Organized Christmas

This is on my list of top 10 websites that have improved my life: http://organizedchristmas.com/

This is my 4th year following the site's 6-week Christmas Countdown. My family's last 3 Christmases have been more peaceful, joyful, and meaningful than I dreamed possible, thanks to the countdown. I'm betting this year will be the best ever as I learn more each year from the countdown process.

This year’s countdown began 10/21/07 but it's not too late to catch up. It requires about 2-3 hours/week of work on Christmas prep and by December 1st, you are totally ready for Christmas. By nature, I'm an 11th-hour-addict but honestly, the last 3 Christmases, by December 1st, the only thing left on my to-do list was "enjoy the season". Try it, you'll be amazed!

The site has a sister site that I also love, http://www.organizedhome.com/. I especially love the section on freezer cooking. If you don't know what that is, you should. I find it euphoric to walk in the house from a day of playing tour guide for visiting family or friends, excuse myself for 5 minutes to take homemade lasagna from the freezer, pop it in the oven and then wander back into the living room to chat with everyone while the lasagna bakes. Within 30 minutes my guests notice the aroma of dinner cooking and start wondering how I did that while also realizing they are as hungry as they are tired from the day's adventure. I just smile and relax knowing that a delicious, home-made dinner is minutes away; relieved that I didn't have to persuade my husband to drag his tired body back out the door for takeout, and thrilled not to be wasting a week's worth of grocery-money on one dinner. And of course I share my secret with my guests – I can't keep something so good to myself!