Getting Ready for Christmas

It is officially the day after Thanksgiving {and to many Black Friday} and I don't know about you but my Christmas countdown has begun and I have a whole list of things I need to do.  Here are a few things that I am doing to get ready for Christmas this next week.  

1. Fill Our Home with Holiday Cheer!

Our Thanksgiving Eve tradition, Brent and I have our own low key Thanksgiving dinner {turkey sandwiches!} and start putting up our Christmas tree {we also usually watch a fun Christmas movie like Elf, Fred Clause, or Christmas with the Krank's...my faves!}.  The rest of the decorations will get put up by me over the next week.

Nothing says Christmas like the smell of Christmas...so I am stocking up on yummy scented candles and some refrigerated cookie dough so that our home is always filled with the smells of the season.  Right now I am loving my Aquiesse candle in Monterey Pine {smells like Christmas trees but without all the mess!}.

2. Print Holiday Cards

We do not usually send out Christmas cards in the mail but attach them to brown paper bags of baked goods for neighbors, friends, and Brent's co-workers.  Printing my cards NOW saves me from the headache when I am up to my ears in flour come baking day!

My friend Emily from Happy Hippos made a special free downloadable Christmas card for Domestic Fashionista readers.  I love being able to print from home as I do not have to rely on planning too far ahead and order online.  She also offers other card designs {your purchase the card and print as many as you like!} in her Etsy shop and is offering 10% off to DF readers.  Use promo code: FASHIONISTA10

I made my card in Picassa {make into a collage and add photo and names}.  You can print from home or upload the photo to a photo printing company like Costco or Walmart.  But if you are techy challenged, you could even print and glue in a photo the old school scrapbooking way!

To download: Click on either image below and it will open in it's own window.  Right click and choose "save image as" and save it somewhere on your computer.  Open it up in a photo editing software like Picassa{free} or Photoshop and add your own photo.

3. Making Lists

Nothing makes me more holiday crazy stressed than feeling overwhelmed by all that I have to do.  In order to stay organized, I am putting together lists...who to shop for, who to bake for, holiday things we want to do {go look at Christmas lights, ice skate, drink hot cocoa}, even dates for holiday blog parties I want to join.  By having it all on paper I am less likely to forget something important.

What is on your Christmas to-do list this next week?