Today's 24 Hour Giveaway-30 Minute Chair Massage!
Today's giveaway is a 30 minute chair massage compliments of Trish Kramer with New Image Salon! Trish has generously offered to pamper one of our peeps (perfect for the crazy holiday season).
Here is what you need to do:
1) Be a Peep!
2) Post a comment telling us your secret for not getting stressed during the holidays. Maybe it is planning a one day shopping spree, starting out with your favorite latte, or you do all your shopping online. Maybe you bake all your cookies a few weeks ahead and freeze them. Whatever it is, share it with your fellow peeps.
Since this giveaway is from a local business it is only extended to our local peeps (unless you want to drive or fly to Lincoln of course!). We have tried to have a variety of national and local giveaways and we have been thrilled with the participation this week!
37 comments:
I think planning ahead is the key. Making sure you have all the ingredients to what you are going to make at least a week ahead of time. That way there's not running to the store at the last minute. Talking to relatives even as early as October to get on the same page for gift giving so that you can watch for sales and get shopping done early! =)
misty_sue@hotmail.com
My secret: I shop as early as December 26th for gifts. There are some people who you know you are going to have to buy for Christmas... for me its my parents, sisters, in laws, and my neice. With this in hand, I spend my year watching for great deals on things (gotta love the clearance aisles!)
Also, I take time out to be with my kids. They are 4, almost 3, and 1, and its fun to watch them get excited about christmas lights, or toy books that come in the mail.
Thansk guys! :)
i do my gift shopping year round! that way i can find clearance/great sales on things i know would be great for teachers/grandparents/babies. this year i'm already done with teachers, 2 of my kids, siblings, parents, and angel tree and gift exchange gifts!
i did learn that i need to wait for the santa letters to shop for my older kids, though! one year they didn't ask for ANYTHING i had already purchased! :)
barnesfamily1@windstream.net
We just keep it very simple. Our kids are young and get plenty of gifts from the grandparents, so we see no need to break our necks getting more stuff than we or they need. We shop for just our closest family. Two years ago, we started taking a "family retreat" over the holidays. We rented a condo at Lake Okoboji in Iowa (great deals in the winter!) for 2 days and just had a relaxing retreat as a family.
I shop year round as well. Also, sometimes it is worthwhile to take a day off of work do errands when the stores are quieter! I stay away from weekend shopping and my friend Monica has taught me how to shop at night....late at night!
My children are allowed three gifts each. This keeps my holiday shopping simple and affordable. They are young and have never known any different. They receive other gifts from grandparents, aunts & uncles of course but we like to limit it within our own family. We tell them if it was good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for them. =)
My secret to stress free shopping is buying gift cards during the year. The school my children go to get a % of the cost of the gift card. I buy 1-2 a week through the year to various places and then pick a weekend to shop!
Hi! My secret to staying sane is to start every day off with prayer and stick to my routine! I get up EARLY before my kids to do devotions and work on the computer and have a few minutes to myself. I take time each morning to look at my calendar for the next day's activities. Flylady.net has helped me tremendously to get into a "can-do" routine!
As for the holidays, I've been working on a Holiday Control Journal, which is just a few simple pages I can fill in with gifts that need to be bought, food that needs to be made and the budget for each. I then try to watch sales and specials for each of these and get a few things at a time. Your site is a daily stop on my "To-Do" list. The Holiday Control Journal can be downloaded from flylady.net! This year, my goal is to be done with shopping, decorating and cooking by December 1st! Thanks for your great website! I talk about you Chicks almost daily!
Sounds simple, but make time to exercise! Great stress-reliever and helps keep the cookie-guilt at bay. :-)
I stress when I think about what I need to get done. I combat that by trying to do things for others, Angel Tree and similar things. That always makes me feel better :)
It's difficult not to get stressed at holiday time. Planning ahead is always the key for me. I do some of the shopping year round, watching for deals on items that I know my kids, nephews, and other family members would enjoy. I try to plan ahead on the food as well, deciding what to make for each celebration and then watching for coupons and sales, and the Chicks Dig Deals webiste for great bargains on things I will need.
Share baking duties with family members.
Julie
julieannjordan@gmail.com
My "secret" is knowing when to STOP. That goes for shopping, buying and going to Christmas events. I don't have to do it all and I don't have to buy it all. It helps to keep a list of what I already have and really work on not going overboard.
My secret for staying sane this holiday is to remember to keep my family time a priority- lots of special times and memories, not just rush rush rush!
Like others, I try to have all my gift shopping done ahead of time. Then we can spend more time together as a family rather than running to different stores and standing in line. We like to do advent calendars and an advent wreath to keep our focus on what this season is really about.
Like many others, I try to do a lot of the shopping throughout the year and not go overboard which is easy to do by keeping a list and not getting things that are not on the list. We also suggest with our extended families that we draw names for gifts and set a price limit that is reasonable for everyone involved. This way we can spend time and effort in getting a present that will really mean something to that one person rather than trying to get a lot of gifts for a lot of people. And most importantly, keeping in mind the reason for the season!!
