If you’re still trying to come up with some cute handcrafted holiday gifts or decor this year then look no further, here is your answer:
The newest book released by Ella Publishing is filled with darling holiday craft ideas and simple to follow step-by-step instructions! If you’d like to purchase this book Ella has so generously offered all my blog readers 25% off when purchased between now and 12/13. Simply enter the code CRAFTY09.
But wait…if you’re feeling lucky today simply leave me a comment on this post telling me one way you have in the past or plan to simplify your Christmas and you’ll be entered to win your own FREE copy of Vintage Hip Christmas Crafts!
Good luck everyone. Contest closes Sunday at midnight.
Rebecca Cooper is a 42-year-old wife and mother of four from Alberta, Canada. As a photographer, crafter, author, and blogger, she finds joy and fulfillment in celebrating everyday moments. She loves to read and eat chocolate, and is a firm believer in afternoon naps. Rebecca shares her family’s adventures, photo tips, simple craft projects + more right here at Simple as That.
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My plan to simplify is to not buy as many gifts be/c its too easy to get caught up in the frenzy of gift buying…I don’t want mykids thinking Christmas is about how many gifts they get.
And I plan on giving Christmas baking as gifts…who doesn’t like to get baking at Christmas??!
I have been making alot of my gifts this year. One to simplify and two to save money! and who doesn’t love and cherish something homemade?
Seeing how my husband is going to school and we don’t have a lot of room in are apt and a way to get gifts back. I told my sister that she could just take us swimming instead of buying us a gift. I just know that my girls will remember that more then a gift.
Something we did growing up and now I am carrying it on with my little family is coupon books as gifts. It is fun, easy, and very cheap! As a child I loved thinking of things to do for the person I was giving to. Also something I am doing this christmas is not stressing over the little things. Decorations aren’t perfect? Oh well. Christmas tree leans a little? No big deal. My kids wont remember these things years from now, and neither will I.
~shellbell78
I made a list of all the christmas baking I thought I had to do, then asked my kids what their favorites were. cut out a few of the not so favorites, and lessened the time in the kitchen!
Simple is necessary this time of year! We share a daily blessing at dinner each night that always reminds me to step back and enjoy the big picture, rather than worrying about getting the rest of the decorations out, making another batch of goodies, or buying more gifts.
I don’t worry about keeping up with the Jones’. It’s okay if not having outdoor lights puts me in the minority on our block. Neither my hubby or I care to do that. However, I love getting and giving Christmas cards, so I put effort into that. Basically, it’s a pick and choose approach to the holiday extras.
I have been trying to just enjoy it a bit more. I only used a fourth of my decorations and I am perfectly happy with them.
I love to get a new Christmas book or two every year. The really beautiful ones. I still haven’t chosen them yet.
I plan to simplify by keeping things in perspective. I absolutely refuse to get stressed out this year with an overwhelming feeling that I have lots to do. If it is a holiday activity that we enjoy and find meaningful, then we’ll do it. If it just feels like one more thing on the list, it’s getting eliminated this year.
I’ve simplified my gift giving this year and had all of it done by the end of November – first time ever! Everything is wrapped and I plan on enjoying the entire month of December doing all the fun things – cutting down the tree, baking, or simply nothing at all!
I have simplified this busy holiday season by having a Christmas Binder which has all my holiday recipes for baking, using leftovers etc. My list of people I need to remember gifts for each year like teachers, co-workers etc. I even have a list in there of things I have already bought and hid for my kids when they were on clearance so I remember that I already have a lot of what my kids like. Everything I need in one spot is so helpful and a real holiday sanity saver.
hey you crazy times eh!! I am simplifying by realizing I don’t have to buy everything for my kids a few things is enough. Every other year it just seems out of control we are going to focus more on the important things in life! Then gifts. ttys
I pre-shopped at K-Mart for all the kids gifts and put them on layaway. No stressing, no shopping around, and no credit cards. I feel wonderful!
I am trying to stick to a certain number of presents for the kids. I was thinking if I made stuff it might be better… but it’s more money and more time! More meaningful though, so sometimes it’s worth it!
I plan to simplify this year by spending more time with the people who mean the most to me rather than seeing who can spend the most! I’d rather have a year’s worth of memories (& of course some pictures of those memories to scrap) than a present I may not need/want/use in a year….
Great ideas so far.
I’ve decided to do less baking. And therefore less eating of it by me.
i made huge paper snowflakes on our windows instead of million little ones. saved tons of time and they look great. i used gift wrap paper.
Quite frankly, this year I am waiting longer than usual to put up the tree. I usually would have already had it up for awhile, but with a nine month old daughter, this year it has to wait. It is saving my sanity and that is precious time. Less to police for her and less vacumning up of needles. The bigger kids understand this is what mama needs right now and they are okay with that. I hope next yr I can be back on my tree up early schedule!
I am expecting a new baby in four days. So I did alot ahead of time. My other 2 children’s birthdays are Nov and Dec, so this is a busy time of year. Although by no means competely ready, I do have a freezer full of caseroles and presents for the kids. If more gets done (such as presents for adults) great, if not, it will still be a jolly holiday.
