Category: Hospitality, Holidays & Every Day

Gently Close the Door on Your Holidays

Review and Relish the Holidays, then close the door on all but the good memories.  Here are a few ways to make this process go more smoothly! 

Green your Clean Up:
Find out if your community mulches used Christmas trees.  Recycle cardboard and wrapping papers, and donate packing peanuts and air filled wraps to shipping stores (or The Center in Palos, if you are nearby!).  Walgreens and some hardware stores will recycle used household batteries, so bag them up and take them in! 

Take Note:
Jot a few notes about what worked for Christmas 2010 and what did not, and perhaps things you want to try or avoid for Christmas 2011.  I mentioned last week jotting some menu notes and more gift recipients on my list for next year, to help the 2011 me out come December.  My hubby mentioned a great gift idea for a friend, and the idea will keep until December, so I added that to the list, too.

De-Decorate:
I am de-decorating a room at a time.  I load decorations into a laundry basket and carry them to my basement storage space instead of lugging empty boxes and bins upstairs, filling them, and then carrying them back to the basement.  Seems simpler, and will keep dusty boxes out of my otherwise clean house.  I am also reviewing any decorations that did not make it out of storage this year, to determine if it is time for those decorations to be donated or purged. 

Parting With or Setting Aside Treasures:
I had a great discussion last month with a friend of a friend, she was challenged with “What to do with Holiday Treasures?” when there are just so many to work with, store and keep.  She hosted a Decoration Event, where friends could review and take home items she no longer had room to display or keep.  Everyone enjoyed being together, the visiting friends went home with lovely new-to-them items, and she felt good about sharing her treasures.  Win-Win situation!   A Quote from this person:  “I would recommend this to others as it truly is a way of sharing not only “stuff” but a part of “you”.  As I told the participants, it’s nice knowing that each year as they use the items, I will be remembered.”  We also discussed her desire to pass on treasures to nieces and nephews, so I suggested labeling and putting away a treasure or two for each niece or nephew for when they are older with homes of their own.  One of the more meaningful wedding gifts we received from both of our families was boxes of treasured ornaments from our childhood to start our own Family Christmas Trees.

Last In – First Out Box:
Store your Holiday items with a Last In-First Out box right on top, for items you use early in the Christmas Season.  For us, it holds Christmas lights (easier to put up in November, than December), our Nativity Set and Advent Calendars, a serving tray for our hot cocoa on the counter and a serving dish or two.   We always find a few rogue items around the house, too, into January, so we just tuck those items in the box on top until next time!

I hope you had a lovely Holiday Season, and that the joy you felt stays with you well into 2011!

Homework for Your Christmas Vacation

     My middle son gave me an article the other day, debating the pros and cons of homework over weekends and holiday vacations.  He, of course, sided with the “no homework” side of the argument.   And I am with him.  So, dear readers, no homework this week. 

      But I can’t fight the compulsion to teach and share ideas about how to lead a better, more organized life.  So here are a few things we are going to do this week, between Christmas and the New Year.   Use the information as you choose.  Today, 

  1. I cleaned out the refrigerator.  We have party leftovers (of course), and will be eating through those this week.  But I spent an hour checking expiration dates and wiping down fridge shelves and drawers.
  2. I opened up my Christmas planning spreadsheets and made a couple of notes for next year.   New things we tried and want to continue, like Christmas Eve breakfast out at a beloved local restaurant (EP readers, at Karson’s of course!), and a few things we won’t bother with next year.
  3. I also added some names to my gift list for next year.  Every year, I almost forget about wonderful folks like crossing guards, delivery people and extracurricular teachers.  So I added them to the regular list, to help 2011’s Me be more prepared.    
  4. I also noted the menu from this year’s Christmas dinner, which was appreciated by all, so I could make the dishes again if someone asks.
  5. I got my house Back To Ready, for Monday morning / post-Christmas Celebrations and House Guests, though it was bittersweet to vacuum, do laundry and take out the trash.  It felt like I was closing the door on our parties for the year.  We loved having family with us this weekend.
  6. I broke down a dozen or 2 cardboard boxes to put out with the recycling.  I am reminded of the statistic, that most of the trash in landfills is packaging.  That is very evident at Christmas time, so we recycled as much as possible!

