ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas Printable & Highlight-able Schedule!

Hooray! It's almost time for ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas movie countdown! Starting December 1st! While other channels play some awesome Christmas movies, ABC family is my go to for having something to watch every night. And if you're like me, you have to follow the schedule and plan out what you can fit in! So, I made myself a crude printout of their schedule that I could highlight and hang and thought I'd share it for anyone that wants to do the same!

Just click the link below each picture to access the printable PDF and highlight all the great movies you intend to binge watch! For instance, you could do like me and highlight How the Grinch Stole Christmas every single day it comes on. No shame here. 

Also, ABC has been getting a lot of flack this year for their lineup. People are particularly upset over selections such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Toy Story movies, and showing Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone on Christmas. Well, if you follow this blog or know me at all, you know what I think about that last one ;). But all I have to say is it seems they're trying to include a few younger audience movies that aren't particularly Christmas themed but still in the spirit (IMO). Toy Story = Hello. TOYS.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory = ITS A MOVIE ABOUT CHOCOLATE

As for Harry Potter on Christmas, they show the Christmas (yes, my fellow Christians, HP says CHRISTMAS with their CHRISTMAS dinner and CHRISTMAS presents...sheesh) scenes in this movie and hey, ABC is known for its HP marathons so why not throw the one with a Christmas scene in? Let's just all be thankful that ABC exists, mmkay? 

Enjoy!

December 1st - December 5th

December 5th Continued - December 10th

December 10th Continued - December 15th

December 15th Continued - December 21st

December 21st Continued - December 25th

Christmas 2015 Planner Pages - 22 pages for FREE!

Happy Holidays Everyone!

I've recently received some feedback on my Mini Binder Christmas Planner and have done some work to add two more pages AND now every page in the planner is available in full size! If you don't yet have a mini binder (a half page sized binder available at most places where office supplies is sold) check out this post on how to make your own! If you don't have the original mini-binder Christmas Planner pages, go here! 

Below, you will find links to the PDF's for the two new mini-binder sized Christmas Planner pages, and every single Christmas Planner page in full 8.5 X 11 size! Great for those who want a bit more writing room.

Also, a note on printing the mini sized pages. You may need to change the page size before you print, if your computer doesn't do it for you when you access the PDF. Simply go to File -> Page Setup or File -> Print and change the page size from there. You need to change the page size to 5.5 by 8.5 (or it may show up as 5.50 by 8.50). This is simply a regular sheet of printer paper cut in half. I suggest buying a pack of printer paper and taking it to your local office supplies store and asking them to cut the entire stack in half. They have a cutting machine that does it all at one time and they even box it up for you! 

Also, ONLY for the mini pages, if you have a handheld single hole puncher, I included black dots on the margin where you should hole punch. If you're printing the full size pages, the template pictures below show the black hole dots, but they are not included on the PDF's. A regular three hole punch will work on the full size pages only. 

Another good tip I got from a commentor is to print double sided! More bang for your buck because you don't waste paper!

Simply click the link below each template to access the PDF!

First, the two NEW Mini-Binder Christmas Planner Pages

Who doesn't love a good Christmas morning breakfast? Plan it out with this page!

Mini-Binder Christmas Breakfast Planner

Get organized on your kids' stockings with this stocking stuffer page!

Mini-Binder Stocking Stuffer Planner

And for those of you wanting to go big this year, here is all 22 Christmas Planner pages in full page size!

Black Friday Full Size

Charity Full Size

Child Gift List Full Size

Christmas Breakfast Planner Full Size

Christmas Eve Dinner Full Size

Christmas Day Dinner Full Size

December 2015 Calendar Full Size

Elf on the Shelf Ideas Full Size

Family Gift Planner Full Size

Friends Gift Planner Full Size

Game Planner Full Size

Basic Gift Ideas List Full Size

Gifts Budget List Full Size

In-Laws Gift Planner Full Size

Notes Page Full Size

Parents Gift Planner Full Size

Generic Recipient Gift List Full Size

Secret Santa Planner Full Size

Significant Other Gift Planner Full Size

Stocking Stuffers Planner Full Size

Supplies List Full Size

Christmas Traditions List Full Size

If you have ideas for more pages or if you need help with anything, please feel free to leave a comment below! I love comments!

