{31 Days to a Stress-Free Christmas} Day 31~Last But Not Least

Well it's day 31 and I saved my most valuable tip for last. When I looked back over the years that I felt stressed and overwhelmed through the holidays, I tried to pinpoint what my stress triggers were. Many of them I've shared over the last 30 days. Planning ahead and not procrastinating really seemed to alleviate a great deal of my stress. However in recent years, I realized that I was planning lots of fun things for everyone else. I focused on doing rather than enjoying. I dislike the phrase "me time" because it sounds selfish but I also know that when I have some time to relax and be alone I seem to cope with life a bit better. So I began looking for a few things that I could do to keep me sane through the holidays. Because our schedules can be hectic during December, I make a point of taking a night or an afternoon to go out for coffee with my husband. We usually bring our laptops and go to one of our favorite coffee houses. We have a blast sharing favorite websites and making plans for the future. When you live with a "techie" who has ADHD you need to find ways to connect   that work best for them. I know that it may not seem romantic to be gazing at each other over computer screens or some may feel like "he's not giving you his full attention" but it works for us.  I also try to go out for coffee with a few lady 
friends. Girl time always does wonders for de-stressing.

The past few years I have made a special trip to the library to 
check out a Christmas novel for myself.  Some of my favorites are books by Debbie Macomber. They are fun quick reads usually with a touch of romance. Last year I read 
The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson. It was a  charming Christian fiction book I downloaded for free on my Kindle. Every night I take a cup of cocoa or tea to the comfy chair in my room and spend some time reading. 

Whatever your plans for the Christmas season are, I hope you can use some of the tips I've shared to have a joyful season making precious memories with your loved ones. 

May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and yours as you celebrate the birth of the King of Glory.  

{31 Days to a Stress-Free Christmas} Day 30~A Box of Surprises

So what do you do when you when the kiddos get "bored" over the holidays? One would think that all the new toys and games that they got for Christmas would keep them busy for years. Usually that's not the case in our home. It is amazing how this "boredom" always hits right when I am in the middle of doing something important or when our dinner guests would like to linger over desert and coffee. There is nothing like bored whiny kids to raise my stress level. Enter- A Box of Surprises!! (This tip actually came from my oldest daughter and it is one I am going to use this year). To start this project, fine some type of box with a lid. It could be a small Rubbermaid box or a copy paper box. During the month of November start picking up some small kid friendly craft supplies from the dollar store or your favorite craft store. Include things like coloring books, stickers, markers, foam shapes, construction paper, plaster Christmas ornaments and paints, sun-catchers, etc. You may even have stuff around the house that your kids haven't seen. Simply put the supplies in the box and hide. Now when the boredom hits you are armed and dangerous creative. (The box can even have some new card games or puzzles that your kids have never played with.) Pull out your box and you have ready made fun. Busy kids....happy mom....no stress....it's a good thing. 

{31 Days to a Stress-Free Christmas} Day 29~ Holiday Reading

Over the years, I have enjoyed collecting Children's Christmas books. In the past, I have put them in several baskets under the tree and we casually read them over the month of December. Last year, someone shared an idea that I am planning on surprising Abi with this year. One of the things that kids look forward to at Christmas time is unwrapping the gifts. This year instead of just putting the books in the baskets I am going to wrap them first. Then Abi can have the thrill of opening a "present" each day and the "surprise" of which story we will read. I need to add a few more books to my collection this year. 
This is one that we will be adding this year.."You Are My Miracle by Maryann Cusimano Love. This is a heartwarming Christmas tale written in rhyme illustrating the bond between a parent and their child. Mama Bear starts by saying to her little one "I am your Parent, you are my child, I am your quiet place, you are my wild." Each page continues with the example of how our children complete us as parents and how they need our strong security. By the end I was in tears cuddling my little "Miracle". Taking a few minutes a day to cuddle with Abi and read a fun book is such a nice way to relax and de-stress for both of us. What are your families favorite Christmas Children's books? Leave me some ideas in the comments section! 

{31 Days to a Stress-Free Christmas} Day 28~ The Family Juggling Act

 Balancing Family get-togethers can become very stressful for some families. When Dan and I got engaged both of our extended families lived at least 2 hours away from us. My family wasn't used to having me go elsewhere for the holidays but we spent Christmas eve and Christmas morning with Dan's family and then drove to my family later Christmas day. The next year was our first Christmas as a married couple and instead of honoring my husbands wishes and staying home, I  bent under pressure and we went to visit my family on Christmas eve and then went to see Dan's family the day after. When our fist daughter was born we also gave in and went to visit family on Christmas day. After that year, Dan and I 
decided that from then on we were going to stay home on 
Christmas day. Because family lived so far away, we didn't think it was fair to our children to open up all their gifts,  pack them up, tell them they had to leave everything home, to go visiting for several days without them having time to enjoy playing with the toys they received. At first, this didn't go over too well but eventually the extended family got used to it. We do make a point to try to see all the family sometime during the Christmas week. If everyone lived locally, we might do things a little different but I would 

still be home on Christmas morning. So, how do you balance family obligations without feelings getting hurt? The first thing I do is to pray about it. I always feel more secure with a decision that needs to be made when I know what the Lord wants me to do. If all of our family lived locally I would offer to host a gathering at my home for everyone. I have a friend who would invite both sets of grandparents to share Christmas brunch and gift opening time every Christmas morning. Another friend of mine, who is one of five children, all married with kids of their own,  gets together with her family a few days before Christmas. Instead of cooking they all chip in and order pizza and exchange gifts. Now that my oldest is married with a family of her own I didn't want to put pressure on her to have to feel like she had to do what we wanted her to do for the holidays. Because her husbands parents are divorced, she needs to spread her visiting out between 3 households. I suggested they spend Christmas eve with us and we do our gift exchange then. This leaves them free on Christmas day to either stay home or visit others. Usually they stop back by later Christmas night to see what Abi got for Christmas but there is no pressure if they feel like they just need to go home after a long day of visiting. Whatever your family obligations are, remember that Jesus is the real reason we celebrate Christmas so keep your eyes on Him as you balance your own family with your extended family. I'd love to know how others balance family obligations, especially if your extended family is local. Leave me some ideas in the comment section. 

{31 Days to a Stress-Free Christmas} Day 27~ The Night Before Breakfast

It's the night before Christmas- one thought has you blue

"a nice breakfast" you're thinking - but what should you do??!

OK.. it's not as good as Clement Clarke Moore but I tried. Growing up, it was the tradition to have breakfast before opening the gifts. We had to wait for Daddy to get up and the coffee was made...it seemed like eternity. I will never forget the year that my brother was so excited to open his gifts but mom said we needed to make breakfast first so he grabbed a cookie tray she had made up, put it in the middle of the table and said "here's your breakfast!" We all laughed and had cookies for breakfast. Dan & I have continued the "breakfast first"  tradition with our children also. In order to not make the waiting seem endless for my excited children, I plan Christmas breakfast the night before. Sometimes we have something simple like bagels and fruit and other years I have made a breakfast casserole of some sort. These are my go-to favorites:

Ham & Egg Bake

(plan to get up early to put this in the oven)

6 cups french bread cubes

1 lb. cheese, cubed

4 cups ham, cubed

6 Tbs. flour

2 Tbs. dry mustard

6 Tbs. butter

8 eggs

6 cups milk 

Mix together the flour and dry mustard. Melt butter. In a 10 x 14 baking dish alternate layers of bread, ham, cheese, flour mixture, and melted butter; using two layers of each. Beat eggs. Add milk and a dash of hot sauce, if desired. Pour this over bread Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. In the morning- preheat the oven to 325*. Bake uncovered for 2 hours or until well set in the center. I have also used bacon or sausage in this dish with great results.

