When to take down your Christmas tree is a very personal decision. Bringing it up in mixed company (me and my husband Roger,) is sure to bring up “issues” in our marriage. (Suffice to say; before we were married, my tree was down on December 26th. WE are leaving it up until New Year’s Day this year. Sigh.)
So I’m going to leave it up to each household as to when “undecorating” is done. I just want you to have the “stuff” ready to go when you do want to pack it all away.
Project #1 Put Away the Paper
Today’s task is to put away all the paper-related parts of the holiday.
- Wrap it Up I am a box and ribbon saver. So sue me. I feel that I’m helping the environment, and have a secret thrill to see how many times I can use the fluffy Santa bag before it looks trashy. The key to being able to reuse each year is packing them up well. Before you destroy those great sturdy boxes that all your presents were shipped in, keep the best of them to store your Christmas boxes, wrap, bags, tissue and ribbon. I’ve even created some cute labels for you to print out and put on your boxes to make them easy to find next December. Go to my Facebook Author page at http://www.facebook.com/kathilipp.author to download the free labels. You’ll thank me next year.
- Leave Notes to Your Future Self If you’ve purchased your Christmas cards this year (50% off!) for next year, put their exact location on your calendar (wall calendar, Outlook, Google Calendar, etc.) so you don’t forget and then have to go buy more December 15th – only to find them on the 20th…
I put a note on my calendar for October 1 that reads, “Don’t buy any Christmas Wrapping – You Have ENOUGH!!!)
3. Update Your Christmas Card List NOW! While you know where all those envelopes bearing return address are. Don’t wait – seize the after Christmas day!
So tell me where you fall on the wrapping paper scale in the comments below:
A. “I always run out about December 20th.”
B. “Everyone in my family could come and wrap their gifts for the next five years and I would still have paper left over to wrap gifts for the next couple of years…”
C. “Doesn’t matter. Every year I lay in a new supply on December 26th!”
Why does this have to be the ONLY rlebaile source? Oh well, gj!
I am sick of the same paper I’ve been using for four years (because I also recycle bags), so I went out and bought one (only one) roll of gorgeous silver paper with glittery trees on it at half-price!
I guess I fit B better than the others…I always have paper on hand. It wouldn’t last five years though! 😉
great ideas!! especially about the leaving notes for yourself…just dont forget where you wrote the note! Or accidentally throw away your day planned like I did…:)
I leave all my wrapping paper, Christmas and otherwise, in a trash can between the desk and the wall. I buy a few rolls at the dollar store that can pass for anytime, plus Christmas stuff when they first put it out, in September (?!) This way, we always know where it is and can tell at a glance if I need more–like I need an excuse to go to the dollar store!
Well, Kathi, I’m in the B category this year. I have 3 or more unwrapped rolls of paper left and several opened ones with gobs of unused ribbon and bows. So yay, I don’t have to buy any for 2012!
I’ve re-used and recycled my Christmas bags and wrapping paper for several years (3-5) now. I’ve decided this is the year to start over. So, my newly-married daughter gets first dibs on looking through my supply and selecting what she wants. (She has a massive supply of wedding bags/paper, but little else.)
And then I think I will donate the rest to GoodWill or somewhere else and let someone else benefit from it. I want to see something new under my tree next year.
C – I like to be prepared for anything! We are living overseas right now (military) and it’s easier for family to send gifts unwrapped, so they fit in shipping boxes better. So, I end up wrapping A LOT!!! So, I always stock up after Christmas! 🙂
wow! something I’m pretty good about. whew!
I am a bag saver and if the tissue is pretty and in good shape, I save that too. I have a stack of boxes that I keep for wrapping and mailings…just not a good place for the boxes. I have a clear bin for wrapping paper and bags.
I bought a gi-normous roll of paper from costco…twice. I alternate years and use that one pattern exclusively so if a tag falls off, I know who gave it. lol
And yes, I already have next year’s cards in the closet. 😉