25 things to do before Christmas

1. Build a gingerbread house with Nana. - check

2. Clean the house. - why is this taking so long?
3. Decorate for Christmas. - maybe I should just decorate over the dust.
4. Update 2010 photos, and order photo gifts. - check
5. Choose with the boys what to give through World Vision.
6. Get a Christmas tree.
7. Decorate the Christmas tree.
8. Read about the real Santa Claus.
9. Bake gingerbread Santas for St. Nicholas Day.
10. Mail out-of-town gifts.
11. Make sugar plums.
12. Go see The Nutcracker Suite ballet.
13. Make Nutcracker art.
14. Buy and wrap a gift for our Angel Tree child.
15. Organize Christmas pageant costumes.
16. Keep reading Bartholomew's Passage.
17. Sew Christmas pajama pants.
18. Go see The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
19. Finish Christmas shopping.
20. Wrap gifts.
21. Bake Christmas cookies to share with friends.
22. Go ice skating.
23. Enjoy the Christmas pageant.
24. Go see the holiday lights at CALM.
25. Bake a birthday cake for Jesus!

Organize me: Going digital in 2010

Have you found a 2010 calendar you love yet?

Despite last week's cranky rant about the impossibility of simplicity at Christmastime, I really do appreciate being organized. I'm just a little slow about making it happen -- I suffer from Decision-making Peralysis Disorder.

I've admired, even downloaded, Donna Young's homeschooling forms and The Homeschool Mom's planner. And left them unused.

(The same went for my creative, but sadly ignored, magnetic calendar.)

I looked at this clever combo wall calendar/planner my cousin showed me, and the handy weekly planner/mousepad my sister uses.

I considered using an online curriculum planner like Homeschool SkedTrack or Edu-Track, and signed up for the free trial of the Simply Charlotte Mason online scheduler.

Since September, I've been using The Tanglewood Corebook to keep a record of what we're doing. It's pretty, and simple, and I could make up my own subjects, but it's not everything I need -- and it doesn't fit in my purse.

I really wanted something centralized where I could keep track of EVERYTHING -- homeschooling plans and records, appointments and events, chores and craft ideas, etc. And I want to be able to take it with me wherever I go without needing a backpack to carry it!

My friend Lauri and I have been coveting replacements for our overcrowded binder organizers and overloaded mama minds ever since another homeschooling mom friend pulled out her "external brain" (a Palm Pilot) and showed us how easy it was to use.


I'd been wary of something so small -- how could I see everything I need to on such a small screen? But, it really is possible to see the whole picture online. I started playing with Google's free online calendar, which can be synced with the iPhone or iPod Touch -- and loved it!

It was time to go digital. Both of our hubbies agreed to give us a shot at simplifying our lives (and theirs) by digitizing our calendars and to-do lists. Lauri got the iTouch, and I got the iPhone.

How blessed we are that this was even a possibility! And how goofy are we that we chose the same wallpaper without knowing it?!


So, I'm curious -- what kind of calendar/planner/organizer do you use? Low tech or high tech? Enormous, categorized binder, or the basic calendar on your phone? Stickies and notebooks scattered around the house, or a digitized system synched between your laptop and phone?

And... more importantly, does it work? Has it changed your life? Does it keep you from locking your keys in your car?

Ahem. Yes, the iPhone is cute, and very useful. But it is not so brainy that it calls out, "Stop! Don't close that door!" when you're about to lock it, along with your purse and keys, in the car.

Not that I would know that from personal experience or anything...

Simplify, schmimplify.

I've discovered a little truth this month. And it may be just the thing to save my sanity this Christmas -- because it's been on its way out.

The directive to "simplify Christmas" is an impossibility.

What would have made this month simpler? Well, I suppose I could have called all my friends and family in November and said, "We're not participating in the festivities this year. Please don't send us any presents, or money for the kids, or invitations to parties. Don't expect Christmas cards with updated photos of the family. Don't expect gifts from us, either. We want to avoid rushing around to get it all done.

"And by all means, don't stop by to visit without calling at least two weeks in advance."

Lately, I've been hearing the message that rushing during Advent is akin to sin, and misses the point of the season. After all, how can we prepare our hearts for the coming of our Savior, if we're busy checking off our lists -- and trying not to be late to church potlucks?

It's a tough one.

And so, organized types encourage us to start planning earlier, promising that if we just follow their 12-week plan, we won't feel rushed, and we'll have the happiest, most peaceful holiday ever!

Except that life doesn't follow a 12-week plan. Not everyone knows in October whether they'll be able to travel in December -- or whether they'll have custody of their kids on Christmas Day. Life requires you to adjust your plans to accommodate others' plans that you have no control over.

Life sends rainclouds over your leaky roof right before Christmas, leaving you cold and wet, and obliterating your party schedule. Life also sends your neighbor over with a spontaneous invitation to a round of wassail!

Life sends gifts from friends you love, but were too obsessed with trying to simplify to shop for -- and sends you to the last-minute sales to reciprocate.

Christmas is NOT simple. Christmas is complicated.

Was it simple for God to say, "Heck, it's a mess down there, I guess I'll just come down and clean it up myself." Well, maybe to say it. To do it? I think the New Testament shows otherwise.

Was it simple for Mary to accept Gabriel's message that she was going to be an unwed mother? Somehow, I don't think she said, "Sure, I'd be happy to carry God's son. My parents and fiance will understand. No biggie."

Was it simple for Joseph and Mary to get to Bethlehem? No, it was complicated. And they were freakin' exhausted when they got there.

I'm a little tired, too -- probably from staying up too late playing Santa while the children slept. I've checked a lot off my list. I still have to check it twice. I cannot say, "Whew, I'm totally ready for Christmas, nothing left to do except wait."

When there's nothing left to do to prepare our hearts for Christ's coming, He'll already be here.