Stuffed French Toast

8 slices of bread, cubed

2 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, cubed in small pieces

12 eggs

1/3 cup maple syrup

2 cups milk

Place 1/2 of the bread cubes in a greased 9 x 13 in. pan. Next, add the cream cheese cubes over the bread in pan; add rest of bread on top of cream cheese. Beat eggs, add maple syrup and milk, beating until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night. In the morning, preheat oven to 375* Bake for 45 min. or until set in the center. Serve with extra syrup. This recipe is delicious made with cinnamon raisin bread. 

{31 Days to a Stress-Free Christmas} Day 26~ Ornament Storage

After years of storing our Christmas decorations in boxes I decided a few years ago to purchase Rubbbermaid storage tubs. Depending on how many ornaments and decorations you have this could be quite a significant purchase. I started in October by purchasing a container every few weeks so I had enough when the time came to take down the tree. Under the bed storage boxes are great for the ornaments. Larger tubs store things like our Nativity set and Advent supplies. I label each container with a sharpie marker of its content. Not only do these containers stack really well in the basement but nothing gets squished and broken. Most importantly, the year our basement leaked everything stayed nice and dry. By spreading the purchases out over several weeks it is easier on the budget. What tips do you have for storing Christmas decorations? Leave me a comment- I'd love to hear what others do. 

{31 Days to a Stress-Free Christmas} Day 25~ O Christmas Tree

For years my husband insisted on getting a live tree for our Christmas tree. He loved picking out the perfect tree, bringing it home, and filling our home with the fine fresh scent of pine.  Notice I said "loved". I, on the other hand, hated the long process of picking the perfect tree only to spend the month of December sweeping up the needles and sneezing my head off. ( I am allergic to pine) The year the tree fell over, spilling 5 gallons of water all over the floor, sealed the deal for me of never having a "live" tree again. We have not only made the switch to "fake" trees (to quote my husband) but one year at an after Christmas sale we purchased four new pre-lit trees. (It really was the best thing we ever did!) It saves so much time on decorating day. Whichever kind of tree is your families preference, the one thing I have learned is to pick a tree decorating day and get it on the calendar now. The main reason I do this is to stop my children from pestering me with the daily question "when are we putting the tree up?" They can count down the days. We usually put on a pot of chili that morning, turn on the Christmas Carols, and have a grand old time decorating every room in the house. I love the family memories it creates. It is easier to choose a day and stick with it because we don't have to deal with disappointing weather contingencies. By thinking about decorating the tree this early, I also have time to decide if I want to change my decorating choices that year. I can make new ornaments or purchase ones that fit the new theme early on and not feel rushed. 

{31 Days to a Stress-Free Christmas} Day 24~ Fa-La-La-La-La

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is filling my house with the sounds of Christmas music. Over the years we have built quite an extensive collection of Cd's. A few days before Thanksgiving, I gather all the Christmas Cd's and put them in a basket near the stereo so my family can easily pick out a Cd of their choice to listen to. We usually play Christmas music every day starting the day after Thanksgiving. I don't think you could ever have too many Christmas Cd's and we are always looking to add to our collection. What are some of your favorite Cd's? Leave the name of the album in the comment section if you don't mind sharing. These are some of our favorites: 

    

{31 Days to a Stress-Free Christmas} Day 23~ The Unexpected

Have you ever been caught off guard by someone who blesses you with a gift during the holiday season and you hadn't thought to pick something up for them? What about that unexpected invitation to dinner that causes you to make a stop at Walmart  (on a Saturday during December) to pick up something small for the hostess (and because of the lines you arrive 20 minutes late)?  I am sure this has never  happened to you (me either...). After a few such instances I decided there was something that I could do to change this. I make a point to pick up some small items like jar candles or Christmas ornaments to keep on hand for unexpected gift giving during the holidays. If I don't need to use them at Christmas time I can use things like candles as a gift for anyone throughout the year. Avoiding last minute stress like this is worth the $15-$20 it may cost to have four or five small gifts at the ready. Some years I haven't wanted to purchase these "just in case" gifts so I baked several loaves of cranberry bread and put them in the freezer. At a moments notice, I could just grab the bread, wrap in brown paper, add a gingham ribbon and homemade gift tag, and have a wonderful "ready made" gift. I found this link to the Martha Stewart website with some great "hostess gifts" but they would be wonderful for any gift you need to give. Here's the link: http://www.marthastewart.com/859060/holiday-hostess-gift-ideas/@center/276958/holiday-entertaining#end

