Dec 6, 2016

Small & Simple Ways to Make the Season Bright

Gift wrap ideas, stocking stuffer ideas, holiday decorations, kid crafts
I was provided free product from Oriental Trading in exchange for a blog post.  No other type of compensation was received.  All opinions are my own.

It's December!  I say that in two tones.  One is that I love December and the magic that comes with the Christmas season.  However, I also say that in the tone of HOLY COW!  I have so much to do!  If you have been following along then you know that I am pretty much done Christmas shopping.  Honestly, at this point I only have my husband to shop for and I only have a few gifts to get him.   I'm pretty excited about that! 

However, I still have quite a few presents to wrap.  I still have TONS of family and friend parties.  My daughter has a ton of events coming up.  I am trying to finish a wreath BEFORE Christmas since it is a Christmas wreath.  Then pile all that on top of normal every day life.  

This year it has been my plan to simplify.  I wanted to really make things easy.  So I didn't hand make my advent calendar like I did last year.  I have a plan to hand make them every other year and just buy one every other year.  Sounds doable, right?  I don't have any crazy expectations.  For example, with the wreath I WANT it done before Christmas, but if it doesn't happen then oh well.  

This year I want to have peace and happiness in my home and I want my home to be a happy place.  So I created some things that I wanted to have happen and then I tried to get to those results the simplest way possible.  I am pretty happy with how it has gone so far.  

What are some things you want to happen this December?  Do you want to have a Christmas party?  Do you want fun activities to do with your kids?  Do you want to get yummy treats for your kids stockings?  Do you want to simplify your wrapping this year?  Do you want to add some new decor this year?  

Those are all things that I wanted to do.  If you answered yes to any of those questions then check out how I achieved these things easily.  Honestly, some of them were very simple; I barely had to lift a finger.
Party activities, kid crafts, holiday decorations, stocking stuffer ideas

Decorations

I will start with the easiest and then go to hardest, but the hardest isn't even hard.  Honestly you could add ALL these pieces to your holiday decor in under an hour.  First up are these "Warm" and "Cozy" pillows.  I loved getting these ones because they can be carried through your decor even after Christmas.  I plan to have them out until I put up my Valentines decorations. 
Small & Simple Ways to Make the Season Bright

Next, is a gold metallic garland.  If you know me then you know that I LOVE garlands and I LOVE gold.  Sometimes I have to tell myself that there is such thing as too much gold.  This garland is perfect for me and my taste and it was so simple to just put up and be done! 
Small & Simple Ways to Make the Season Bright

The last decoration that I added came with two pieces.  The first is a Boxwood Garland (again a garland) and two Candy Cane Striped Glitter Bows.  I knew I wanted to add something to my front porch.  We redid our whole front porch and it pops on our house so I wanted to add some new classic looking decorations to the front door/porch.  
Small & Simple Ways to Make the Season Bright

Kid Craft/Activity

Every year I love to do crafts with my daughters.  I am not saying we won't do any, but I did get this color your own calendar that is perfect when I don't have time to put something together.  My daughter is actually quite excited to put an X mark through each day and see when different activities are coming up.  It turned out to be a great buy for a great price!  
Small & Simple Ways to Make the Season Bright

Party Activities


My husband's family used to do a Christmas Eve party every year since we were married.  However, they have stopped doing it.  So we are starting our own Christmas Eve Tradition.  That is we do a party as a family.  I wanted to get some activities for that party that would be fun.  I got these two games and both the girls loved them when we did a trial run playing them a couple weeks ago.  I love seeing the excitement in their eyes when they made the bean bag in a hole or the giggles of when the rings were being tossed at them.  

Small & Simple Ways to Make the Season Bright

Small & Simple Ways to Make the Season Bright

Stocking/Gift Wrap

The last category I wanted to tackle consisted of things from Santa.  First the candy for the stockings.  I found this gift pack and it includes their favorites.  They each come shaped like a different thing which will make them fun too.  
Small & Simple Ways to Make the Season Bright

Lastly, gift wrap bags that I could put my baby's presents in.  Santa brings their toys in Kraft and red Kraft colored wrapping paper, but this year I wanted Isla to be able to open them herself.  So I wanted to do bags.  I know they aren't as fun, but it will be if she can actually open them.  Of course I wanted them to match because I am like that.  So I got these fantastic bags that compliment the wrapping paper so well. 
Small & Simple Ways to Make the Season Bright

I am so happy that I have simplified my December.  I honestly can say that I am enjoying it so much more than cramming in a million things that need to get done.  I now just need to finish up the wrapping and we will be good to go!  

Your turn: You tell me what are you doing to simplify your Holiday Season!? 

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