52 Week Money Challenge - Christmas Fund.

So an update on my 52 Week Money Challenge - the Christmas Fund.

I have not been following this idea as it shows on the label wrapped around the jar, where you deposit a certain amount each week.  I have done that in the past, where I was able to save enough to purchase a hot tub for the Cottage, which you can read about here.  Instead, I went and opened an account at a local bank that was offering a cash incentive.  So I have been depositing my money twice a month, before the 15th and after the 15th and at the end of three months, I will get an additional $150.00 cash incentive deposited into that account.  It came with a debit card (which I have not activated yet).  Once, all my money is deposited and possibly starting around Thanksgiving time (black Friday weekend), I will start my shopping and use the debit card associated with this account to purchase gifts, or pull out cash for those shopping excursions (like craft fairs, vintage shops, etc.) that take cash only.

Now, onto making my Christmas List and setting a budget.

Tis the Season to be Busy

The Season is upon us where we all get busy with all the extra fun added into the Holidays.  Well, this year, the cold and snow came early putting a little extra challenge to my days.  Not only am I working different jobs, I am in the choir of our annual Church play, The Little Drummer Boy, so now I have added all of the scheduled practices, along with finishing up maintenance on the Cottage and working on decorating for all the Holidays.  I like to keep the Holidays separate, so I decorate with a Thanksgiving theme, then on Thanksgiving weekend, I put up the Christmas trees and other decorations, then I add a little glitz for the New Year celebration.

So first, we have Thanksgiving coming up.  I have done my menu planning and grocery shopping for our dinners for the next week so that we have our dinners planned out and then I will do my grocery shopping for Thanksgiving a day or two before.  Thanksgiving is a big day around our house.   We prep a lot of our food on Wednesday evening.  We plan for a big breakfast of French Toast Casserole, Quiche and fresh fruit, then we snack throughout the day on veggies, dip, cheese, crackers and fruit, then we have the traditional Thanksgiving feast of Turkey, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, Corn, Rolls and a few different Desserts and eat creative leftovers throughout the weekend.  We also venture to Frankenmuth for their annual Holiday Celebration and Candlewalk.  It puts me right in the mood for Christmas.

I have already started on my Christmas shopping, but really need to get focused and write down a plan.  I like to plan everything.  I love planners, but I also like simplicity.  So, I keep one planner with everything I am doing wrote down all in one place, so I don't forget anything.  I have a couple Christmas parties to attend this year and looking forward to spending that time with our friends.  One is our annual Christmas party with my Bunco ladies.  This is so much fun.  We all bring a dish to pass and 11 small gifts, one for each of the other ladies and one $15.00 gift that we draw numbers for.  Then, I have a party where I get to really get dressed up and get to spend quality time with my husband and a great circle of friends, like 100 of them.  Ha ha.  I will need to get a hostess gift for the Lady of the house.

There are also two birthdays to be celebrated in December, my daughter's and my youngest son's.  Yes, we do the traditional birthday celebration around here.  I will bake their favorite cake or pie and we enjoy dinner and opening gifts.

I am thinking about adding a Cookie Exchange into my already busy schedule.  I thought this would really be fun way to get my bestest girlfriends and sisters (in-laws) together and just be girls.  I think we should all be in our pajamas.

Well, that is what is happening in my Holiday scheduled life for the 2014 Season.  I hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas.