While most people's thoughts are on Halloween costumes, pumpkin carving, and trick or treating, I'm looking a little further ahead to Christmas. It always sneaks up on me, mainly because I so love fall, Halloween and particularly Thanksgiving, and I get swept away by all things autumnal.

Before I know it (and I should know it sooner because holiday decorations and catalogs are already everywhere!), it's December, and I'm trying to cram shopping, baking, gift buying, card writing, etc. in among work and everyday life. Even though we're a small family with a pretty laid-back approach to the holidays, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and a bit frantic.   

Last year, I took a more leisurely approach, and it helped immensely. I went to Organized Christmas and used its 6-week organization plan to complete most of my holiday planning and preparation by the first weekend in December.

This free site offers more than 50 printable forms, calendars and checklists for creating a personal holiday planner. I'm reusing the holiday planner I made last year from Christmas scrapbook paper, chipboard and binder rings, and I'll just print out and add in the 2007 forms. (For an even easier planner solution, just use a 3-ring binder.)

While I didn't follow the Organized Christmas plan to the letter, it offered a step-by-step big picture that helped me ensure that I wouldn't overlook anything I felt was important to our family and our traditions.

This year's program kicks off October 21 with "Get Organized Week." Wanna join me in a more organized Christmas? In the meantime, pass the candy corn ...

Best,
Beth