{31 Days to a Stress-Free Christmas} Day 22~It's A Wrap

I usually enjoy wrapping all the gifts we give. I love picking out the paper and ribbons. I love seeing the pile of wrapped presents grow and finally be placed under the tree. I used to wrap everything in one afternoon. My daughter Britni and I put on a few Christmas movies and had what we called "the wrap-fest". Four years ago I injured myself and ever since the repetition of wrapping becomes painful. By setting up a wrapping station I can spread out the job over several days or weeks. 

In years past, I always seemed to procrastinate when it came to the "wrap-fest". We would somehow find ourselves wrapping everything two days before Christmas. It seemed like no sooner did we get the paper on then it was time to tear it off. One good thing that came as a result of the injury is that I now pick a date that I want all the wrapping to be done. Last year I had everything wrapped the week before Christmas. I loved looking at the packages under the tree for more than two days. It also created a bit of suspense for our 7 year old, who loved to sit on the floor and "organize" the presents each day. Most importantly, it became a daily reminder of how much God had blessed us that Christmas Season. 

{31 Days to a Stress-Free Christmas} Day 21~ Black Friday???

My motto has always been.."I don't want anything bad enough to wake up at 2 a.m. to go shopping for!" Well... ...two years ago I made the leap to the dark side. As my dear friend Flossie and I were quilting one October day, she was telling me that she has gone Black Friday shopping for years and shared how much fun she has. So..as the Thanksgiving dishes were being cleaned up that year I decided to check the online Walmart ad for what might be on sale...at 2 a.m.
It just so happened, that the only thing my oldest daughter had asked us for was on sale for an unbelievable price.

 So...I grabbed the resident shopping queen...(my mom) and headed out to Walmart at
2 a.m.   Needless to say I've learned some things in the past two years that, should you choose to enter the Black Friday nonsense... might make things a bit smoother for you. 

Check The Ads 

A few weeks before Thanksgiving many of the stores put their Black Friday ads online. Because I don't want to be tempted to make impulse purchases and spend money that I shouldn't, I look carefully through the ads and write down the things I think are good deals. This way I can look at it for a few days and really make sure it is something I should buy. I don't go out shopping just for the sake of going out on Black Friday. Last year, I wanted an item from Sears that the ad said went on sale at 4:00 a.m. What I didn't realize was that particular item was going to be on sale all weekend and it wasn't a "hot" ticket item so I didn't need to be there when the store opened. 

When I definitely decide to go out shopping, I plan which stores I will go to. Last year, Walmart had different sales every hour. Some of the items I wanted went on sale at 10:00 on Thursday night others went on sale at midnight. I have always imagined throngs of people trampling each other to get the last "Cabbage Patch Doll" on earth, whenever I thought of "Black Friday" shopping. The first year I only went to Walmart. I had never seen anything like it. It was pretty well organized with items on pallets throughout the store. I was told by my friend to get there early so I could stand close to the pallet if it was a more desirable item that I wanted. (which so far I haven't been interested in any "hot ticket" items) It was a very lighthearted atmosphere as people gathered around waiting for the items to be unwrapped. I had several opportunities to share with others some of our family traditions and why we never felt pressured to get our kids the latest and the greatest. 

I also would recommend not going out alone. It is so much better to go with someone else. The parking lots get crowded and people do stupid things these days so use extra caution. I noticed that at Walmart there were many people waiting in very long line for electronic items. I had overheard that the store had given out numbered tickets for those items. It is a good idea to check with the store when you can get tickets for those items. They may start handing them out at 10:00 for an item that goes on sale at midnight. Be prepared to wait in long long lines for these kinds of items. 

