I posted a really blurry picture of my Christmas Excel sheet and so many of you loved the idea and asked me to send it to you. So I'm going to attach it here so you can download it and edit it for your own family!
Santa brings: something you want, something you need, something to wear, some thing read, and something to make. I added the something to make because my kids love crafts so we get them something to get their creative juices flowing! In the past that gift has been huge coloring books, a kids airbrush, baking supplies, lego kits, wooden blocks, etc. It's a fun gift to get really creative with! We also do matching family Christmas pajamas as well as a new pair of slippers.
The kids also love doing the Secret Santa! They can't keep secrets so they all already know who is buying for them. I like that this helps to keep track of who bought for who in the past too so they don't buy for the same person 3/5 years. They draw names from a hat. They get really excited about it!
At the end of Christmas I make six copies and file them away in each of their "Christmas" folders. I think it's really awesome that one day they can look back and be like, "hmmm I wonder what I got when I was 7 years old for Christmas?" then be able to pull that sheet out and see everything they received - at least from their immediate family members.
Anyways - I hope this can help all of you keep a little more organized! I can't tell you how many times I have bought something and went, "who did I buy this for again?" OR even the worse one of the, "oh crap Presley only has two of her gifts bought and it's December 23rd!!"
Plus it helps show Tim what each of the kids are getting instead of dragging him down to the basement and pulling everything out. This way it's just right there for him to be like, "why don't we do this instead of that" or "I think this kid would like this for a make gift."
Once I buy the gifts, I highlight the item so I can easily see who has what bought already and which other things I still need to buy.
I started this whole excel sheet last year and I'll forever swear by it from now on!
Goodluck guys! Happy organizing and Christmas shopping!!
xoxo,
Molly
