What have you removed from your MUST DO list for Christmas?

[HollyS]

I''ve stopped sending cards. DH and I have received exactly two cards (outside of family) this year. So obviously I''m not the only one who gave up on this activity.

Some years I don''t bake. I was known for my cookies; they were legendary. But if something becomes expected, and it begins to feel like a chore, I''m all for dropping it.

We don''t get too creative with the outside decorating; just a wreath and a lighted outdoor tree near the front door. We may do more next year, but it was definitely not a MUST DO for us.

 

[LostSapphire]

The year I discovered that the world did not end if I didn''t do all of the usual baking was a life-changer for me! Now I just have the basics on my ''to do'' list...if I get anything else done, that''s a bonus. Talk about relaxing!

LS

 

[lyra]

I''m kind of sad that sending cards stopped. I liked getting them, but I''m too disorganized to send them now. We also cut down on baking this year. Tried to get rid of old decor and not replace it--less is more, although I did update a few items so that it''s easier to set up now. Our entertaining is down to nil. (family lives across the country and visits are done in spring/summer instead) No more buying for extended family at all.

 

[MissGotRocks]

No more Christmas cards. Fact is, I haven''t really sent them for the last couple of years. I do try and call some folks during the holiday. It is much more enjoyable than signing a card Mr. & Mrs. Got Rocks - that just always seems so impersonal.

I don''t bake as much as I used to - but I will always make my infamous fudge!

 

[AmberGretchen]

We stopped sending cards. But we actually stepped up our decorating - we really wanted more of a holiday "feel" during the holidays.

 

[that_someone_special]

We also didn''t send cards. We also didn''t bake cookies this year.

 

[somethingshiny]

I cut out the cards a few years ago and a couple years ago I downsized my baking. I still make around 15 dozen cookies, but I used to make over 30. Also, I have Christmas dinner at my house. I actually have much less to do when I am in charge of the meal rather than bringing several things to everyone else''s house.

 

[yssie]

No more cards. No more gift bags with tons of coloured tissue inside either, just plain old wrapping paper

 

[KimberlyH]

I didn''t make tamales as gifts this year, I''m making them on Wednesday (well finishing them, they filling is done) and we''ll have them for Christmas Eve dinner but I usually make about 100 to give out to family and friends, this year I stuck with baking for gifts.
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We didn''t decorate, no tree, no lights, etc. It''s not something we''re giving up though, we just took a break this year. We''ll have a baby and be in a new house next year and will resume the tradition then.

 

[Kaleigh]

No more Christmas cards for us. I never was into baking, so no guilt about that... hehe.

 

[ChargerGrrl]

Add us to the list of no cards this year. I''m bummed about it, but something just had "to go". Cards have slowly been trickling in, but it''s nowhere near the number we used to get and now the majority of them are pic cards from Snapfish.

We also haven''t gone to tour of the "candy cane lanes" here in L.A. I love seeing the houses all decked out.

I had wanted to start the tradition of going ice skating during the Holidays, but not a good idea this year as I''m preggo!

 

[Scorpioanne]

I did not bake anything this year, I found a woman who makes boxes of baking - 80 pieces, 4 each of 20 different kinds for $25 dollars. It is fabulous!

 

[HollyS]

Date: 12/21/2009 9:59:33 PM
Author: ChargerGrrl
Add us to the list of no cards this year. I''m bummed about it, but something just had ''to go''. Cards have slowly been trickling in, but it''s nowhere near the number we used to get and now the majority of them are pic cards from Snapfish.

We also haven''t gone to tour of the ''candy cane lanes'' here in L.A. I love seeing the houses all decked out.

I had wanted to start the tradition of going ice skating during the Holidays, but not a good idea this year as I''m preggo!

Congratulations! I don''t follow the preggers thread, so I wasn''t aware that you were expecting a little bundle of joy!

I really liked sending cards; with a name like mine, I had a built in theme.

And I did them, until my Mom passed. Then I gradually phased them out of my ''gotta do'' list. They can be time comsuming and expensive, so it just seemed like the logical thing to give them up.

 

[kenny]

I get some e-cards.
I don''t like them.
I''d rather get nothing.

 

[klewis]

We didn''t send any cards this year and I feel a pang of guilt for every card I''ve received.
We usually "host" Christmas but this year we decided we would celebrate with just the two of us, for change. Our families were a bit put out at first, but they''re fine now.

Holly, I''ve been meaning to say how much I like your avatar. Where is it from?

 

[zhuzhu]

We still do cards, but make it much simpler by printing a photo greeting card and send it to everyone without hand-writing note in it. We still do XMas tree and outside lights as they make us happy and make the house look cool. I never bake or make a big Christmas dinner so that does not change. We are not spending the Christmas day with any families but the two of us (already visited them early December) and I really like it this way.

 

[Mrs Mitchell]

I feel a little guilty, but I've dropped most of it. DH sent out cards, because I wasn't going to bother. I'm with Kenny on not loving e-cards.

I baked a Christmas cake and DH made the Christmas pudding. We've put up a tree and put some lights on a tree outside but um, that's about it.

I did my gift shopping online, and my mother is hosting Christmas this year.

I have law exams in January and a toddler to look after, and we discovered some damp in our dining room, so DH has started major work in there. Not a great situation for hosting Christmas, I suppose.

I'll be back on form next year!

