I LOVE the Christmas holiday season. Absolutely love it. I love driving around looking at Christmas lights, I love Starbucks eggnog chai (even though it sadly disagrees with me!), I love chocolate no-bake cookies and sitting by the Christmas tree at night. I love the stories, the songs, and the anticipation of it all. But the stress? I could do without that.
Like it or not, the holidays do come with some stress and the struggle is rising above it and enjoying the simple moments without losing perspective. Along came Marcia, author of Simplify Your Life, with a new holiday organizer entitled Simplify Your Holidays/a>. This, my friends, is an amazing three ring binder note book filled with ideas of how to keep things orderly. She gives calendars to help you keep track of what needs to be done and when. She helps you focus on what is most important and helps you to make sure you schedule those things in – whether it be coffee with a friend, a particular party you really want to attend, to your favorite Christmas cookie! (Don’t want to forget about making your favorite holiday cookie now, do you?)
I’m a planner, but not as much as Marcia Ramsland is. She’s the uber planner. A professional planner. She makes list and I tend to forget about them. But I have to say that this book is so cool and is so extremely easy to use that I’m going to follow her advice this Christmas season. Now, my husband and I are a relatively new family, having only been married for three years. We’re still wading through two sets of family traditions and trying to make decisions about what is right for us. Throw a two year old in the mix that grandparents want to visit with and, well, it’s good to stay organized. The thing I like about this planner, in particular, is that she helps you lay out a plan that is right for you. She offers ideas for a 2 week plan, a 4 week plan and an 8 week plan to help you stay on track with buying gifts, mailing them out in time, taking the family Christmas photo and on and on and on. She addresses all of those things that “must” be done. But the best thing is, she encourages you to be YOU in the midst of it all.
The question you might be asking is this – is it too early to be thinking about Christmas? I mean, we haven’t even celebrated Thanksgiving yet. Ramsland makes a good argument that the reason Christmas is so commercialized is precisely because people try to shove all their plans and buying and festivities into the month of December. It’s ultra hyped at that point. She argues that if you sit down and plan things out to keep you organized and busy beginning in November, you’ll have time to relax in December and just enjoy those moments that you anticipate living so much.
What about you? Do you have a need to simplify your holiday and slow things down a bit this year? Do you need help figuring out how to relax and enjoy this season instead of bustling through it? Thomas Nelson publishers have generously offered to help five of our readers figure this out. Leave a comment before November 12 in order to win a copy of Simplify Your Holidays/a>. Five winners will randomly be selected to win and will be mailed a copy in time to use this notebook throughout the 2008 holiday season. (Contest open to U.S. residents only.)
I, for one, intend to revel in this holiday season with a little help from my friend Marcia. I hope you do also!
Carrie comes by her book obsession honestly, having descended from a long line of bibliophiles. She blogs about books regularly at Reading to Know.
The holidays can be so hectic. I would love this book to try to handle them better.
sweet
Just the thing to get me into the holiday spirit! I can’t wait for Christmas, but always stress about the small details.
I can’t wait for Christmas this year, and am already shopping and planning. This book would help me be more organized!
want to win this
I love Christmas. This might help me get everything that I want to do done.
I’d love to win a copy of this book!
Count me in!
Definately something I could use! [email protected]
Oh, please pick me! I love Christmas but I am easily overwhelmed.
I love the Holidays, and I’m looking forward to the music, baking, and family time. Thank you.
Chirstmas will be simple this year as we are staying home instead of traveling out of town to visit family
Christmas time is so hectic at our house. My hubby works extra hours, leaving me and the little one to do all the shopping and preparations. By the end of each day, I want to pull my hair out. I don’t remember the last time I actually slept on Christmas Eve. I’d love a copy of this. We could put it to good use! Thanks for the giveaway!
I could really use this book. I am so sadly unorganized. I know organization helps destress people. Thanks for the giveaway!
very cool count me in please
i keep christmas simple and relaxed to focusing on the joy of doing. Shopping on line also keeps the stress level down too!
Sounds like a great planner for the holidays!
Oh, if something could help me organize our holidays more and remove some of the stress I would surely be grateful and feel so blessed. We have a large family and lots of extended family. Everything is usually at our home…so HELP ME! 🙂 Thanks for the opportunity!!!
I really need this! We host everything our extended family does, so this would be so useful
Ooh! I could use this. Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
my life, epsecially around the holidays, seems to be complete chaos. I would welcome any advice on making things easier
Enter me in this contest please. I have a large family and this would keep me on the right track. Thanks for the contest.
simplify is what i need…stress is what i am trying to shed.
thanks for giving this away; it will definitely bless the winners. and thatks for the review; i’ve got it on my list to buy, if the random generator doesn’t pick me 🙂
My 16 year old daughter is in a pre-professional ballet company. The Nutcracker is a part of our busy holiday season. I so love Christmas, but each year it gets harder to find the time to do all the things we love, and almost impossible to stay organized with a hectic rehearsal schedule. The week before Christmas (when Nutcracker is over) is many times rushed and stressed. I’d love to find some helpful ideas on how to bring the wonder of the holiday back!
I need to simplify my holidays!
What a great gift for someone who needs it!
I def could use this book. It seems like there is always soo much stuff to do and we end up missing half of the fun stuff.
I’d like to read this informative book.
I would love to win this. A simple Christmas sounds refreshing!
OK, I’ll bite. With eight kids and a husband to plan for, this notebook sounds like something I could use.
I’m interested in simplifying
What a great idea! I’ve been trying to put together my own version of something like this, but alas, tend to get overwhelmed before the holiday is done.
I love Christmas but could definitely use something to help me simplify and give more meaning to the season.
I am trying to simplify all areas of my life. The holidays are definitely at the top of the list right now. Thanks so much!
I love the idea of a Christmas Planner.
Thank you for the contest.
Enter me
Great for my sis in law w/ new home, baby and company 4 the holidays!
I definitely need some help getting organized for the holidays!
This is a good idea.
I am in need of help getting and staying organized. I’ve been in chemo for most of this year and just can’t get my brain to work the way it should. I write myself notes every day to remind me to do things. It would be great to have a book that simply tells me what to do and when.
Thanks for the nice giveaway.
sounds super helpful for the crazy holidays
I could really use this! Thanks!!
Fun giveaway!
sounds like a book I am going to have to get since I have read all the other books. 🙂
Sure could use this. Count me in!
I’d love this!! Thank you for the chance 🙂
I struggle at the holidays to stay organized … I would love to give this a try!!
What a great giveaway! This sounds like something that I could use for this holiday season.
I’d love this. Any simplifying I can do would be welcome!
Thanks for this chance!