~ Jessica

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year..

Holiday Greetings!

I'm told that as you get older, things start to change. You look at things a different way, appreciate more, think a little less haphazardly. While this sage advice has only just begun to ring true for me in certain areas of my life, one area in particular proves to be a shining example of how age effects our viewpoint. Christmas. I'm sure you've heard people say jokingly (but with an air of sincerity) that as you get older, the fun of Christmas starts to dwindle away...replaced with stressful gatherings, haunting receipts of your battered bank account, and the ticking of the clock trying to squeeze everything in before Christmas. It's not that these things aren't totally true. It's just that, in a year where I feel I've grown the most, made the most progress on my personal goals, Christmas has changed for me for the better. 

Growing up, like any other kid, Christmas was it. Just the most magical time of year where I couldn't wait to open presents and get gifts for my parents and be off of school. I was rocking Christmas carols long before Thanksgiving and our tree was up immediately after turkey dinner. Every Christmas, even as young as four or five, I would cry. Why in the world? Because this time of year always just overwhelmed me with joy at how wonderful it was and also sadness knowing it was only once a year. I'd cry if my parents ran out of gifts before I did. But this year, I walk through my decorated house and notice that I don't feel the familiar surge of excitement I once got when glancing over at the tree surrounded with gifts. I'm just as likely to listen to my regular stations on the radio as I am to the Christmas playlist on my phone. And it's probably safe to say I won't be waking up at 2am this Christmas to open gifts. But does this mean the Christmas spirit has left me? Have I turned into the Grinch after all, just like everyone said would inevitably happen?

My answer is a resounding no. In fact, what I've gained this year is worth much more to me than any gift I've opened as a child. Things that I went through this year (overcoming horrible anxiety and panic disorder) have aged my inner monologue quite drastically, which in turn has changed how I feel this time of year. But instead of becoming bitter at the thought of how much money I'm spending or stressed over the amount of merry I'm supposed to making, I'm pleasantly shocked to find that I'm not missing the presents at all. Nor am I downtrodden that the daily activities of normal life are still marching on, right up to Christmas day. When I look at our tree with presents, that childlike excitement has been replaced with a warm feeling of how blessed my family is. When I'm getting ready for one of the countless gatherings I have to attend, I don't wonder what gift I'll be getting from so and so, but rather how lucky I am to have family and friends to share the holidays with. Warmer than any fire or cup of hot chocolate, the blessings that the Lord has bestowed upon me has become ever clearer, this year more than any. My age hasn't hardened me to the merriment of Christmastime, nor has it zapped me of my excitement. Rather, it has made me more aware of what I have: family, friends, food, a warm home, opportunity. To sound unapologetically corny, that is the best gift I didn't even ask for. As with many life lessons, I believe we each have to come to these realizations on our own and in our own time. You always hear "Jesus is the Reason for the Season". I know that's true, but the inevitable passing of time has been the greatest teacher in imparting that wisdom to me. Age has nothing to do with Christmas meaning less to a person. It is how you keep Christmas. And this year, I hope to keep it well past December 25th. 

Here's hoping that you have at least one person in your life that gifts you with solace and comfort, one reason to keep Christmas in a new way as you get older. Merry Christmas!

DIY Christmas Wreath and Centerpiece Décor

This past week was an eventful one for me between getting my certification for a new job (Hello, substitute teaching!) and pulling down ALL the Christmas decorations from the attic to deck the halls. Somewhere in there, I managed to do a couple diy projects to spruce up my mother's village collection and our dining room table. 

Read on for how you can make these yourself and how Raise.com can help!