The first year I took my purse with me into the store and I was uncomfortable keeping it on my shoulder and felt like it inhibited me a bit. Last year I took one of those strap on waist packs. I felt like my money was more secure and I could keep my hands free. 

Black Friday shopping is not for everyone but if you're thinking about stepping out this year I hope some of these ideas will help. I'd love to know if anyone else has gone out shopping on Black Friday. Leave me a comment with any helpful advice you have to share. 

{31 Days to a Stress-Free Christmas} Day 20~ Wrap It Up

With the holidays soon approaching, I like to set up a "wrapping station" somewhere in the house. I purchased a tall kitchen garbage pail in which I store the rolls of wrapping paper in. I have a rubber-maid bucket with a lid to hold things like ribbon, tape, and scissors. I like to pick up tissue paper from the dollar store. A collection of shirt boxes are also a great thing to keep on hand. In our house, I set this station up in the dining room. The table makes a nice surface to wrap on.  Now I can wrap things as soon as I bring them home. 

{31 Days to a Stress-Free Christmas} Day 19~ Service Brings a Smile

One way that we keep things in perspective during the holidays is to do some sort of service project. There are many opportunities to give  not only money but time to those less fortunate. We have visited nursing homes to sing Christmas carols. We have collected items and filled shoe boxes to donate to Samaritans purse. I think that ringing a bell for the Salvation Army's kettle drive has made the biggest impression on Abi. Our church does this as a service project every year. We sign up for 2 hour stretches and it really becomes a sacrifice for a 6 year old to stand there for that long, especially if it is cold. I remind her, as she is getting tired and cold, that some of the money we are collecting will be used to help people pay their heating bills that winter. Giving back always helps my children become a little more grateful for what the Lord has blessed us with. Taking the focus off of my own needs and what I have to get done by focusing on someone less fortunate always reduces my stress levels. Start looking into what service project you will do during the month of December so you can contact any agencies in your area for details or days needed to serve.  

{31 Days to a Stress-Free Christmas} Day 18~ Family Traditions Gone Bad

Nothing ruins family traditions more than being unprepared. It is not fun to wait around endlessly while mom or dad searches every nook and cranny, on Christmas Eve, for the special movie that the entire family watches together every year. (which we still haven't found)

 We have several family traditions that we do every Christmas Eve. One is to build a gingerbread house together. Several weeks before, I start gathering things like gum drops, peppermints, etc. and put them in a tub of some sort so they are ready to pull out for the decorating. Some years we buy a ready made kit and other years we have made the gingerbread ourselves. If I am making the gingerbread I make it several days ahead and cut out the house pieces. This I learned because 2-year olds don't wait patiently for gingerbread to be baked before decorating. Our excitement spiraled down to whining and total loss of interest.  

Delegate

Another tradition from my husband's family is making oyster stew when we come home from our Christmas eve service. To avoid the stress of worrying if I am going to buy the right things, which oysters to get- I have turned this over to my husband. He goes to the store on Christmas eve morning, purchases what he needs, and makes the stew when we come home from church. This delegation came about as a result after a disastrous pot of stew was made with oysters that were full of sand. Enough said. 

Every year since we have been married, we have watched the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" on Christmas eve. When our children were younger, we put on the cartoon version of How The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. It was a disaster last year after we told Abi that she could watch it while daddy made the stew and then it couldn't be found anywhere. I never want to go through that disappointment again when it was something I could have prevented by having the movie set aside. 

Each night of Advent, after our reading, we have Abi pick one of the Christmas cards that was sent to us the previous year, and we pray for the sender and their family. The year I lost the cards from the previous Christmas was a big disappointment. Now, when we pack up the Advent stuff, I gather the Christmas cards that came in that season and store them right in the same box. 

So take a few minutes this month to think through the traditions your family has and what things you can do or gather together ahead of time to be ready to go. If you have been thinking of beginning any new traditions, now is the time to think of the things or the time you will need to start them. Traditions are memory makers. I don't want the memory of our special family times to be tainted with short tempers, arguing, or poor planning. 

