Foundation For Learning Bookmarks Blog: November 2015

Here we go again! The holidays will be upon us soon and you’ve decided that this is the year that you’re going to have a sane season. You’re going to put your priorities in order and really enjoy the moments before they pass.

There have been too many times in years past when you’ve exhausted yourself, over-extended, over-spent, over-eaten, and over-partied. And when it was all over, you have found yourself tired, broke, a few pounds heavier, and worst of all, disappointed and full of regrets that you didn’t have the perfect Martha Stewart holidays.

The answer is to plan ahead and to start now. No, it’s not too early! Get a notebook and write it all down. Putting your intentions in writing is a powerful way to focus, think things through, and get organized.

Plan to slow down and really enjoy your family and friends, Below are some great ideas to get you started. Try one, try several, or work them all, and you’ll be on your way to the holidays that you’ve hoped for.

Take time now to really think about the events you love most about the season, really love and would miss if they didn’t happen this year. Write them down. Now think about seasons past. What is it you dreaded, did out of obligation, activities that didn’t turn out the way you wanted. Write them down, and then cross them off your list. This year, decide that you’re going to avoid the "dread list" and focus only on the "love list": those activities that really mean something to you.

Now think about each of the holidays you have coming up. Make a section in your notebook for each of the occasions. What is your vision of the perfect holiday? Write down ideas, thoughts, memories, but only those that were truly special, or new ideas that really peaked your interest and looked like they’d make for special fun.

Ok, here comes a hard one, grab a cup of coffee, put your feet up and push through this important step. Think about how much you can budget because really, do you want to end up over-extending yourself? Do you need that added stress during these coming months? Don’t even think about using credit cards. Decide now that you’ll only be using cash on hand. In fact, setting aside actual cash, rather than using a debit card, is a good way to monitor just how much you’re spending as you see the pile of dollar bills decrease. Not enough to go around? Read on…

Now make your gift list…and check it twice! Be realistic. Do you really need to buy a present for the dog? What about your niece’s boyfriend’s mother or that person at the office that you only talk to once a year? Pare down your list to only those people who are close to your heart. This way, you’ll be honoring your budget and your time as well since you won’t have to shop yourself to the point of exhaustion. Talk to your adult family members about giving each other the gift of not exchanging gifts this year. Or maybe just picking a name out of a hat so that every adult just buys one gift, but everybody still receives one. As far as worker friends go, it’s fine to let your co-workers know that you’re going to be focusing on the family this year. Make sure to let them know this early in the season so they know they won’t have to reciprocate with a gift to you this year. The same goes for friends and neighbors. You’re probably going to find that these folks actually appreciate this gesture, because they’ll now be able to cut back on their own holiday spending too.

Now take a look at your final list and consider whether you want to get a store bought gift or possibly create something special to give. Hand-made might not work as well with the little ones, but the adults might appreciate your efforts. Need some ideas? There is a wealth of inspiration to be found on the web. Make yourself another cup of coffee and browse through sites like Etsy to see what other creatives are making. There’s also Pintrest…a web treasure trove of ideas!

Start now! It’s not too early to start your shopping. Prices have not seen the inevitable seasonal increase yet, there’s a lot of stock to choose from, and you'll avoid the crowds of frantic shoppers. And forget about Black Friday shopping. You don’t need that madness. Opt for peace this season. Shop the web for your gifts. Shopping from home, at your leisure, and having your items delivered to your door…what could be easier? Many sites offer free shipping, so look for that option and save yourself some money. Additionally, shopping the web saves you time and gas money! If you do go out to shop, shop local! Support your local merchants and keep the money in your own community.

For those gifts you’re making? Start now! Give yourself the time and space to create your marvelous gifts, so you can enjoy the process as well as the final product.

Focus on the kids. Make memories for them while at the same time reliving some of your own childhood memories. Who wouldn’t love to become a child again during the holidays! There’s a special joy to be found when you see the holidays through the eyes of a child. Look through your old photo albums and revisit those happy times. You might find that there are old traditions you’ve forgotten about and would like to dust off and share with your family.

Time for decorating? Keep it simple. Look at what you can afford and think about what you might miss if it’s not on display in your home this year. There’s something magical about a lovely tree and well placed twinkle lights. You don’t need to go overboard by creating the grandest display in the neighborhood. Keep it special but simple at home, and then hop in the car one evening and tool around town to gaze at the holiday displays and lightshows. Don’t forget to bring along the cocoa and candy canes for this evening adventure!

