Well first off I apologize I must admit I have fallen down on the job. Or should I say my body did as I woke up Saturday sick and then Sunday one of my sons was! Darn this freezing cold weather. I hope your holiday season is going the way you hope or at least plugging along.

Today you get a bunch of great stuff- Here is Countdown 17, 16 and 15!

Ten Tips for a Stress-Free Holiday Season

• Prune the to-do list. Ask “if I dont do this, what will happen? “Aim to knock down the list of chores to the rock-bottom necessity.
• Cut the gift list. Rein in gift exchanges that have been outgrown or lost their meaning. Limit gifts to children only, draw names, or organize a gift exchange.
• Wrap as you go. Who needs to spend Christmas Eve catching up on wrapping chores? Sticky notes will help you keep track of gift contents.
• Buy, dont bake. Turn your back on the oven this year. Supermarkets, bakeries and the freezer department at the discount warehouse are a great source of delicious, pre-baked holiday treats. Costco here I come!
• Email your cards. Reach out and touch someone-the easy way. Online greeting cards are easy, inexpensive and fun to send. No more lines at the post office! I would not suggest this for close family however. I know my parents would NOT appreciate an email card versus a real one with a picture of the kids. Of course use your judgement.
• Scale back the decor. Substitute a simple door wreath for outdoor lighting and a tabletop tree for the over the top Tannenbaum. You can bring a festive feel to the house without day-long decorating sessions.
• Cut the clean-a-thon. Focus cleaning attention on kitchen and public rooms; private areas can slide till season’s end. Better to schedule deep-cleaning chores like carpet cleaning until after the wear-and-tear of the holiday season.
• Downsize dishwashing. Hand washing fine china is nobody’s idea of a good time, so move to everyday stoneware. Simpler still: paper plates!
• Finger food, not feast. A smorgasbord of tasty tidbits is easier on the cook and kinder to the waistline that a sit-down dinner. Share the work by hosting pot-luck events.
• Stay home! Cuddling down close to the hearth beats holiday travel any day. A holiday “stay cation” allows for evening drives to see the lights, family camp-outs in front of the Christmas tree, and evenings spent with carols and popcorn. Fun!

Here is a bonus one and something I have learned the hard way. Write down where you have hidden the gifts. I swear the last few years I alway lose a few and then end up finding months later. One year I even gave one of my boys a lego set that was supposed to be for Christmas in his Easter basket! Think you’ll remember? I always thought I would too but NOT!

Go See those lights. Link here to 9 De-Lightful Neighborhood Light Displays

Last Tip!

Have you ever heard of Froogle.com (powered by Google)? to compare prices quickly across online and offline retailers. Check it out! I just did because the store I went to ran out of Skylanders Swap force. Wish me luck!

Not only are there many wonderful charities that desperately need as much help as they can this year what about getting something in return from one of them when your out for dinner?

Did you know? Azteca has partnered with Kiro 7, United States Marine Corp, Cadillac Dealers of the Pacific Northwest and Norwest Centers in TOYS for TOTS!  Please help them provide over 70,000 underprivileged children with a fabulous Christmas Gift from YOU! Here is how it works:

BRING a NEW UNWRAPPED TOY to ANY Participating Azteca (Western Washington and Oregon) and you will receive an Azteca certificate good for $8.00 OFF your SECOND DINNER ENTRÉE of equal or greater value when you purchase TWO DINNERS & TWO BEVERAGES. 

Happy Holidays from www.snohomishcountyhomes4u.com