Planning Ahead for Christmas

It seems like many of the stores are already filled with Christmas items ~ especially crafts shops! And while many of the grocery stores are filled with candy for Halloween, still others have their special holiday baking aisles already displayed.

This is the season to spend a little extra time looking through all those ad flyers that come in each week, along with the newspaper's food section and Sunday supplements. Here are a few ideas...

~ Keep your eyes open for items you'll need for holiday baking. Make lists of all the recipes you want to try, and as these things go on sale, buy them now! That way you won't have the large expense all in one week, when it's closer to Christmas.

~ Look in the candy aisles now, while there's so much candy available at some good sale prices for Halloween! See if there are items there that you can use in your Christmas baking, or for stocking stuffers. Of course, you wouldn't want to use the candy wrapped in fall colors when you'd prefer to see red and green. BUT, you can buy the large bags of wrapped peppermints and save them to make a candy wreath or to add to a hot cocoa mix for a mint hot cocoa. Caramels or hard candies in gold wrappers are also perfect. Think ahead ~ and be creative!

~ For those of you who don't sew or craft, you may not think to look in fabric shops for your decorations. But, believe me, there are huge amounts of ornaments, decorations, ribbons, florals, and other various holiday items available. Don't let the word "fabric" scare you :) However, if you're looking for an interesting wrapping idea, Christmas fabric is nice for wrapping gifts... or you can tear a piece into one- or two- inch strips and use it as "ribbon" with a brown craft paper for the wrapping paper (also available in those stores). While you're there ~ get on their mailing list and you'll receive lots of coupons and discounts for items up to 50% off.

~ Some large stores are putting out lots of small items from last year at greatly reduced prices. Look for inexpensive decorations, ornaments, and stocking stuffers. If you budget now and add a few of these small-price items to your weekly shopping list, you'll have your stocking stuffers done in no time.