{31 Days to a Stress-Free Christmas} Day 17~ Family Time

The one thing that seems to suffer when we are so 
busy rushing around preparing for the holidays is family time. The one thing that keeps me grounded and stress free during the holidays is family time. Years ago I realized that we were doing a lot of "stuff" to celebrate the holidays but we weren't really enjoying much of it. We just felt exhausted and rushed but I didn't know what to do to change it. I don't even remember praying about it but God knew we needed to focus on His reason for the season. My husband had coached a homeschool soccer team that fall. As a thank-you, the team chipped in and got him a gift certificate to our local Christian book store. On his way home from work one afternoon he stopped in to the store and purchased "The Family Advent Book". Every night during Advent, Dan read the devotional book to Britni and I. This became such a special relaxing time that we wanted it to continue each year. We have since found a great advent trilogy written by Arnold Ytreeide. My children can't wait for us to read each night. 

We also like to do some things like drive through our town and look at Christmas lights. I make sure I put this on the calendar by mid-November. If I don't our nights fill up and we have a very disappointed little one on our hands. 

One of the churches in our area does a simply wonderful "walk through Bethlehem" that we have attended for the past two years. This event is so popular that if you don't get there early, you wait for hours to go through. As soon as I get the dates for this we put it on the calendar because it is one of the high points of our Christmas season.  

By scheduling our family time, it sends the message to my children that spending time with them is more important than dragging them hither an yon. I really try to be home at least four nights a week, preferably five, during the month of December. We have one week in the month where, as a family, we are involved in a ballet production but that is the only exception. 

Now is the time to look back over what you did last year with your family. If you remember feeling stressed and rushed, start filling in your December calendar now by adding some special family time. 

I would love to hear how others spend their holiday season. What do you do for "down time" with your family during the holidays? 

{31 Days to a Stress-Free Christmas} Day 16~ Christmas Dinner Tips

For years, my Holiday celebrations seemed to have taken place mostly in the kitchen. Setting the table, cooking the dinner, & cleaning up took hours away from relaxing and enjoying my family. A few years ago I decided to figure out a way to have a wonderful Christmas dinner without spending all day in the kitchen. These are the ideas I came up with. 

Plan The Dinner

It may seem a bit early to plan Christmas dinner in October, and I actually don't plan it now, but this is a good idea for Thanksgiving dinner as well. In our home, holiday dinners have always been special. I bear the mark of an Italian heritage. In recent years I have been working hard to improve my health. I had to get to a place where I separated the holiday memories from the food. Now I strive to plan a menu that fits within my dietary needs and yet is still delicious for everyone. We always have turkey for Thanksgiving so by Christmas we are ready for something else like ham or a beef roast. Once I have chosen the main I think through the sides. I like to try a few new dishes each year but always make some old standbys as well. I am sure you can guess....now I make another list on the computer including recipes, if needed. This also helps me in the next month or so while I am grocery shopping to watch for sales. 

Plan The Table Settings

This is one of my favorite parts of the holidays. I love planning the table settings. To me it puts my emphasis on something other than food. Several years ago, at an after Christmas sale, I found silver chargers for next to nothing. Most years I use them and build my 

table settings from there. I have gotten most of my ideas from either a magazine or the Internet. By thinking ahead, if I don't have an item that would be just perfect, I can search yard sales or second hand shops to save some money and still have the "perfect" table. I make a note of the serving pieces I want to use so I am not running around at the last minute trying to find something. This year, because we do not have a cat,(I am a bit of a germ-a-phobe-enough said) I am planning on setting the table the day before so I can enjoy it longer. 

Cooking Ahead

The cooking day before

This may not work for some people but I started this a few years ago for Thanksgiving and it totally made the holiday more enjoyable for me. I purposely  to make side dishes that could be made the day before and heated up or baked on the day of. I put the food in the serving dishes and refrigerated them overnight. If it was a dish that would be heated in the microwave I made sure it was microwave safe. Chrystal is not microwave safe. If it was a casserole would be baked, I used a "pretty" casserole dish. The only thing I had to do was put the turkey in the oven and let it roast slowly all morning. The best thing was all of the pots and pans were washed the day before. I ran my dishwasher and emptied it before we ate so that all I had to do was load it after the meal was finished. I spent a lot less time in the kitchen and was able to be more involved with my family. 

