We stretch celebrations out as long as possible in our house. Birthdays can last a week or two or even longer if you are careful. We’re certainly not done with Christmas yet. There are many presents still under the tree and others that haven’t arrived yet. We open presents S*L*O*W*L*Y around here.
We do, however, try to start thank you notesright away.
With a large family (each of whom buy for every member) we end up with an impressive collection of gifts. Since we also take time to focus on each person as they open their presents and stop after a bit to PLAY with the new toys, present opening takes a LONG time. I love gifts and surprises so I encourage everyone to savor the experience.
Unfortunately, all of this savoring and celebrating means I am quite behind on my Christmas cards. At what point to they become Happy New Year cards? I’m in the “I’s” but that still leaves a LOT of people left on our address list. Also, I have to finish the 2007 Christmas newsletter. In our Christmas cards, I’ve been directing people here to the blog. This would normally be great, but it would be nice if I had something for them to actually see. I have the newsletter part written. It’s not very witty or clever but it does a decent job or summarizing our year. I’m in the process of adding pictures. I made it through April this afternoon.
My goals for the weekend – edit and complete the newsletter and finish another (large) chunk of Christmas cards.
What about you? Are you taking Christmas decorations down this week? Starting homeschool back up? Dancing with your beloved under the twinkling Christmas lights? Did you finish your Christmas/holiday cards? Do share!
Kathy
Project 365 – Day 361
Uh, we still have our tree up! I always put it up the day after Thanksgiving but I wait until New Year’s Day to take it down! I love our tree and all the unique ornaments on there. A funny mixture to be sure but it shows how the kids have changed as I try to buy the yearly ornament relative to an interest the kid had that year!
School starts back January 2nd and I still do have a few Christmas card stragglers to mail…
I do hope that you will continue your many picture filled blog!!! You can’t quit now with the new spiffy “toy” – please????!!!!
Cool helicopter, David! Pretty necklace, Sarah! Keep going, Kathy! You’ll certainly be done by Valentine’s Day! We’re not thinking yet, still on holiday, so you can still catch up! love you guys, and your savor of the moment.
We’re taking down the tree today as it stopped drawing in water about 1 1/2 weeks ago… it’s pretty crispy. As for the Christmas cards… they’re still here, in my home, STAMPED, and still unsent. My goal is to get them out today. Better than last year though… I wrote a devastatingly witty limerick for our letter, addressed the cards the day I bought them, stuffed the pictures in and still didn’t get them sent out. *sigh*
Hey Kath…..you’re way ahead of the game in my book. I don’t even send out Christmas cards anymore. Maybe I’ll do that again someday, but not now and I feel…..well, wait…ummm….nope, not there……no guilt!
We are cleaning and organizing today: out with the old … in with the new. Since the Christmas tree took wayyyyyy longer to be decorated than I had anticipated … that puppy is staying up until Martin Luther King Day!
Hmmmm…..Martin Luther King, Jr. Tree, ya…..that’s it! hehehe
Tree still up. Not sure when we’ll take it down. It’s such a lot of work. LOL Maybe this weekend maybe the weekend after. I know my kiddos love it so we’ll see. Christmas cards out & in the mail. I skipped the letter this year. It made it SO much faster!
I did lose all my addresses in a crashed PC so I was sending some out here & there as they came in & I could snag addresses. I am ready to have my living room back soon though! I am taking the rest of the weekend to get school plans ready. I’m aiming to start back on the 2nd. Grand plans & all that. 
The picture of Daniel, taken with the 18-55mm lens looks great, and no retouching needed. The lighting is perfect with the built-in flash, so much better than even my built-in flash. Too bad the flash was turned off for Sarah’s picture, though with a little touch-up in PhotoShop Elements it was nicely rescued.
I notice the color balance on Daniel’s picture is better than David’s. You used the Portrait mode on David’s and Automatic for Daniel’s. I guess it just shows how well the automatic mode works. Of course it also helped that Daniel’s photo was zoomed in to 48mm, whereas David’s was at 35mm.
I look forward to seeing more great pictures on here as you try out new things on your camera and learn what works best. Feel free to ask for any tips or advice.
We draw Christmas out as long as possible around here too. Our tree is still up and will stay up until Ken takes it down with his power-saw (his favorite Christmas tradition – likely because it involves power-tools) on the 2nd.
Toys and bows are allowed to remain strewn through the living room and family room throughout the week and we indulge other rare preferences like ice cream for breakfast, bedtime stories by the light of the Christmas tree – that sort of thing. It will be a good two weeks before the Christmas CD’s stop playing We slowly work our way back into ‘normal’ routines, but won’t be fully back on track until the Monday after New Year’s Day.
Looking forward to your newsletter and photos!
**At what point to they become Happy New Year cards?
I can answer this. Renee, and many others, have told me that this is really ADVENT season leading up to Christmas. Christmas goes until Epiphany – I think 6 Jan…..and so technically Christmas cards SHOULD be best after Christmas but before Epiphany wouldn’t you think????? That’s my goal…..but with the family leaving on 5 Jan I’m probably really aiming for New Year’s cards. LOL
For years the Vollings sent out Valentine letters instead of Christmas cards and letters. They are welcomed at ANY time, in my book.
I love you. Aunt Kate
We are still out of town and won’t be back until Thursday. We left with our tree still up but it will be down as soon as I get home
Thankfully, I didn’t decorate anything else this year so that is the only thing I have to put away.
Also, we will be sending out a New Years card . I just couldn’t get it together this year to send out a Christmas card
I haven’t even began our Christmas Letter yet . . . LOL
Emily SHS