I’m not so sure I’m good at simplifying my Christmas but I always plan to start earlier each year but somehow that just never seems to happen, hence the not very good at simplifying.
My husband and I have scaled back on the amount of gifts we buy for people. There is no reason to go into debt for the holiday when that is not the meaning of it.
not attending every and all christmas functions. it’ll be liberating. i can’t wait. thanks!
aimee c.
Simplifying sounds good! I’m trying to emphasize more of the reason of Christmas and the sharing with my kids, not the gimmes and presents! 🙂
Amy in CA
learning to enjoy just being with people more –
buying less and appreciating what we have more.
Each year I try to convince my husband that less is really more. He has finally come around and we are getting each of the 3 children 3 gifts from us and 1 from Santa. Stocking stuffers are still a go (with useful gifts as well as some candy, and Santa always includes toothbrushes!) I think the grandparents are on board, too. It’s not about how many, it’s about the joy of receiving.
I simplified this year by making my cards months ago. They are all ready to go during this month of craziness and I don’t have to rush to get them done.
I am simplifying by not getting everyone in our families gifts. My husband and I are getting our kids gifts, but we aren’t getting a lot for each other and as far as other family goes, we are just doing pictures. We are on a budget this year and we really don’t need anything and all of our family wants pictures all the time, so why not for Christmas?
I’ve been simplifying by making handmade. Real gifts to cherish. ♥
I’d love to have a book about Christmas gifts and Decor…I’d like to add more handmade decor to what we already have!
I made jams, curds and chutneys for my friends this Christmas. I also got copies of my grandparent’s wedding photos to give to my cousins and siblings. I spent the time I would normally spend shopping relaxing with friends and family, watching christmas movies and getting into the christmas spirit. No last minute shopping this year 🙂
We did this with our kids growing up and it made gift buying SO much simpler are meaningful. I’ve told a lot of friends about it and now they do it to. Here it is: Each child chooses or receives four gifts: something you want, something you need, something to wear and something to read. Then there’s also a gift from Santa. I’ll never forget the year my daughter, Kate, couldn’t think of anything she really needed, so she asked if she could choose a name from the local giving tree to give a gift to a child who really did need something. Still makes me teary-eyed to think about it. It’s a great lesson in looking at our wants vs. needs.
This year to simplify my Christmas I plan to make a lot of my gifts … x-mas cards, baked goods, picture frames, etc.
Fcas
I have for the last few christmases made all of my christmas gifts. I try to make something the giftee will use. It has saved me a ton of money and a lot of pain by doing this. No mall shopping! 😀
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That looks like an amazing book – I would LOVE it. Thanks for the chance to win~ ~TanyaS
A few years ago I learned how to smile and say “No”. It wasn’t an easy thing to do, but I had realized I was sacrificing time with my family to spend time doing things for other worthy causes during the holiday season. Something inside of me said I needed to S-L-O-W D-O-W-N and it has made a world of difference. Now that my young children are older-and some have even left my nest-I’m able to start saying “yes” to things, but I do so very carefully.
On the first Sunday of every December a friend & I attend a Christmas Fair – not only do we get to tick off through our gifts/to do list by purcjasing beautiful presents at a reasonable price but we also enjoy our tradition of starting with a cafe breakfast. Good times.
We are staying at home more and not traveling as much this year. I am hoping to get my Christmas card list on the computer, so I can print labels to save time instead of handwriting all the addresses. With four children aged 8 and under, simple is the only way to go at our house!
This year only presents for the kids. And each kid gets one present. This will help us keep our eyes on what is important about christmas: being together and enjoying each other.
this year we simplified by getting our shopping done earlier. planning ahead on what we are getting and sticking to it. simply gifts for neighbors and friends. we are just trying to enjoy the season.
My plan this year? Usually I make my Christmas cards but this year I am going to break down and let Snapfish do my cards for me – my friends and family will still get the yearly photo of the kiddos and we all know that’s what they really want anyway! This is always such a busy time of year for me at work and I decided that this year I wasn’t going to subject myself to the added stress! Kristin, Pittsburgh, PA
this year we are doing a homemade christmas and it is making things a little more simple cuz we are only doing one gift each. it has been really fun as the kids are helping make gifts for each other and for there friends, they talk about how much that person will like it. we are talking about the season and the reason we give.
With a puppy in the house we’ve had to simplify the number of decorations we put out. Giving us more time to enjoy each other and the puppy!
I would love a copy of this, thanks for the chance. Being a single mom I decided to make as many gifts as I can this year – they have always been appreciated in the past and this year they help on the budget. 🙂
i would luv this so need ideas for handmade gifts
Our plan to simplify this Christmas is to hand make gifts. I’m not sure that it’s necessarily easier, but it has been so much more special and taken away the financial stress. That, to me, is simplifying! We can stress about finances the other 11 months of the year, but for atleast one month – we need to stop and remember the real reason for this season!
I cut down my list for my kids to 5 categories: 1 from Santa, 1 book, 1 pair of PJs, 1 ornament, and 1 special gift from us parents. Making my shopping a whole lot easier!
I must admit, I went from real tree to fake. No more endless hours shopping for the perfect tree, cutting the stump so it stands straight in the base, watering it daily. Yup, fake all the way.