Before The Season: Focus On Holiday Values

Focus Holiday Values
   September 2, 2019 by Cynthia Ewer

What do you really want for Christmas? Our ideas may differ in the details, but most of us want much the same thing: a seasonal celebration focused on faith, family and friends.

We want the excitement of the season without the disruption that too often comes with it. We want to draw closer to those around us, not to be thrust apart by hectic schedules. We want to enjoy as well as to prepare, and to keep the Christmas season in a manner that is joyous and spiritually centered.    Read More >>

Get Organized: Make a Christmas Planner

Planner for the holidays
   August 28, 2019 by Cynthia Ewer

As we get ready for Christmas, we’ll be making lists (and checking them a lot more than twice!), holding discussions with spouses, children and parents, and drawing up a holiday budget. Too often, we record our plans piecemeal, consigning them to a confused clutter of scrawled envelopes, jotted notes and cryptic calendar entries—none of which make it to the shopping center with us when it’s time to buy gifts.

Organized people keep the results of their work in a central place: a Christmas planner.

Easy to make and easier to use, a Christmas planner cuts through holiday clutter and keeps planning on track. Home to lists and recipes, calendars and gift ideas, this simple tool is the architect and source of a serene celebration.

Try these ideas to create and use a Christmas planner: your personal guide to an organized Christmas.    Read More >>

Holiday Grand Plan Calendar and Checklists

Holiday Grand Plan 2019
Free printable holiday planner for an organized Christmas

Ready to get organized for Christmas with the Holiday Grand Plan? Our whole-house Christmas organizing plan kicks off on Sunday, September 1!

Print these Holiday Grand Plan 2019 calendar pages to prepare for the holiday season with the Web's oldest Christmas organizing plan. Week by week the Holiday Grand Plan will take you closer to your goal: a clean and organized home for Christmas.    Read More >>

Make-Ahead Holiday Gift: Melt-and-Pour Soap

Melt and Pour Soap
   August 21, 2019 by Cynthia Ewer

You've seen them everywhere from crafts fairs to bath boutiques: pretty handmade gift soaps. Clear and colorful or rich with natural additives for beautiful skin, they're a welcome holiday gift.

Best of all, they're easy to make using melt-and-pour soap. Heated in the microwave, clear or opaque glycerin soap base is combined with colorants and fragrances, then poured into molds to harden. When cool, soaps pop right out of the molds, ready to use.

Follow the soap-making tips and soap starter projects linked below to help you master this squeaky-clean craft.

Make It Now, Give It Later: Confetti Bean Soup

Confetti Bean Soup
   August 15, 2019 by Cynthia Ewer

Looking for a make-ahead holiday gift? Try this gift-in-a-jar treat: Confetti Bean Soup! Savory Italian herbs spark this hearty, easy soup. Paired with Texas Cornbread Mix, this duo is just the thing for cold winter weekends!

Better, it's a good keeper, so make this gift-in-a-jar ahead for holiday giving. Unlike cookie jar gifts, Confetti Bean Soup won't go stale in storage.

Makes 12 gift jars at a cost approximately $2 per jar.

Too Early to Think Christmas? Starting Now Makes Sense

Start early to plan for Christmas
   July 28, 2019 by Cynthia Ewer

Summer's in full swing--and baby, it's hot outside! Need a diversion? "Christmas in July" can be the perfect time to look ahead to the holiday season! But not everyone agrees. Many people resist the idea of starting early for an organized Christmas.

So why begin Christmas organizing early--and without the benefit of holiday sentiment? Here are six reasons why starting now makes sense:    Read More >>

Make a Jiffy Pop® Popcorn Topper for 4th of July

Popcorn Topper
   June 29, 2019 by Cynthia Ewer

Looking for popping-good fun for America's birthday celebration? Make a Fourth of July Jiffy Pop® Popcorn Topper!

Add our free printable template to a package of Jiffy Pop® brand pop-in-pan popcorn for an inexpensive "popcorn topper" craft gift.

Share with family, friends or coworkers to bring a patriotic "pop" to Independence Day gatherings.

   Read More >>

Get Organized for Christmas: Try a Holiday Plan

Organized Christmas
Plan Early, Plan Smart for an Organized Christmas

What's the best road to calm and joyous holidays? It's all about the plan!

Preparing for Christmas with the help of a step-by-step plan makes quick work of seasonal chores, and leaves plenty of time, energy--and money!--to celebrate the season. Which plan is right for you? Check out these options to get ready for a stress-free Christmas:    Read More >>

Patriotic Recipe: American Blessings Mix

American Blessings Mix
   June 26, 2019 by Cynthia Ewer

It's a sure-fire hit for patriotic celebrations like Memorial Day or the 4th of July: American Blessings Mix.

This easy recipe creates a simple snack mix favor to remind us of our nation's blessings.

Bagged in favor-sized gift bags and decorated with a patriotic poem, American Blessings Mix brings a festive touch to July 4th celebrations.

Follow the recipe below, and get packaging and assembly how-tos with our Blessings Mix Tutorial.    Read More >>

Holiday Grand Plan: A Clean House for Christmas

Holiday Grand Plan 2019
   June 25, 2019 by Cynthia Ewer

You've decided: this is the year you'll celebrate the holiday season from a home that is clean, organized and ready for Christmas. You dream of holiday parties, overnight house guests, Christmas cookies, a decorated home and a calm and stress-free holiday season.

There's only one problem: right now, you're living in domestic chaos. How to create a clean home for the holidays?

Looking around your home, you don't know where to begin. Cluttered counters, crammed closets and out-of-place possessions pile up everywhere.    Read More >>

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