Television Specials! In your notebook, write down the schedule for the special holiday television programming. Mark down when your favorite old seasonal movies will be shown. Gather the family, pop the popcorn, turn on the twinkle lights and enjoy these lovely sentimental movies. It wouldn’t be a proper holiday season without them! As an additional idea, keep the TV turned off the rest of the time. Unplug, put on the Christmas records and enjoy the extra time with your family. Or pull out special seasonal books and have story time with the kids. If you don’t have any on hand, the library is chock full of books and probably has the holiday selections already on display.

Take photos! Focus on the process, the preparations, the small bits and pieces, the individual people and small moments. This collection of photos will add up to a brilliant collection for you to enjoy later on, but don’t feel that you need to process them now. Download, process, print your photos after the holidays when you have more time and can enjoy the moments all over again at your leisure.

Are you gathering with far away family? Decide on a central location to cut down on travel time and expense. You can also decide to meet with family just before or just after the holidays. Doing so will extend the holidays, allowing for less rush, less pressure and more fun. Why should we just concentrate on “the big day” rather than celebrating and creating special times throughout the season?

Are you the host? Will you be cooking and baking over the next month or two? Plan your menu now. Put together your shopping list. Shop for seasonal items while they’re well stocked, then make a cooking/baking plan. You don’t have to do everything at once. Spread these tasks out over time and freeze what you can ahead of time. Don’t spend the big day in the kitchen, spend it with your loved ones.

Make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Nap if you need to or if you just want to enjoy a bit of recharging during the day. This is no time to deplete yourself. Sleep so you can stay healthy and enjoy these special times.If possible, consider taking a day off from work, but don't tell anyone. Use this time as a gift to yourself!

Revisit your notebook. You’ll probably have to revisit your expectations as the holidays progress, demands increase and as the TV, magazine, neighbors and friends try to insert their influence. You don’t need to be Martha Stewart. You need to be true to yourself, your family and your own best interests. Be ok with saying “no”. Over-committing is to over-stress and over-spend. It’s ok to say no.

Take time this season to quietly sit by yourself and think about your blessings. Make a gratitude list and really let it sink in: how much you have, how much you have to offer. In moments of stress and inevitable disappointment, your gratitude list will likely give you some real perspective.

Make good use of your time off. Plan ahead, schedule activities, build in down-time. When it’s time to go back to work or to send the kids back to school, you’ll be glad that you spent your time well. Additionally, unplug during these memory making days. Turn off the devices, hide the tablets, and definitely turn off the phone whenever you can. Don’t get lost in the digital world. Spend this time with your loved ones.

“Reach out and touch someone!” Call a close friend or far-away relative and have a real chat. Grab your cup of cocoa and settle in for a good conversation. Doing so is so much more meaningful than the occasional impersonal e-mails and texts.

When it’s all over, the guests have gone home, the decorations put away and the kids are back in school, pull out your notebook again. Make entries regarding the activities that you thoughtfully added during the previous weeks. What worked? What didn’t? What do you wish you’d done differently? Add in photos and successful recipes. You’ve just created a keepsake that can be pulled out, year after year, added to, referred back to, and passed along to the next generation.

Question: 16 college pennants have been partially masked in the photo. Based on only colors and the first two letters of each word, can you fill in the blanks and name the 16 colleges or universities?

Starting at the blue pennant on the left that says "YA" and moving counter-clockwise around the photo, here are the blanks you are trying to fill in:
1. Y A _ _
2. H A _ _ _ _ _
3. P U _ _ _ _
4. N O _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
5. C O _ _ _ _ _
6. O R _ _ _ _
7. G E _ _ _ _ _ T E _ _
8. P R _ _ _ _ _ _ _
9. N O _ _ _ D A _ _
10. S T _ _ _ _ _ _
11. M I _ _ _ _ _ _
12. W A _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
13. N E _ _ _ _ _ _
14. D A _ _ _ _ _ _ _
15. S T _ _ _ _ _ _
16. C O _ _ _ _ _ _

Answer:

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Answers:

1. Y A L E
2. H A R V A R D
3. P U RD U E
4. N O R T H W E S T E R N
5. C O R N E L L
6. O R E G O N
7. G E O R G I A T EC H
8. P R I N C E T O N
9. N O T R E D A M E
10. S T A N F O R D
11. M I S S O U R I
12. W A S H I N G T O N
13. N E B R A S K A
14. D A R T M O U T H
15. S T E P H E N S
16. C O L U M B I A

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