This week,

  1. Now that my fridge has some space again, tomorrow I’ll head to the grocery and re-stock with healthier, basic supplies to get us back in the habit of eating healthy!  I’ll also pick up the ingredients for a lovely ham and bean soup, to use up our Christmas ham bone.
  2. We will watch lots of movies over Christmas break.   Our holiday faves are “”Scrooged”, “While You Were Sleeping” and “Elf”.  And last night, 7 of us snuggled in the family room watching my personal favorite, The Princess Bride.  Complete with popcorn, of course.  We did receive a number of new DVDs for Christmas, too, that we will enjoy together, one every evening.
  3. My sons and I will send Thank you notes.   I love this ritual, to remind us how blessed we are.  We receive gifts from loved ones, but even more, we are so blessed by their presence at events and in our hearts. 
  4. We will take care of returns and exchanges, but not right away.  We only have one or 2 such items, and we’ll take care of them later this week.  We will take advantage of the sales, though, and shop for new sneakers and shirts for school.  We need little else, and I am in no hurry!
  5. I will order my New Year Cards for my company clients and partners.   A few years ago I realized that sending out New Year’s Cards and Calendars were more meaningful than another Christmas card.
  6. I will give myself a late Christmas gift and take a long soaking bath and polish my toenails!
  7. And we will take advantage of the warmer weather later in the week, and take a hike at one of our favorite parks. 

 Have a great week!

Re-Calculate Re-Visited

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     A few weeks ago I blogged about my introduction to GPS, and the calm and unflappable GPS lady who takes changes and challenges in stride, every time.  I am going to begin with the paragraph I wrote as my ending to this blog.   I can be as glib as I want to be sometimes, however:

“Re-Calculate” also reminds us to look around us, take a breath, and re-calculate how we approach our lives and how we care for those around us.  In the last few weeks I have witnessed close friends face great life challenges and sorrows with grace and love and kindness, and simple requests for prayers and thoughts.  So this last week of Advent, make sure you are valuing what is most important to you and your family, and if you’re not, it is time to Re-Calculate.     

     Other instances of Re-Calculate Re-Visited, because things don’t go as planned, or are just sort of complicated: 

     Our conversation last weekend – Who is going to our niece’s Holiday show and who is going carolling with the Junior High School student and band?  2 events, same time.  My oldest and I carolled, the other three went to the show.

      Had a party a few weeks ago now.  48 hours before the party started, my Evite Reminder told me via email that I had 25 yes, 7 no, 11 not yet replied, and …. 25 maybe.  I understand.  This time of year, I often reply “Maybe”, as we are pulled in multiple directions.  But as the hostess, I had a moment of panic – how do you feed a “Maybe”?!  But I re-calculated the menu items and amounts,  and the 43 people who were at the party seemed to have a great time! 

     Every child sized t-shirt was dirty last Thursday.  The white laundry always build up.  To avoid bleach damage, we do it last after all other laundry is done and put away.   The other laundry was clean, though not put away, but the whites, not so much.  We Re-Calculated, improvised.  Summer t-shirts under long sleeve school shirts work just as well.  Whew!   And then I finished the laundry! 

      I don’t wear jeans often, so I only own one pair.  Yes, just one pair, but I love it.  The Re-Calculate part comes in when, during the busiest time of the year, I find a small hole in the, ah, rear of the jeans.  I apparently sat on something, as it is not a normal wear-and-tear sort of hole.   These particular jeans come from a store not remotely close to my house, so shipping them would probably get them here faster than me going out to buy them.  Re-Calculating …  I embraced Free Shipping Friday last week, ordered 2 new pairs (and got a great deal!), and moved on.

      I was on my way to a client’s house, pondering my to-do list, and I noticed all the stores I pass on the way to her house.  Got some errands done on the way home!

      An ordered item has not come in the mail yet.  It needed to be added to a different box and shipped out to a family member far away yesterday, to get to the loved one in time for Christmas.  Re-Calculating…. Don’t know the answer to this one yet.  I’ll get back to you!

     Over the weekend, my husband asked if my spiritual women’s group would be getting together around the holidays.  I said “Yes”, he said “That will be nice.  Where this year?”  I said… umm… “Here!”.  He just smiled, shook his head, and left the room.  I guess that was his Re-Calculate.  The get-together was small and lovely, and went well.  

