Start the Holidays Now

Holidays are around the corner and I know that some people are dreading them. Make them easier by starting now. No, I don't mean start listening to Christmas music, I mean hitting up sales and stocking up!

Besides decoration, which you really should buy the day after the holiday for some serious sales, you should start gathering things for your holidays now. Start planning with your family when you are going to do Thanksgiving, Christmas and even plan what you are giving your neighbor kids for Halloween! It will relieve a lot of stress when the crazy months come!


Tips for Halloween, Trick-or-Treater Shopping!



I am going to deter from unhealthy treats for Halloween. Candy is great and all, but honestly, if I buy the candy now, it will be gone by next week. I have 5 gallon, plastic container labeled "Halloween Candy" with my display bowl and all the treats I am stocking up on.

I have juice boxes (which were on sale at Walmart), fun pencils and little note pads (on sale at Target after the after school sales), and when the day gets close I will have apples and oranges. Any thing I do not give away will go back into the box for next year or into my fruit basket for my babies.

This is one step to help promote healthy behavior in our children and our neighborhood.

Saving on Christmas gifts!

Avoid the lines, driving in the freezing cold, and the horrible overpriced products by thinking ahead. Amazon now has a program called Amazon Prime that gives free shipping with some products. (saves on gas) I kept my eyes out for daily deals on things I know my kids wanted or would love. The rest are wrapped and put into a 10 gallon bucket labeled Christmas presents. This was especially nice considering we moved.

I also put stocking suffers in the box except for the fresh oranges I always put into their stockings. All I have to worry about is pull out the box, stick it under the tree and walla! Easy peasy. Now all my concentration can go on basting my turkey fro Christmas Eve Dinner.


Thanksgiving Dinner

This can be tricky considering Thanksgiving is all about food and company. You can still use some fresh vegetables from your garden. Start canning or freezing your food now! I have all my carrots pre-sliced and all my green beans canned. There are so many savings programs in local stores. I know at Macy's Foods they do a Turkey Program whenever you buy groceries there. Last year I got a 25 pound turkey for $10 just because I did my normal grocery shopping. See what programs your local area has.

Now Brianne, why in the blazes are you writing about savings and not healthy food stuff. The reason, because money security is part of being healthy. Holidays are stressful, and sometimes not good stressful. Last year I honestly was crying while putting up ornaments on the tree because I was way stressed. That isn't fair and no one so be grabbing a tissue and hanging an ornament.