The Best Holiday Planner - By You, For You!

O.K. Here is my Holiday Brain. Why's it the best? Because I tailored it to fit my family and style. It might not be the best for you but hopefully you can get a few ideas on how to make your own Hassel-Free Holiday Planner.

Without this little number I’d have to call Santa and tell him to skip us. Last year was stressful because I didn’t use it. The year before when I did devour its pages, I did much better at surviving the holiday chaos. And this year, well this year will be our best Christmas ever since I’m starting earlier than ever. Of course it’s not stressful working on Christmas stuff right now, it’s stressful when I leave it all until the last minute.

Can I just add that I’m excited as all get-up right now just envisioning my little (because I’ll be at goal by then) self relaxing over the holidays – For Once. Kicking up the fuzzy slippers, sipping Low-sugar, Raspberry flavored Hot Chocolate as I curl up on the sofa with my kids watching the good Old Holiday movies. Sipping just a little because I’ll be trying to maintain my weight loss, not gain it back.

So here is my Holiday Planner. I’ve gotten great ideas from several different websites which I’ll link you too, and some of the pages are my own. I started my planner years ago after getting the idea from a Family Fun Article. Over the years I’ve added my own twist, gotten new ideas and found new resources. This simple planner had even been given out to family and friends for an Early Christmas Gift and extra easy copies can be pulled together quickly for school fundraisers, church craft days etc. Hope you have as much fun with it as I have.

Beware you can get super carried away especially if you’re a scrap booker fanatic. Before you know it this planner can start to get all elaborate. Maybe if you’re doing it for your self and you have the extra time then go ahead and make this a little marvel worth all the drooling admiration of your friends. But for me, well, the simpler the better. Especially if you’re giving them as gifts, then your friends can embellish the pages and sections to fit their own tastes.

Basic Supplies Needed

1. One - 1 in. wide three ring binder. Wider if you love paper.

2. Six dividers that can either be tabbed pockets or 8 ½ X 11 photo page protector sleeves. (Of course you may choose to have more or less than 6 sections depending on what you wanted to get from your planner. I like sticking with a simple six. –

~Calendar
~Mailing Lists
~Gift Lists
~Memories & Traditions
~Crafts & Decorations
~Holiday Recipes, Menu’s & Party Planners

3. Heavy weight paper. Some of the pages in your binder you will use year after year so the thicker the better.

4. Three Rings holed pencil pouches, pockets that can be sealed or zippered shut to hold memorabilia or recipes, or shopping lists.

5. Decorating Supplies – festive pens and stickers, stamps and what-not’s.

6. Decorative Holiday Scrapbook Pages (that you can get from most craft stores) that you can use for your binder Cover-art or even your divider pages.

So here are some pages to get you started.

My Calendar pages that you can decorate to fit any month.

My Mailing List.

and The Holiday Gift List.

Just click on the page and if I got my computer set up right (cross your fingers) you'll be able to link to the page to print it out. Once I get my Holiday pages set up you can find them all here.

I’ll be posting more of my pages over the next couple of weeks as I start to get my Holiday Gears a-Going! If you can’t wait and really want to just make your own then you can find a whole load of pages at Organized Christmas as well. I printed out their pages but don’t use even a quarter of them – but they may work for you. There really are some great ideas and food for thought never hurts.

What are some of the pages you think you couldn't live without?