Dessert Buffet

{31 Days to a Stress-Free Christmas} Day 15~ Double DInners

With rare exception, our family sits down and has dinner together every night. This can be challenging during a busy holiday season. I had to figure out a way that we would still have dinner every night without resorting to fast food take out. Once again, rely on your freezer. 

Double the Dinner

While this time of year is not as busy as November and December, it's a good time to think about making a double batch of the meals you plan each night. Serve half of the meal and freeze the other half for a night during the holiday season where you will be too busy to cook. One idea I am planning on doing this year came from a post on Pinterst. Freezing ingredients in bags that can later be thawed out and put in a crock-pot. That will be a life saver on a day that I am away from home. My mom did this regularly when I was growing up, and to this day she can be found in the kitchen whipping up something for the freezer-from soup to eggplant parmigiana! (In case you don't know, mom shares a house with us-this is one of the many perks!) A home-cooked meal is more enjoyable than waiting 45 minutes for a pizza delivery any day. 

{31 Days to a Stress-Free Christmas} Day 14~' Tis The Season To Freeze

The Christmas season brings with it many occasions where we need to bring cookies or some other baked treat with us. I hate putting myself under time crunch to bake something at the last minute. Enter the freezer. It is so helpful to take the time now to put some quick breads or cookies in the freezer that can be taken out at a moments notice. I have baked and frozen all of my Christmas cookies each year because they stay fresh longer. Quick breads of all sorts are easy to prepare and a certain family member thinks they taste better after they have been frozen. One of my favorite things to do during apple season is to prepare what I call "apple pie inserts". I prepare the apples and add the spices I would normally add to an apple pie. Then line a pie pan with plastic wrap so that there is excess enough to cover over the pie on each side. Add your apples, wrap up, and freeze in the pie pan. Stick in the freezer. When the apples are frozen pop the plastic wrap out of the pan and wrap well with foil. When you need a pie just put the "inserts" into your crust and bake. (One year I hit a sale on refrigerated pie crusts and froze enough crusts for each pie insert)  I have included a list of what baked things can be frozen and for how long. Don't forget to label and date your packages. I love a good mystery but it's just not the same when it involves frozen blobs of tinfoil. Happy Baking!

Cookie dough= 6 months

Bread=3 months

Muffins or quick  breads= 1-2 months

Fruit cakes= 1 year

Cookies= 4-6 months

Pumpkin pie= 1 month

Fruit pies= 1 year

Fruit pies, unbaked 8 months

Nut pies= 6 months

Pie shells, unbaked= 2 months

{31 Days to a Stress-Free Christmas} Day 13~ Sweet Relief

Holiday Baking has always been special in our family. My Mom & Grandmother spent weeks before Christmas, baking all kinds of cookies and other lovely treats. Over the years, I have found some helpful hints to make our Christmas baking run smoothly. 

The first thing I do is to gather my recipes. Like everyone, we have several recipes that we always make but I also like to try some new ones each year. I like to make one master shopping list on the computer where I type in the ingredients I need for each recipe. Some years, I have done a separate shopping trip for baking supplies, other years I needed to spread out the purchasing over several weeks. Either way, all of the ingredients get purchased before my baking day and I don't forget any of the ingredients I need. 
Another thing I found helpful is to plan one day as a mixing day and one, or more, days as a baking day. I mix up the dough for all the cookies I am making , wrap it up tight in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. Then over the next few days I bake the cookies. It is so nice not to have to wash all the mixing bowls and measuring cups between each batch of cookies. I also bake several weeks before Christmas and freeze the cookies in air-tight containers. They stay fresh and I can pull them out as needed. (It also helps make them last  longer) 
What holiday baking tips to you have? Leave me a comment- I'd love to hear other time saving ideas.