Christmas Wreath

You need: artificial poinsettias, wreath form, red ribbon, phrase plaque, hot glue gun

step 1: wrap wreath form in red ribbon. i used a straw form so i held my ribbon in place with sewing pins. the exposed portion will be covered by the flowers.

step 2: for this project, i found this wooden plaque you paint yourself (a craft within a craft! my favorite!) at goodwill but Walmart and Michael's have phrase plaques for super cheap that you can use in place. Raise.com can help you out, too! If you sign up (for free...score!) on their website, you can buy a Walmart or Michael's gift card (among many others) at a reduced price that you can use to get all the materials for this craft!

Because who else needs a reason to go shopping other than saving money!

step 3: pull your flowers and leaves from the stems.

step 4: using hot glue, attach your plaque and flowers in any orientation you like best!

step 5: i hung my wreath over my mom's Christmas village with Command strips. i'll be doing a post later on how to do the snowflakes you see on the window with just two materials!

Table Centerpiece Décor

You need: stemmed glasses, candles, small holiday trinkets, charger or decorative plate, fake snow, additional décor

the base of this centerpiece is really the overturned stemmed glasses that conceal small, holidays trinkets, topped with festive colored candles. the other items are optional but help complete the scene! I've been seeing the cutest holiday things at Target (my friend and i live there...in the dollar section) that you can snatch up for this centerpiece with a gift card from Raise.com. 

I would love to see someone do something similar with these glitter reindeer! Get them cheaper with a raise.com gift card!

step 1: gather equal numbers of stemware, candles, and small, holiday trinkets

step 2: on your charger/plate, overturn your glasses with a trinket underneath and a candle on top

step 3: add faux snow around your display (we got ours from an old pillow!)

step 4: embellish your display with any additional décor you have. we used my favorite brass deer, a festive candle snuff, and threw in a few fake poinsettias for good measure.

And there you have it! Two crazy simple Christmas decorations to get your house in the holiday spirit!

Mini Binder Christmas Planner

100 days.

That's how much time we have before Christmas! To some that's a whole lot, but to a meticulous planner like me, I see a little over three short months to get my act together so I'm not pulling my hair out come the holidays! If you find yourself in the same boat or are one of those brave souls that waits 'til the last minute, use this planner to help share the load! Please note these are for mini-binders, meaning you need 8.5 by 5.5 inch plain paper. See my other post on how to make your own. If you already have one, simply pop this into the back, or make a cute Christmas binder just for this! I have all the free printables you could need from meal planning to party games and more!

Simply click the link below each template to access the PDF!

Use this Black Friday planner to organize what you plan to get from each store, at what price, and for whom!

Black Friday Planner

Use this simple template to plan your gift recipients and what you might get them.

Simple Gift Planner

Use as a generic recipient gift planner.

Generic Recipient Gift Planner

Use as a detailed gift planner for a child.

Child Gift Planner

Use as a gift planner for a significant other.

Significant Other Gift Planner

Use this as a gift planner for parents.

Parent Gift Planner

Use this as a gift planner for the In-Laws.

In-Laws Gift Planner

Use this to plan gifts for a family.

Family Gift Planner

Use this as a gift planner for friends.

Friends Gift Planner

Use this as a gift planner for charity/other.

Charity/Other Gift Planner

A December calendar to mark all your important events!

December Calendar

Use this to create a gift spending budget.

Gifts Budget

A shopping list of all the wrapping supplies you need!

Supplies Shopping List

A page to write down all of your Elf on the Shelf ideas!

Elf on the Shelf Ideas

A meal planner for your Christmas Eve dinner!

Christmas Eve Dinner Planner

A meal planner for your Christmas Day dinner!

Christmas Day Dinner Planner

If you plan on throwing a party, use this page to document your favorite Christmas games! Minute to Win It anyone? You can find my family's favorite game here!

Game Planner

A page to document all the Christmas traditions you plan to uphold!

Christmas Traditions

Do you have a secret santa? Use this page to help you find the best gift of all!

Secret Santa Planner

A simple notes page for your stray ideas!

Holiday Notes

Would you like an early present? Keep a lookout for an upcoming post with a special Christmas surprise!