     Set my IPhone Pomodoro timer for 10 minutes this morning, and attacked my reading pile.  As a product of this busy time of year, I had magazines from November still unread.  Also in the pile were catalogs, local weekly newspapers, health newsletters from area hospitals and our insurance company.  The Re-Calculate part?   What am I really going to read in that 8 inch tall pile of stuff?  It was all pertinent when I first received it, but not nearly so pertinent now.  I no longer care about having the best thanksgiving ever, or making crafts with leaves and sticks.  Done and done.  I also tossed the business magazines from November – it’s old news now, and I need to make room for new news.  I finished my shopping last week, so the catalogs went away.  I do care about the magazines dated for January, though I won’t read them yet.   And since I am still tweaking my menus for upcoming parties,  the cooking magazines and anything dated December made the cut for today’s reading!   So, 10 minutes later, 3 ½ inches of paper went in the recycling bin, the January reading went back up in the magazine holder, and the rest sits next to me for browsing. 

Be ready to Be Flexible and Re-Calculate when necessary!  Have a Blessed Christmas.

1978’s Blue Velour Running Suit

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     I will admit to you, I still have Christmas Shopping to do.  I will finish later today, from the comfort of this very desk chair, after everyone is snug in their beds, settled down for a long winter’s nap, with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads, etc.

    I boycotted all malls back in October, and have not (and will not) darkened the doors of one this holiday season.  So Amazon.com and the internet are my mall of choice, and I may invite Jim the UPS delivery guy to Christmas dinner, he’s been so important to my holiday happiness this year. 

     We employ the Amazon.com wish lists for all of us, and I installed the very useful Universal Wish List button on my browser a few weeks ago, for those items not found at Amazon.com but still centrally located on the amazon wish list.  I have items to purchase off-list and off-line, but I will be Keeping the Green in Evergreen (my village’s slogan) and shopping small local stores for these off-line items.  For shopping specifics, check out my November Blog about Shopping, Deals and Receipts.  I have been very happy to find that most on-line retailers I have been using are offering great promotions and / or free shipping. 

     Sometimes, it is the WHAT TO BUY Question that gets in the way this time of year.  I clearly remember receiving a dark blue velour (it was the 70’s) jogging suit from my Uncle John, and loving it.  He would buy everyone the same thing for Christmas, so 10 jogging suits in different colors and sizes, and he was done.  As a kid, I thought it was sort of funny, but today I recognize what a great idea that was!  So, if you are scratching your head for gift ideas, try a theme:

  • Charitable donations in a loved one’s name or to their favorite charity
  • One big Family gift, like a DVD player, Wii, ice cream maker, etc.
  • Family fun:  Board games, popcorn maker and bucket, hot cocoa ingredients
  • Events or Non-material gifts, such as Museum memberships, Theater or movie tickets, restaurant gift certificates, etc.
  • Sleep: Everyone gets new PJs, robe and slippers, books, blankets, alarm clocks or herbal tea
  • Reading:  Books or How-To Kits, book lights, Magazine subscriptions  
  • Photography:  Frames for some, cameras for others, digital picture key chains, digital picture frames, scrapbook kits, photography classes, you name it!
  • Vacation destination souvenirs
  • Electronics:  everyone really likes toys – no matter their age
  • Automotive:  Car Wash, driving gloves, car organizers, thermal coffee go-mugs, sunglasses
  • Movies:  DVD players (big or portable), movie tickets, DVDs, trivia games

     Tomorrow night, after everyone is in bed, I’ll put on my I-Pod with my Christmas mix,  set up the gift wrapping table and pull out my supplies; gift wrap or bags, tissue paper, tape, ribbons, scissors, tags and a pen.  I’ll open up the shipping boxes that have arrived and start wrapping their contents, then sort the wrapped gifts into large boxes per destination (Christmas eve at Grandma’s, Christmas Morning with my kids, Christmas Day with my in-laws, Day After Christmas with my family) and grab the box I need as the event nears.  Wrapping things now saves me in a number of ways:

  1. Everything will be done and ready by the end of the week, giving me more time to relax next week!
  2. If I need supplies for wrapping, I’ll find out now instead of 11 pm Christmas Eve, and I’ll add the supplies to my grocery list for this week.
  3. If I have any more gifts to purchase, batteries to add, etc., I’ll find that out now, too, while I still have time solve any problems. 

Have fun with your gift giving and wrapping, and Uncle John:  Merry Christmas and Thanks!

