Day 7: Holiday Craft

I am the least crafty person UNLESS I see something that I really like or want. I don't make any gifts to give because of said lack of talent. If I could make a craft, it would be arrangements, Christmas tree skirts and paintings. It seems like so much fun and meaningful to use your own tow hands to make a creative, special gift. Perhaps, I need to do this since I haven't bought one stinkin' Christmas present this year! (Holy, eeks!!!!)

Day 6: Gift Wishes

This year I am all about home goods! We are in the process of redecorating, painting, redoing our kitchen, cleaning carpets, getting rid of junk and organizing. It's been a really hectic time because E and I want different things and have different ideas, but all in all it's been fun the past few weeks. My mom as a great eye for decorating, so that helped Thanksgiving week. :) Here are a few things I have asked for from our family members:
Dish Towels
Goblet style red wine glasses (we are down to our last Waterford wine glass, tear)
Spatulas
Bath towels
Coffee Mugs
Photo frames (i am adding a photo wall and have 40 photos...yea, i need frames)
Bath robe
Home Goods gift card
4 Plates to hang in my crate
Real Simple & Southern Living magazine subscriptions
New faucet
Travertine floors
Granite counter tops
New couch
A chocolate brown ottoman slipcover
That's the start of the list...I am sure it will grow in the next few days. We are trying to spend less this year since we have so many gifts to buy, so we are hoping our families do the same.

Day 5: Favorite Holiday Movie/TV Show Special

Ick. Mondays are my least favorite day of the week, but at least it's one day closer to our Ornament party and Christmas!
My favorite Holiday Movies (because I cannot pick one) are "Home Alone" and "A Christmas Carol (the old one)." I am dying to watch these two movies, but it's a tad early still. I love to have a fire, drink wine and watch Christmas movies. Another reason, I love this time of year!

Day 4: Tips and Tricks for a Budget Friendly Holiday Season

I am good, but not great at budget friendly holidays because I typically wait until the last minute, however, I have become a huge fan of coupons. I have a Droid X phone, so I downloaded the coupon app. I check it periodically to see what new coupons are out there. There are ALWAYS coupons that I can use for various stores. With the app, you checkout and show the cashier the coupon...they ring up the coupon code...the discount appears. It's marvelous! I will be using my Old Navy and Academy coupons this Holiday Season. Also, I have begun giving my email address to stores I frequent often. I never did this before, but started and am so glad I did because you really do get GREAT deals. I get a weekly NY&CO coupon, Old Navy coupons, Groupon, LiveSocial, etc. You get the drift! With the internet becoming the #1 scene for coupons, it's totally worth two minutes to give your email or download an app.
As for decorations for the holiday season, I read an article about using fruit, Oak tree branches, leaves, pinecones, rosemary and thyme for holiday decorations. What a cheap, fabulous way to decorate! I really would like to string cranberries and put them on our Christmas tree...we'll see.

Day 3: Best Gift\Most Memorable Gift

Oh, how I love gifts anytime of the year, but of course with my Birthday and Christmas being neck and neck I typically get double the gifts, BLESSED.
I would have to say the best gift I ever received was the Barbie Doll Play House with Pool. I received this gift when I was probably 8 or nine years old. I loved this thing. I mean, who wouldn't? It had a stinkin' pool. I remember taking the "pool" to the sink in our bathroom and filling it up just to have it filled up. I would sit for about five minutes and play with the dollhouse and of course, get bored and move on to the next thing. A close runner up, would be my orange and teal 10 speed bike...you know the ones with the curled handle bars? Do people even buy these things anymore? Living in Austin, it seems like kids ride those trick bikes or race bikes or perhaps even beach cruisers. I loved that bike and rode it forever!
The most memorable gift I have received was actually last Christmas. My parents went on a LONG Mediterranean cruise. They visited Italy, Spain, etc. They went to a "cameo-maker's" museum in Italy. My father picked out a special cameo necklace and watched it be carved. I will cherish this piece of jewelry forever! It's beautiful! I will have to take a picture of it, but that will wait since it's hanging in my jewelry box. (I am afraid to wear it all the time because of the delicacy.)

Day 2: Black Friday Shopping Tips and Tricks

This one is a tad difficult for me because as a child and an adult we didn't do much shopping on Black Friday. My mom and I typically did our manic-crazy-i-want-everything shopping the day after Christmas. However, this year my parents wanted to buy us something for our house for Christmas, so we did shopping on Black Friday. The feeling this year was a tad bit depressing because you could see how the recession truly has effected the lives and pocket books of Americans. We went to quite a few stores and they seemed pretty empty. I was a tad bummed that we weren't out the door by 8am, but this year it didn't seem to matter. I guess my tip and trick would be to save and spend! Hit the stores early because most stores did have larger discounts earlier in the day. I love to shop, but will save my energy for the "Dillard" tradition of shopping the day after Christmas.

Day 1: Christmas\Holiday Traditions

My favorite childhood tradition was spent on Christmas Eve. As a family, we would attend church. After church, my mom would cook Bird and I a special Christmas Eve dinner with Egg Nog and all. We would spend quality time as a family by a fire chatting about what we thought Santa would bring us. My mom would read us the story of Baby Jesus' Birthday from the Bible and my Dad would read us "Twas the Night before Christmas." Of course, Bird and I prepared cookies and milk for Santa and my parents would then put us to bed. My mom and dad would have a candle lit dinner with just the two of them (Which I will do when we have kids) typically with steak and wine. They always thought they were by themselves until they would look upstairs and see Bird and I poking our head through the banisters hoping Santa had already visited our home. :)
Things have changed since I was a child, teen and young adult because I am now married and spend Christmas with two families. And, I am 100% ok with that.
As a married adult, my favorite tradition is that we get to have two Christmas'. My brother nor my BIL are married, therefore, we don't want to take the Christmas excitement away from them. So, typically we spend Christmas Eve and Christmas morning at one house then drive to the other Christmas afternoon. This year is going to be much easier on us because my in-laws moved from JC to Austin a couple of weeks ago, so the drive is only two hours rather than three. It's important to E and I to spend wonderful, quality time with our families, so this works best for us. Another tradition that I hope never goes away, is my Dad acting as Santa. After all our gifts are opened, we make drinks, pick up all the boxes and gift paper, my Dad puts on a Santa hat and presents us with our "Santa Gift." This gift is specially picked out by him. Sometimes, my mom gives him ideas, but other times she doesn't even know the gift. It adds a fun surprise every year!
What are your favorite Christmas\Holiday traditions?