It's that time of year, many offices are trucking along with less staff as many have gone away on holiday. Paris, Bali, London, New York...
I'm still here though... until Christmas which is ONLY two weeks away. It's time to get prepared sweetharts! None of this 'leaving the christmas shopping until Christmas Eve' business. None of this 'pay the sales girl to wrap your purchases'. This year, I was on a mission to be prepared and be smart when it came to Christmas and I feel like I've already succeeded.
CHRISTMAS SHOPPING FOR THE FAMILY
Last month was my Christmas shopping month, but I was getting organised all the way back in October. One evening in October I got Daniel to write down the people in his family that he wanted to arrange gifts for, and I wrote down my list. We made the decision to spend a maximum of $30 on each person as we had already spent money on tickets to go away for part of our Christmas holidays. The Christmas shopping happened over a couple of days. We took a trip to Chermside in November, where we found some goodies, but I predominately did our shopping online. Thank goodness for the internet!
Just remember to be careful when shopping online and make sure it's a secure network you are putting your details into. I had some money swipped from my account recently, but thankfully my bank noticed that it was an unusal transaction and contacted me immediately before blocking the transaction.
As the gifts arrived via post, Daniel & I put them away until last week when I bought a couple of rolls of wrapping paper and proceeded to packaging up our goodies. I don't have a tree this year but I do have a Christmas owl that likes to dance and sing "Deck the Halls". I've put it on a table in my apartment and surrounded it with wrapped gifts.
CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS WITH FRIENDS
This year I am celebrating Christmas with some of my close girlfriends at my inner city apartment. I will make sure to document the event after it takes place of course. I have asked the girls to each bring a plate to share and as well as their drink of choice. It's going to be so lovely to just relax and celebrate with the people who I've come to know and love over the past few years. I believe it is important to celebrate christmas with your family, but it is also important to celebrate with the people you adopt as your second family.
Instead of getting the girls gifts tailored to them individually, I decided early on that I would organise gift bags just like I would for a more formal party. I came up with some ideas on pieces the girls would enjoy and spent an evening last week picking up components of the gift bags along Queen St mall.
I've also been invited along to my parents annual Christmas party which is always alot of fun and an excuse to catch up with old family friends. Similarly to my Christmas do, my parents have asked everyone to bring a plate of food to share and their drink of choice. I'm thinking I'll probably be lazy with something pre-packaged from the health food section of Coles or Woolworths.
CHRISTMAS FASHION
As with everything else, a fashionable outfit is necessary for the Christmas celebrations you attend. I'm bought a couple of nice dresses recently from Asos, Forever New & Miss Konduct to rotate throughout the Christmas season. Other great places to shop for festive pieces are Modcloth, Review and Portmans.
I'm so very excited to update you on how my celebrations have gone. Good luck with your shopping, dressing and wrapping my sweetharts. xx
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DISCLAIMER: Photos are not mine.