Rudolph Book & Movie Club is a wonderful tradition started on the Organized Christmas boards and we are happy to carry on the tradition here at Magical Holiday Home. The members have made the selections for 2009 and you can view them on this PAGE. Each month read the book and view the movie then take place in some lively discussions on our boards.  Shortly we will be posting a similar listing for Great Pumpkin Day featuring books and movies with a fall theme.

 Along with our book club each month we will be discussing Rudolph Day activities to do on the 25th of each month as we prepare for the 2009 holiday season. Planning throughout the year makes for a calmer better organized Christmas! We think of everything from card making to stocking stuffers and fit them in throughout the year!  Let 2009 be your most organized holiday ever!

The season is over, for better or worse; time to think ahead to next year. What lessons would you like to share with your future self?

Using the worksheet below, take a few moments now to ponder what worked, what didn't. Called "debriefing", this exercise will remind you next year of all the things you know right now. It'll guide you toward an even more organized holiday season next year.

Holiday Debriefing Worksheet

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Many wishes for a wonderful 2009! At Magical Holiday Home we will be ringing in the new year with several new adventures, as well as, some old favorites. There will be plenty of organizing and cleaning plans to pick from. Some of our members will be starting the year off with Jump Start January which basically follows the Grand Plan approach to cleaning the entire house. Other members fill their cleaning plan need using the Room a Month approach.  In addtion, to cleaning plans we will continue our holiday organizing and prep plans by using Monthly Magic, Holiday Countdowns, and the special prep days such as Rudolph Day.  By following along…2009 is sure to be a wonderful year for celebrating practically stress-free!!!

At Magical Holiday Home we believe in nurturing the whole self. The saying all work and no play is so true! So we will continue with our Words for 2009, Celebrate Me Days, and reading groups focusing on some of our favorite books, as well as, new titles. Celebrate Me art journals, monthly personal life goals and other creative avenues will keep us on track for 2009. Please consider this YOUR invitation to join us! If you are interested in an interactive environment, please join our boards and clean, organize, and have fun with us throughout 2009.

All good times must end; it's time to wrap up the Houseworks Holiday Plan and move into an organized New Year.

Tying up the season's loose ends, we'll make New Year's resolutions, remove and store holiday decor, and set the stage for next year's celebration.

See you next year!

New Year's Week Assignments

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Are you happy with this year's holiday decorations? Quick! Before you pack 'em away, grab a camera and snap quick photos of each room's decorations.

Together with a free printable room-by-room decor planner, photos will help smooth holiday decorating next season. Add both to your Christmas notebook.

Next year, you'll know what goes where--because when it comes to holiday decorating, a picture is worth a thousand words!

Holiday Decor Planner

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It's taken center stage for the family celebration, but now it's tired and ready to rest. What to do with the Christmas tree after the holidays?

Answer: treecycling! Eco-conscious communities provide ways to recycle Christmas trees at season's end.

To find treecycling locations in your area, visit this Web page from Earth911.com. Don't miss the "treecycling reminder" ornament! It's a free printable ornament to hang on the tree and remind you to give a gift to Mother Earth:

Treecycling

Give your children the gift of good manners: instruct them in the art of writing thank-you notes.

A good note is personal, specific and warm. Remind children to address the giver by name, mention the gift, and share how they'll use or enjoy it.

Better still, hold a family thank-you note session. Writing notes together teaches youngsters that gratitude is as much a part of the season as the gifts themselves.

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Every year at this time, the e-mails tell the story: "I wish I'd found this site earlier!" Faced with the reality of Christmas chaos, many folks are looking for a better way. Stumbling over our site, they see that it's possible to be organized--and joyous--during the holidays.

The secret to a stress-free season? Plan ahead!

Then try these five tips to get ready for next Christmas:

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May the blessings of the season fall abundantly on you, your family, friends and community.

Merry Christmas from all of us at OrganizedChristmas.com!

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The celebration is in full swing? Quick ... while the moment is fresh: write down the year's holiday memories.

A Christmas journal will bring the moments to mind long after the New Year.

We make it easy, with a printable holiday memories journal page:

Holiday Memories Journal

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It's every mother's Christmas morning list: a record of gifts received, to be used for the next day's thank-you note session.

If you're a Microsoft Word user (Word 97 or later), check out this free printable:

Free Printable Gifts Received Tracker Form

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Are the little ones eager to send the year's wish list to Santa? Create a memorable Santa letter--and print it, too--with this online Santa letter generator from Scott products.

Choose from one of three colorful templates, then personalize the letter with your child's name, age and favorite reindeer. If you're comfortable sharing an e-mail address, Santa will send a message back to your child!

Print A Letter To Santa

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Haul out the pencils! It's time to write letters to Santa Claus.

Parents, do remember to save children's letters from year to year. Everyone will enjoy watching the lists (and the handwriting) grow over the years--and the result will spark family scrapbooks.

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It's the phrase that strikes fear in the hearts of parents everywhere: "some assembly required". Today's toy packaging--twist ties and all--can put a serious wrench in a happy Christmas morning.

Will Santa bring bicycles, riding toys or other assembly-needed gifts this year? The time to assemble them is now!

For younger children, consider removing toys from packaging altogether. Short attention spans won't need to wait anxiously to play with Christmas gifts while you wield the wire cutter.

Get cracking on putting toys together in good time for Christmas Eve. Santa will sleep soundly on the big night!

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Celebrate! The height of the season is here, so draw close to family and friends.

Only minimum maintenance is needed in the house this week.

Holiday prep centers on those few chores needed to make a smooth move between Christmas and the New Year.

Season's greetings!

Celebration Week Assignments

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The stockings are hung by the chimney with care ... so it's time to prepare to fill them! Ease this midnight chore with a bit of pre-holiday organization.

Set aside a plastic supermarket grocery sack for each family member, and sort stuffers into the sacks. Slip handles around a clothes hanger, and hang the sorted stuffers at the back of the closet.

With stuffers sorted and ready, Santa won't be fumbling in the dark, trying to remember what gift belongs where ....

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Warm the hearts of good little boys and girls with a packet of Snowman Soup!

Take a packet of hot chocolate, chocolate kiss, marshmallows and candy cane, package in a mug or holiday-themed goody bag, then add a free printable gift tag for a cheery winter gift.

Easy enough for children to make, Snowman Soup is perfect for stocking stuffers, office gifts, Secret Santa presents or 12 Days of Christmas gifts.

New! Add a Winter Warmer Jiffy Pop® Popcorn Topper for an easy, cheery winter gift basket.

Click the read more link below for instructions, gift tags and the Snowman Soup poem.

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Looking for last-minute gift ideas? Try these free printable gift coupon templates from Microsoft.com!

You'll need a copy of Word 97 or later to print gift coupons; the collection includes several nice holiday designs:

Printable Gift Coupon Templates

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Ready, set, roll 'em! Christmas morning will soon be here, so take a moment to prepare to capture the memories.

Haul out the cameras and videocams and make sure they're ready for the big day.

Charge the batteries, check supplies of film or digital media, and be sure you have cables handy for uploading digital photos. Share the moment!

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To give a holiday welcome to phone callers this week, record a special Christmas greeting on the phone answering machine.

It's fun, free and a festive way to connect with those whose calls you've missed..

Happy Holidays!

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