I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date! I’m here though and it’s time for Keep It Together with Alexandra. If you have anything about planning/planners, scrapbooks, memory keeping, etc. link up with us below! Every Third Thursday of the month!!!
Are You Planning for the Holidays Yet?
Don’t tell me it’s too soon! Maybe you aren’t ready to bust out the decorations or watch holiday movies, but we’re officially halfway through the year and that means the holidays will be knocking very soon. I’m not wishing away the rest of the year – Fall is my favorite season/Halloween is my favorite holiday after all – but I do want to try and be a bit more prepared this year.
I used to plan out gifts for Christmas through the year, but the last couple of years I’ve been a bit behind on things. In order to save some money, and not spend so much all at once, I need to start thinking about what I want to get everyone…and actually start getting items!
The person I probably have to focus on the most is my mom because for the last few years I’ve been giving her the same type of gift for Christmas: A year’s worth of mother/daughter dates! Each month has a different outing, whether that’s a play, a local event, a movie, pedicures, etc. I don’t pay ahead for every single month, but I do what I can so it’s easier when that month comes, so I should really start looking into ideas for next year and buying tickets and/or gift cards for the things I really want to include. This is definitely a gift you want to give yourself time to plan (and pay for).
Keep It Together: have you started planning for the holidays? #ontheblog Click To TweetOf course, my mom isn’t the only one I need to shop for, so yeah, I definitely need to start planning and setting aside gifts.
What about you? Have you started planning for the holidays (whether that’s gifts or just other plans)?
If you have your own Keep It Together post, link up with us below!
hi, impact
Hahahahahahahahahaha! (Oh, wait, this was a serious question? Um, no. I have not started planning for the holidays. But I’m quite impressed with you for shopping all year long!)
Awww mother/daughter dates ARE cute. But I agree with you though. My mom is the one person I want to receive something special so I, too, would plan way ahead and of course, save some money on what to give her.
Thinking about the holiday season was the first thing that popped in my head when I realized that we’re halfway through August (time flies!) and it’s the time for the -ber months.
What a wonderful gift for your mom! It takes time to pull together, but is oh so thoughtful! I am excited for the Holidays this year and need to start planning!
I’m the same way and prefer to start usually in July to find the perfect gift for friends and family. I just sent you an email about something, also. Hope your Friday is going well. RO
I usually start planning in November!
Oh man, yes the holidays will be upon us soon, you are right. We’ll be traveling during the holidays this year too so I”m going to need to be extra organized! I should probably start looking ahead a little bit anyway!
IT IS TOO SOON! bahahaha!!!
I guess I don’t care about Christmas all that much so I don’t plan for it. I’m curious to see if that changes out here now that I’ll have a *real* winter. Plus we have that small town vibe and they might do more holiday events.
I’m 100% a Halloween girl though.
Karen @ For What It’s Worth
Me? Planning for the holidays in August? Bahahaha! Nope, never happens. 🙂
I love that you give your mom gifts that carry throughout the year… and mean that you can spend time together!
I’m not a very good planner and usually end up winging it when it comes to the holidays for the most part. The gifts you come up with for your mom are great though. I love the idea of doing that.
I love Christmas! I’m not planning for it yet though… Well, not really. I may have looked up dates for the diary like the local Christmas light switch on and Christmas tree festivals and stuff but no gift planning, lol. I’m trying to be restrained.
Autumn is my favourite season. September through to December is my absolute favourite time of every single year. It’s magic.
A year of mom and daughter dates sounds like a fantastic gift to me. I am sure you both enjoy the outings. It feels too soon to start Christmas shopping, but then again, it will be here before we know it. Yikes!
I start buying Christmas presents in February and buy a little each month all year long.
Fall is my favorite season too, and you’re right- Christmas will be here SOON haha. Your mother/ daughter dates sound so cool – it’s nice you guys do that!
Girl! Im just trying to get through back to school shopping. LOL . I love the idea of a years worth of dates. I might be able to put that together for the hubby and I 🙂 Or maybe even add the boys in too. Have fun planning. I think I will take a hint and start looking for Christmas ideas as soon as school shopping is done! Have a great weekend!
I haven’t started planning for the holidays yet. My daughter’s birthday is coming up in less than 10 days, and I’m barely planning for it. I use to plan and start shopping a month ahead of time for her birthday, Christmas, etc. but the last few years I’ve been doing everything last minute. I like your idea of getting gifts all year long, and I think a month of mother/daughter dates is an awesome gift idea! Good Luck with the planning Lauren 🙂
I haven’t started shopping for the holidays. My mind is entirely on the start of the new school year! It’s wonderful that you’re thinking ahead and that you put so much thought into your presents!
I haven’t started planning yet for the holidays but now I’m thinking I really should!!! Also I love love love that you plan a mother/daughter outing with your mum each month. What an incredible gift that I’m sure she looks forward to!
Omfg I can’t believe we’re already planning for the holidays! It’s giving me anxiety/getting me excited!
I’m so unorganised I don’t think I’ve ever managed to buy a single Christmas gift before December, which is terrible. I say every year I’m going to do it earlier, but somehow it never happens!
The mother/daughter dates is such a good gift! I always struggle to buy for my Mum (she always says she doesn’t want anything!) so I may have to steal that idea! 🙂
I do all my shopping last minute! I should really start sooner, but… Maybe this year will be different? 😉
Lindsi @ Do You Dog-ear? ?
I’m already getting Christmas/Winter themed book review requests, and it just seems too early when I’m battling triple digit weather here! 🙂
YES yes I do! Because kids are expensive hahah. I actually always have tried to plan ahead, but it’s even more imperative now because I have a veeeerrry finite supply of money hah. Idk why but I always really looked forward to holiday shopping so I started early for as long as I can remember! (Also I LOVE the idea for dates with your mom- it’s incredible!)
You are so organized! I think mom and daughter dates throughout the year is a lovely gift to give your Mom. The two of you sound like you have some fun outings and it is enjoyable to have a gift that you can enjoy throughout the year.
I used to run around like mad every November and most of December because there are a lot of birthdays that take place as well as the Christmas shopping. Plus our anniversary is in December. With some family moving a lot of the gift giving has fallen away. I’m not complaining – it saves a lot of time and I can focus on getting hubby’s gifts, his parents and a couple of friends I exchange with.
I’m a Halloween girl too, so right now my attention is all on getting ready for that 😉 But I’ll probably start planning for Christmas after that. Though Christmas used to be really stressy, but our family recently changed our ‘gift strategy’ as in we no longer give a gift to everyone, but just draw names and buy that one person a gift, and it relieves so much of the stress! I do really love your idea of gifts for your mother, I’ll have to think about doing that!
Nope! Not planning yet! Well, maybe a little now that I’m in my new house. Trying to decide what and how I’m going to decorate. But that’s about it. 🙂
I just started thinking about Christmas today, as a matter of fact. My adult children buy themselves the things they want and need so that makes it hard! Saw a commercial at the gym about buying silver! Silver coins. Thought maybe that would be something I could give my children that would be a gift for their future.
Love the idea of mother and daughter dates!! What a perfect gift.