 

[diamondringlover]

Cards, I just dont have the time

 

[Mrs Mitchell]

Well, I may not let DH write the cards next year.

I just received a card from someone we haven''t seen in a long time, congratulating us on the birth of our daughter and asking what possessed us to name her Armchair.

DH''s handwriting is apalling. I''d forgotten that. Our baby is called Amelia.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

I find joy in baking, so I could never give it up. For me, this year, I gave up cards. After getting married this past year and writing STD, invitations, shower thank yous and wedding thank yous, I decided that I''d had enough card writing. So no cards this year. DH and I are also postponing our gift exchange until after the holidays because there''s just too much other stuff going on.

 

[Dandi]

Date: 12/22/2009 6:02:01 AM
Author: Mrs Mitchell
Well, I may not let DH write the cards next year.

I just received a card from someone we haven''t seen in a long time, congratulating us on the birth of our daughter and asking what possessed us to name her Armchair.

DH''s handwriting is apalling. I''d forgotten that. Our baby is called Amelia.

Mrs Mitchell, that is the FUNNIEST thing I''ve ever read!!

 

[steph72276]

I don''t think I gave up anything this year. I still have baked (tons of fudge and cookies for friends and hubby''s coworkers), and I LOVE doing Christmas cards every year. I have lots of friends with little ones and I always enjoy getting their cards with pics to see how they''ve grown over the last year, and I use mine for scapbooks for the year, so I don''t think I''ll give them up until after my boys are grown and out of the house!

 

[tlh]

I was going to give up on baking, but we still bought the premade dough, and made cookies this weekend.

I didn''t give up on anything. I hate that a lot of other people gave up on cards, as our card wall- is pretty blank this year.

I like the photo cards, because it is nice to see loved ones grow... or any card really... the sentiment is nice. This year I was super busy, so I didn''t have time for handwritten notes, but I did get out a photo card. *blushes*

A friend of mine gave up on their chain letter christmas card thing. You know, those bragging things? Well they usually do a mocking one, that is pretty over the top - but usually very crass and funny. Well low and behold yesterday afternoon, I got it EMAILED to me. My jaw dropped open. It was so bad. So I get the card, but not even by mail - by email... and it was chock full of grammatical and spelling errors... it would skip being told in the third person to the first person within a sentance. It was bizzare and thrown together last minute. The sad part was, I really would have enjoyed it more- had there been more time and attention put into it.

Oh well, I guess I''m getting to be a scrooge.

 

[MissMina]

I sent and received more cards than usual.
But I hardly decorated at all.

 

[anchor31]

Buying gifts for everyone (and shopping). I made the gifts and the cards instead.

 

[Mrs Mitchell]

Date: 12/22/2009 8:09:50 AM
Author: DandiAndi

Date: 12/22/2009 6:02:01 AM
Author: Mrs Mitchell
Well, I may not let DH write the cards next year.

I just received a card from someone we haven''t seen in a long time, congratulating us on the birth of our daughter and asking what possessed us to name her Armchair.

DH''s handwriting is apalling. I''d forgotten that. Our baby is called Amelia.

Mrs Mitchell, that is the FUNNIEST thing I''ve ever read!!

Glad it made you smile! It made me laugh (after I''d puzzled over it for a minute).

 

[HollyS]

Date: 12/22/2009 1:25:33 AM
Author: klewis
We didn''t send any cards this year and I feel a pang of guilt for every card I''ve received.
We usually ''host'' Christmas but this year we decided we would celebrate with just the two of us, for change. Our families were a bit put out at first, but they''re fine now.

Holly, I''ve been meaning to say how much I like your avatar. Where is it from?

Well, thanks; I''m glad you like it. I was drawn to it because of the beautiful colors as well as the seasonal meaning. I was trying on different holiday avatars one day and came across this image by searching Yahoo images. I just search the ''type'' of image I want to see; in this case I just plugged in "Madonna and Child". Lots of beautiful artwork images popped up, many of them very Byzantine or otherwise iconic looking. This was the one that caught my eye.

 

[zoebartlett]

Sending cards out. I feel so guilty because all of our friends send them (and they have kids and find the time to get it done, but we don''t). It makes me feel like such a slacker, and I don''t really have a good excuse.

We also haven''t decorated. When you walk into our place, you''d never know the holiday season is upon us. I LOVE seeing everyone else''s decorations, but I can''t seem to get it together and throw some garland or a wreath up.

 

[tigian]

Date: 12/22/2009 6:02:01 AM
Author: Mrs Mitchell
Well, I may not let DH write the cards next year.


I just received a card from someone we haven''t seen in a long time, congratulating us on the birth of our daughter and asking what possessed us to name her Armchair.

That is hilarious!


DH''s handwriting is apalling. I''d forgotten that. Our baby is called Amelia.

 

[Keepingthefaith21]

No cards this year - in the same camp at H_H where we have already sent out too many pieces of mail this year!

I also dropped a full Christmas dinner down to informal casual breakfast Christmas morning - much less stress and it leaves DH and I free to spend the night celebrating his birthday with our friends. I also typically make his b-day cake but this year I am on-call Christmas week and covering for another team member so I opted to order his cake from his favorite bakery. I did stock the pantry with the supplies I ususally use to make his cake so he thinks I am going to bake it. I decided I will make him a cake for NYE.