Spoyled Rottyn Party Planning

This is the last full week before Christmas and there are still a million things to do.  How will you ever survive?  Here are a few tips that might help, and please add some of your own.

• Keep things as simple as possible.
• Make a master calendar for school parties, work parties, Santa appearances, etc.  This way you can plan your schedule and know where you are going.
• Make your list of all the people who you plan to buy gifts for, including their sizes, things they would like and how much you can spend.
• Mark off that person when you make the purchase.  This will allow you to track your progress and see how much more you have to do.
• Make your list of people you are senidng cards to and address the envelopes.  You can keep them with you and fill them out during "waiting moments" such as at the doctor's office, picking up the kids or on your break at work.
• Send your Christmas packages early.  You can save a huge amount of money by doing this.
• Before making purchases, ask about return policies & always get a gift receipt.
• Do your grocery shopping when the stores are quiet.  This is usually early in the mornings and late at night.  You'll get better parking this way too.
• Don't cook everything.  Some stores stock tasty appetizers, fresh or frozen (no one will even notice)
• Decide what cookies and candies you're going to make.  Pull out the recipies and make sure you have all the ingredients.
• Decide what you are going to have for holiday dinner.  Pull out those recipies and make sure you have those ingredients.
• Many types of cookies freeze well.  Mix up the dough several weeks ahead and freeze.  It will be ready when you're ready to bake.
• For cookies that don't freeze, measure all dry ingredients and put in plastic storage bags.  Don't forget to label it so you know when you go back to it!
• Participate in a cookie exchange with friends and co-workers.  You'll get an assortment of cookies to serve to holiday guests without all the work.
• Set up a wrapping station where all of your wrapping supplies are all together.  This will make it simple when you're ready.
• Wrap gifts as you purchase them instead of waiting to do it all at once.
• Don't experiment.  New=stressful.  Dont try new hair styles, recipies or that tan in a can for the first time.
• Enjoy yourself.  Don't sweat the small stuff and pat yourself on the back for a job well done!

Okay ladies, we have all been on the receiving end of those horrible gifts from our spouse.  I saw this article and I just had to share it because we can all sit back and chuckle, hoping that it doesn't happen to us...again.

Bad Christmas Presents For Your Wife

Christmas is just around the corner and husbands everywhere are beginning to get stressed. While money, time and screaming children are all potential stressors, the real stress comes from something else – what to buy their wife for Christmas.

Every year at Christmas, some poor wife opens up that gift that no husband should buy their wife. Why is it that husbands cannot seem to find the right thing? Better still, why are husbands so good at picking the wrong thing? In an effort to help out husbands everywhere, I have assembled a short list of Christmas gifts that no husband should ever buy their wife. Here they are in no particular order:

Kitchen Utensils

Some men are very fortunate to still have a wife that cooks supper every evening. Unfortunately, those are the same foolish men that will turn around and buy their wife a griddle for Christmas. This is a really bad idea. (Unless you enjoy getting bashed in the head with a griddle)

Clothing That Is Not One-Size-Fits-All

Clothing is simply too risky because you are likely to pick the wrong size. Too big and they think you are saying they are fat, and too small means that you are hoping they will lose weight. Either way, you come out looking like a fool. Leave that whole category alone.

Self Improvement Anything

Along the same lines as the clothing category a husband should never attempt to be a self help guru. Buying your wife that “How to Become a Sex Goddess Overnight” book or video is not likely to draw rave reviews. Leave the whole yoga, weight loss, personal growth area to the men that like sleeping on the couch.

Any Small Appliance

Okay so you really do need a new vacuum cleaner. Gentlemen, if you attempt to slide that in as a Christmas gift you will likely be the only one that ever uses it. A gift for Christmas should not be something that requires her to do daily work.

Tickets to the Local Tractor Pull

Now, unless your wife is the biggest fan on Earth of tractor pulls, then you better not make this mistake. The point is, if the gift is really for you and you are trying to disguise it as a gift for her, you are risking a very early divorce. Keep your priorities on her, and buy those tickets to the tractor pull separately.

Fake Anything

While most men are smart enough to not try to the fake jewelry thing, they are not above going for that fake Gucci bag or Ipod. Have the common sense to buy your wife a Christmas gift that did not come from the back of someone’s van. Yes, guys. They know the difference.

The wrong Christmas gift is a really bad mistake, yes. While some women are immune to it after years and years of mistakes, we men should still make an effort this holiday season to do better. Head out and actually take some time to think about it. Consider what they will think when they open the gift. Consider if it will evoke a kiss or a slap upside the head. But most of all, consider whether it tells your beautiful bride just how much you love her.

There is nothing more fun than planning a party around a theme.  This gives you a starting, middle and ending point to base your work.  It helps you know what colors, decorations, favors and even food to purchase.  With small items you can pull the whole thing together too.  If you are looking for a theme to base your party on, here are a few ideas.  Some are quite creative and you can go crazy with it.  As always, if you need help in putting it together or coming up with some ideas, give me a call or send me an email.

• Santa Claus is Coming to Town
• Land of Misfit Toys
• A Grinch-ful Party
• a Victorian Christmas
• Holiday Dreams
• Ugly Sweater Party
• Red Neck Christmas
• Santa's Workshop
• Let It Snow
• Childhood Christmas
• Christmas Around the World
• Christmas Friendship Luncheon
• Winter Wonderland
• July in Christmas
• Cookie Exchange
• Tree Trimming Party
• "Wrap It Up"
• A Christmas Carol
• Miracle on 34th Street
• Christmas Vacation
• Babes in Toyland

Feel free to give your own unique ideas as well.  Happy Partying !

With the holidays just around the corner, many of us are starting to think about what to get family, friends and co-workers.  I am going to give you a few ideas of easy items that you can use to give as stocking stuffers and for those that you just don't know what to give.

Personalized Holiday Cocoa Mix - You can either purchase packets of cocoa from the store or you can make your own and package in a holiday baggie.  To jazz it up, you can add a large label with a personalized message on it.  You can make variations to this by putting them in festive coffee mugs.  You can add chocolate covered spoons.

Small Christmas Baskets - You are able to find small baskets for very cheap.  You can then fill them with Christmas themed candies and enclose the whole thing with green or red tule and tie it off with themed ribbon.

Kiss Under The MistleToe - A very cute idea is to purchase clear 2"x2" treat boxes and fill them with Hershey Kisses.  If you are doing this for a corporate event, you can make personalized stickers to place on the bottom of them with your logo on it.  Upon closing the boxes, wrap them with festive ribbon and place a mistle toe on top ~ real or fake will do.

Gift of Life - If you are going for something different, you can purchase starter Christmas trees and decorate them with inexpensive ornaments.  This is a wonderful gift because after taking them home, your guests can plant them and help the environment.

Super Simple - Ok, here is one that just can't go wrong.  If you are not a baker, you can always visit your local bakery for help.  Simply gather a variety of cookies and stack 3-5.  You can either wrap them in holiday wrap or use baggies that you tie off.

Holiday Votives - If you have a little creativeness in your blood, this one will be right up your ally.  There are many different varieties of mini ornaments available including string lights, presents, and many more.  Purchase a variety of these, clear glass votive holders and different holiday-scented votive candles.  Simply hot glue the ornaments in any pattern of your choosing onto the votive holders.  Place a candle in the holder.  You can either give them individually or in a group - wrapped in tule.

I hope that these ideas have kick-started your holiday thinking.  Keep an eye on my blog for other holiday ideas as they come.  As always, I would love to hear your thoughts on what I write and any ideas that you might have for future blogs.