Favorite Party Planning Tips, 500 words or less

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To work on my own perfectionist tendencies this week, I am writing  My Favorite 5 Party Planning Tips, in 500 words or less (and because I have another party to plan, so I’d better get to work): 

1.  Don’t over plan.

We went to a party last night that was so very enjoyable (J&J, thanks!).  The host mentioned the hostess was starting to worry about having enough food.  But so long as each guest brought something to pass, we would all have enough.  And we did.  And it was lovely. I have never been to a party where we ran out of food.  Ever.  Maybe it is because I come from a long line of Irish women who feed everyone, but maybe it is because everyone is willing to pitch in and have fun.

2.  My favorite party prep tool:  My ceramic place cards (google them if you like the idea, I got mine from Solutions.com a few years ago).  I got rave reviews for them last week.  Write things like seating arrangements, or food titles or specifics (“vegetarian dish” or “contains peanuts”), use them to plan the placement of your dishes on your buffet or dining table.  

3.  Embrace White:

We received a lovely Irish linen table-cloth and napkins as a wedding gift.  We have used it for any and all holidays along the way, because we can start with the lovely white base and change the theme with accessories /candles / etc.  My kitchen and bathroom towels – also all white.  Bleachable, matches everything.

4.  Remember why you are having a party.

You are having a party because…. you want to honor a particular person; it is a specific holiday; it is always nice to have everyone together; no one else would; who needs a reason?  You are not having a party to show off or prove your domestic prowess.  So do enough to make you and your home pretty and welcoming, and enjoy.

5.  Stay flexible, but have back-up plans.

Cookies in the freezer for drop in guests this time of year, and card table and folding chairs for extra people.  Table cloths are cleaned as we use them and returned to the server in the dining room for whenever.  We have on hand the ingredients to a tried and true appetizer that requires 5 minutes to assemble and microwave (though I do need to add a bag of tortilla chips to my grocery list…. done).  I try to relax and enjoy, but I can relax better knowing I am covered if something unexpected but great comes along!

Above all, enjoy your own party.  Make sure that you get out of the kitchen and enjoy your guests.  That is really the whole point, any way.  It took me a few years to figure this all out, but trust me, make sure you’re having fun, and your guests will, too.

Take Back Your To Do List!

       Don’t let the holiday frenzy take over you life!  The holidays should not cause a frenzy any way, they are supposed to be enjoyed!  Think of your To Do List as things you Get To Do, ways you get to bless your family and your holidays, and not as things you Have To Do. 

Six Time Tips to Get Things Done:

  • Break big tasks into little tiny pieces.  The thought of cleaning my house may seem overwhelming, but spending 15 minutes on each bedroom today makes things much more manageable.  Or get up 15 minutes earlier each morning, and take large tasks, like addressing Christmas Cards, and break the tasks into 15 minute pieces. 
  • Stick with your routines.  Now more than ever, it is imperative that you take care of the every-day stuff in a quick and competent manner.  It is also imperative to maintain your health, so remember those vitamins, exercise, adequate rest, etc.
  • Maintain Perspective.  When we look at everything together, it can seem overwhelming.  A party was starting in less than an hour, and I literally almost cried over a glass of spilled milk.  A deep breath or two, a lot of paper towels and a teachable moment saved me. 
  • Schedule an afternoon for shopping or preparing alone.   Take an morning or afternoon off of work to get things done, or swap sitting services with a friend – watch her little ones for a morning while she hits the mall, do lunch together, and then it’s your turn for the afternoon out!
  • Be realistic and delegate if possible.  Have your husband put the lights on the bushes, let your kids run errands, let someone bring a dish to pass to your party. 
  • Outsource if possible.  The point is not that you should get rid of family and cooking traditions, the point is that we can pay others to do things for us sometimes.  Cookies can be bought, a few side dishes can be catered, someone can be paid to help you clean for a house full of guests, there are even services to hang your lights.  Let others help!

You can get things done if you keep the big picture in mind while making little steps of progress as time permits.  Enjoy!

Glossy Catalog Pages

     I flipped through holiday catalogs the other day on a road trip.  The beautiful, shiny and glossy pictures of things I-don’t-own-but-should-want had the opposite effect than what the advertiser intended, I am sure.  Looking at the lovely things made me crave my own holiday treasures.  The items that appealed to me most on the catalog pages are similar to things I already have.  So, I am looking forward to my own treasures.

