arrives and places there gifts under the tree, the groups get mixed all up and I'm on my hands and knees reading the names on cards.

Tuesday one of my childhood friends and I went to Walmart and I was able to knock a few more things off my master shopping list. I bought more gold ornaments for the main tree, found some cute Christmas paper bags for 25 cents each...the perfect size for the acrylic post-it note holders, a 3 ft. tree to go on the balcony (though I think I want a larger tree out there instead). Plus I decided since the tree for the balcony was going to have multi color lights, I would also hang multi icicle lights from the roof-line so I bought two boxes. I found a pretty ceramic poinsettia soap pump to go with the poinsettia theme in the bathroom and a set of red charger plates for the dining table. One of my best friends who was with me really liked the silver charger plates but was short on funds (she's a single parent raising three boys and times are tough) so I got them for her. I could see she really wanted them and she has always been there for me in the worst of times. It made me feel good that I was able to do this, allbeit, small thing. Besides the holidays are about sharing and giving. We had a good time looking at all the decorations and gift ideas. Right now she sounds like a little girl (lost her voice) so I was teasing her all evening.

Earlier in the day I worked on an altered clipboard. It's nearly done. I just need to find the right font alphabet stickers to spell out "days until" and tags to attach the numbers. I have some really neat stickers I used to spell out "CHRISTMAS". I made three, one for the office, one for home and the third is a gift for my best friend.

Speaking of giving I need to call squeeky today. I just remembered I have some gold and white frosted glass ornaments she can have for her tree. While talking about our decorations, she mentioned her colors were gold, silver and white. They will look great on her tree. I bought them from Big Lots on clearance two years ago and never used them.

Count Down To Christmas Week Two

This is the second week of the Christmas Countdown. Earlier this week I received my copy of names of members participating in the card exchange so I have started signing and addressing cards/envelopes. I have a cute little Christmas basket holding the cards which will go in the mail the last week of November. We have members from all over the world participating in the exchange which is very exciting.

Yesterday I walked over to the KMart behind my job and picked up this guy.

It's a singing, melting snowman. It will be part of the decor in my office. Now I need to find an animated Santa. There wasn't much to see as this Kmart is just starting to put out their Christmas stuff. This weekend I'm going to my favorite two places, Dollar Tree and Walmart, plus a couple of other places. I hope to pick up several gifts to cross of my list and do a little window shopping.

I was looking through the Oriental Trading catalog when what should I see? A set of snowmen chair covers. I was so excited...will order them next week. Part of the decoration plan for my office was to cover my chair with a snowman cover and to cover the lady I share the office with chair with a santa hat cover.

Well it's nearly lunch time. A few of my coworkers and I are in the mood for fried Lake Trout.