I am a peep and because I am, I will likely have less stress this holiday season. :)
The biggest stress reliever is usually just the reminder of the reason for the season! Being thankful at Thanksgiving and celebrating Christ and keeping Him in Christmas during the Christmas season!
I'm a peep!
I think my "secret" for not allowing stress to creep in during the holidays is to 1)just collect gifts throughout the year--especially with so many people to buy for! 2)making cookies with my kids and 3)just to remember that Jesus is the reason that my family celebrates!
Would you consider Omaha local? I'd be willing to drive :)
Patti
I'm a peep!
Boy, could I use this massage! LOL
I started my Christmas shopping real early this year. I am totally not stressed about presents this year!
Two things I do. First, I do shop early for great deals, however there are some things I wait till the very last minuted for (as I work retail, sometimes they increase employee discount to 35% and then you can buy sale items WITH coupons to get amazing gift deals.) Second, try to remember at all times what the holiday is really about. Whether its a time to give thanks, or a time to remember the birth of our Savior, I try and keep the focus on the important, not all the little details.
To keep my holiday stress free I try to keep it all in perspective and take a step back to realize what Christmas is all about...the true meaning. If I keep that in the front of my mind then everything runs smoothly.
1.) I am a peep! (lucky for me my sister introduced me to this lovely website)
2.) I try to keep focus on the true meaning of christmas and not stress about all the temporal things of the season. Shopping and planning ahead helps me but I'm learning to simplify.
1. I'm a peep.
2. I try to not get stressed out this holiday season by keeping organized. Having chores around he house that I want to accomplish every week and getting them done when I can. With baby #3 due the week of Christmas, I also am trying to get all of my shoping done before December 1st! (I figure I will be crazy soon enough, so I try to relax now!) lol.
Thanks!
I shop early that way there is less stress because then I have almost everything already bought
I do a variety of things...shop online when I can, shop early but I haven't done year round shopping for Cmas as others. I've minimized my baking list & bake a bit ahead of time so we can enjoy them longer but also freeze some to save for Cmas eve & Cmas.
1. I'm a peep.
2. I begin buying one or two gifts starting in Oct. so that we can have a cash-only Christmas. Debt would be totally stressful!
We also do NOT make Christmas about gifts but we do something fun every day that keeps our focus on why we celebrate - Jesus!
I make sure the main meal is at someone else's house! :)
We don't have family within 8 hrs of us, so our Christmas's are pretty relaxing and low key. We don't get to excited about all the things to do and try to remember the real reason for Christmas!
I like to have a list, even if you can't get the one item have a backup plan. Buy early and keep all receipts so that if it does come on sale later but not more than 30 days you can bring the receipt in and get the lower price.
Your site is going to help with special deals..
1. I think I'm a peep (though I don't see anywhere to "join?")
2. Shop online using coupon codes. My favorite coupon code site is www.retailmenot.com. You would be amazed at how even the "little guys" use coupon codes. At the very least, I almost always get free shipping. Usually that can be combined with some sort of discount. This is also convenient if you have kids who are now old enough to make "virtual" Christmas lists (i.e., they give you the exact url). Hard to get it wrong when they take you directly to the product online! :-) When I do shop in person, I plan where I am going and search online for printable coupons before I head out. Sometimes they don't work, but most of the time they do.
I am able to really stretch our Christmas budget using coupons and coupon codes. This is super important since we are working our way out of debt and one of the biggest keys is to not incur MORE debt!
LOVE your site by the way! Thanks for taking the time to keep it so current and full of information!
To not get stressed for the holidays, I make certain to schedule a few fun activities for myself and my kiddos. Making a gingerbread house, driving around to see Christmas lights...things like that. It's amazing how recharging it is to do fun, simple stuff with my family!
To stay stress free, my key is starting early and making a list! I shop all year round and have a Christmas list made as soon as I buy the first gift. As for baking, I invite a bunch of girlfriends over and we bust out a nice bottle of wine, and just enjoy spending time together - and in the process we are able to get everyone's baking done! Works out pretty good for us :)
I'm sure a massage would help to keep the stress away... :-)
To lessen the stress--I like to plan ahead. The more organized I am the less stressed I am! I shop through out the year so I can leave December for baking and family time. Focus on Christ and there is no room for stress! :)
I do my Christmas shopping year round so that there is less stress during the holiday season.
I agree with planning ahead...although I really stink at it!:) But last year I did a good job when there was a sale somewhere I tried to do most people's shopping at that place...it worked great! Suzy
I do my Christmas shopping early and online to avoid the holiday shopping madness. I get stressed out when I can't shop leisurely.
TV off..... Christmas music ON! This helps me mellow out when I stress about getting the house prepared, the gifts wrapped, the cookies baked, etc. LOVE IT!!!!
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