     I worked with a client last year who was dreading the decorating process. She enjoyed it, mostly, but the idea of her 20 bins of Christmas stuff scattered all over her basement and living room seemed so daunting.  I advised her to open one bin at a time, take out only the items she wanted and place those in her home, and then put the bin away.  One bin at a time.  Control the flow of chaos.

     I tried that myself last year, too, and it worked really well.  So today, I pulled out the first bins from my own crawl-space and opened the first box of decorations!  I will shop in my own Christmas bins, select only the items I want, the ones that fit my mood, and put the rest away.  Most importantly, I want the Advent items, our Nativity and Advent Calendars, and our outdoor Christmas lights out this week.  The rest can wait!  The house will look pretty, we can enjoy the minimalist attitude and my kids will be ecstatic when we put the tree up in a few weeks, just to prolong the fun!  It’s all good!  And, of course, after the holidays, I will re-assess what I did not put out this year and decide if I want to get rid of it.

    Enjoy this first week of Advent, of Waiting, and get a handle on your decorating.

GPS for the Christmas Season

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I was introduced to a car GPS system this past week.  My hubby got one, and I also traveled around the Chicago area with some out-of-town guests who used one in their car, and Wow, what a handy gadget!  A smooth voice tells you exactly what turns to make and when, and what the steps are to successfully reach your destination.   This little tool does all this while simultaneously alerting you to traffic trouble or the next gas station / rest room / eatery.   

 That smooth voice is never without a suggestion.  She does not judge your driving, nor get angry when you ignore her instructions and go your own way for a while.  My favorite part of the GPS?  “Re-calculating”.    The smooth voice does not throw up her GPS hands or shake a finger at you in exasperation when things don’t go as planned, she just… Re-Calculates.

We have fun in the car, pretending what the voice would say if she was real: “LEFT!  I said take a LEFT!”, but instead she is always calm and soothing, and simply offers the next logical suggestion to help you reach your destination. 

At all times, I let my motto of “Service to God, Family and Community, in that Order” guide my decisions.  But this Christmas season, my internal Colleen-voice will also whisper “Re-calculating….”.  Often. 

Take a breath, clean up the mess, sing the Christmas carol, welcome the friend, care for the stranger, order the gift, and get it all done.  And when things don’t go as planned, and assuredly, sometimes they won’t, I’ll try not to get distracted or frustrated.  I will just… Re-Calculate.

Hospitality as an Art, a Gift and A Skill

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     Hospitality is an art, a gift and a skill.  It may be something you are born with, but it can be taught and it can be learned!  There is a song we sing at Mass called “People, Look East” about Advent and preparing for the birth of our Lord.  We are advised, in the song, that … “The time is near, Of the crowning of the year.  Make your house fair, as you are able.  Trim the hearth and Set the table.”  So appropriate this time of year!
           To sum up the 6 paragraphs on Wikipedia, Hospitality can be considered somewhere between a “sacred religious duty and social service” and “throwing really great dinner parties”.  I consider it both, at different times!  For my purposes, we’ll settle for:

  • provide a warm, friendly and caring environment;
  • actively invite friends, family and even strangers into our home; and
  • consider the needs, comfort and enjoyment of our guest first and foremost. 

     Think about the best place you have ever stayed while traveling, either hotel or a friend’s home.  What did you like best, and what can we learn from great friends and hotels?  We can learn how to be the ultimate organized hostess…

Space:
     Make things obvious.  Label stuff for your guests.  We have a chest of drawers in our guest space, with labels on the handles like “blankets, sheets, extra toiletries”, etc., or you can stick a label on the kitchen cabinet with the coffee mugs for the early morning java!

     Make room for your guests.  Give them counter space in the bathroom, clear some closet space for their items in your guest space.  Make sure there is a chair or bench for them to rest their suitcases on, to make packing and unpacking so much easier.  

     Anticipate your guests’ needs, for example, regarding sleep (small children?  Early risers?) or diet (any special restrictions or requests?).  And stick to your own home itineraries if you need to, but be flexible if you can, for  example, stick with bedtime, but move meal times to accommodate travel plans.

     There is always room at the inn.  It is not too difficult to stay always relatively ready for guests.  We love having guests, and we have carved out space and created routines that enable us to say “Yes, of course you can stay with us” at a moments’ notice.

     We are positively influenced by beautiful surroundings and uncluttered space.  Remember:

  • Treat your guests, and everyone, how you would like to be treated.
  • Little things mean a lot.  The mint on the pillow, the bed turned down, the quality in-room coffee.  The milk and cookie buffet on one cross country trip!  
  • Be a tourist in your own town!  Have lots of different things available (museum passes, theatre schedule, other happenings in the metropolitan area), and then let your guest choose.
  • Leave guide books, tickets, and information about your town for your guests.
  • New and exciting is great, but at the end of the day, we all enjoy a taste of home.  Fuzzy slippers, squishy towels, whatever.
  • Alert your guests ahead of their stay to weather updates, schedule changes, special events, etc.

 Be an organized guest!

  • Don’t guess.  Ask lots of questions, and ask the experts.  If you are not staying at a personal home, ask the Concierge!  I arranged a college roommate reunion weekend a few years ago for the women I roomed with in college.  My new best friend became the Concierge at the hotel where we stayed.  He made dinner reservations, spa appointments, caught us a cab, and generally made our weekend run so smoothly!
  • Know the fire escape routes.  The first thing we do with the kids in a hotel is to find the fire escape routes.  Why wouldn’t you do the same anywhere you plan to sleep?

     And a final thought, If you are flying this holiday season, and taking gifts with you, I offer two suggestions:  Head to Fed-Ex, UPS or the Post Office before your trip, and ship ahead what you will need while you are on vacation; or if you must carry your gifts with you, do not wrap them – you may be asked to unwrap them at the airport.  Line your suitcases with re-usable gift bags, ribbon, tags and tissue paper, remove what packaging you can from your gifts, and be prepared to wrap them in the bags when you reach your destination.

     Happy travels!

Holidays and Everyday: Shopping, Deals and Receipts

     Things can start to feel rather frantic this time of year, so today begins my series of organizing tips for the Holidays And Everyday. 

     This week’s topic is “Holiday Shopping, Deals and Receipts”.

  1. First step is to Make your Gift List.  On paper or in the computer (mine is in MS Excel, I just update it every year with any changes), list all the people you buy for, any ideas you have for each person, your budget for each person and any gifts you already have purchased.
  2. Our families swap wish lists, but every family is different.  We like the lists because it ensures the kids (and adults) get something they will really like, is age appropriate and is not a duplicate.  You and your family can do whatever you want!
  3. Next, look around your house to inventory any gifts purchased earlier in the year, or unopened items that could be used as gifts (for example, I stocked up on candles over the summer, knowing I would need hostess gifts this time of year!).  
  4. From now on, carry your Gift List with you all the time, and keep it updated with budget, purchases and ideas.  I took advantage of a sale at a local store because I had my list on my IPhone, and knew what brand of product a client was looking for.   
  5. Which leads me to Deals:  A good plan can help you take advantage of deals when they come along.  Coupons, free shipping, special sales, etc. are great when you find them for things on your list.  Here are some tech-friendly places to find the deals (from Real Simple and Parenting Magazines, October):
    1. Fastmall.com  (free IPhone app), maps of local malls
    2. Shopkick.com (free IPhone app), sort of scary but this app “knows when you walk into one of its partner stores, like Macy’s and Best Buy, and rewards you with coupons, cash back, etc.”
    3. MobiQpons.com, (free app for many devices) finds store and restaurant coupons
    4. Coupons.com, redplum.com, and smartsource.com for in-store purchases
    5. Couponcabin.com, offers.com and retailmenot.com for on-line shopping
    6. Cellfire.com and couponsherpa.com for shopping on your handheld device
  6. NO IMPULSE SHOPPING!!  Do I need to say it again?  Deals and coupons are only helpful if you are buying something you really need or want as a gift.  Using these specials to stock your own home or to buy things no one will ever want just because it is on sale will lead to gift disasters and debt.  Both things to avoid!
  7. Receipts:   This time of year, consider receipts as valuable as cash, because in some instances, they are.  Receipts enable gift returns in case you realize you’ve got a duplicate or gift receipts for your loved ones in case the gift wasn’t quite right.  Take an envelope out right now, put Christmas 2010 Receipts on it in big bold letters, and keep it in a prominent location.  I put all holiday shopping receipts and packing slips in there, and save it for 6 months. 

Happy Shopping!