We made it to the end of December and the end of the holiday season!! Pat yourself on the back if you are still standing! It is time to start a new month and a new Ruly theme but first a quick recap of December’s posts, comments and organizing news.

Holiday Organizing Tips

• Ruly Tip: Organize Your Holiday Shopping with a Gift Spreadsheet
• Holiday Card Tree

Homemade gifts:

• Homemade Liquid Hand Soap for Sensitive Skin
• How to “Embroider” with a Standard Sewing Machine

Ruly Business: A Look at How Charities Organized Holiday Fundraising Campaigns This Season

• 2011 Charity Fundraising Strategies
• A Marketing Strategy Charities Use that Would Fail in the Business World
• Corporations that Give Back: Coca-Cola
• Corporations that Give Back: Dominion Virginia Power

Time Capsule of My Own Struggles with Christmas Organizing

• December’s Theme: Simple Holidays and Toy Storage (my priority list of tasks)
• Child Reactions to Santa: 3 Personality Types
• Status: 11 Days to Christmas
• 2 Days Before Christmas: Scrubbing for Santa
• Ruly Kids: Easy Christmas Decorations
• 2011 Rudolph Sightings
• Ruly Kids: Instant Elf Hats with Pajama Pants
• Best and Worst of our Christmas Celebration

Toy Storage Organizing Tips

• Ruly Ruth’s SuperCool Toy Storage Tips
• The Barbie Closet
• Legos

The most popular comment this month we got both online and behind the scenes was, “Where did you encounter Santa on an airplane/subway?” in response to our kids and Santa post.  This cute Santa and Mrs. Claus pair was on the Virginia Railway Express Santa Train event held each December where kids take a short train ride with Santa. The event is also held as a fundraiser for Toys for Tots and an educational opportunity about train safety from Operation Lifesaver, Inc.  (which, come to think of it, I could have profiled in my charitable strategies series).

My favorite comments, I have to say, however, reflected the stress that EVERYONE experiences during the holidays.

Kristin commented:

“My holiday projects have been thwarted by a burnt-out car headlight (really?!?), a very sick little boy (better now, thank goodness), and… oh, yeah, my JOB. *sigh*”

Ruth commented:

“Okay–so why wouldn’t everyone move across country the week before Xmas?? I think everyone should do this—ARGH!!! On Monday, the movers came with our stuff. Tuesday we worked on unpacking boxes. Wednesday we got the tree up–prelit but now decorated . . . Thursday started Xmas shopping–finishing up today–ugh! So needless to say presents being sent are all late! And we’ve been living in transient housing from the 7th to the 16th–we’re lucky to have clean laundry let alone Xmas–speaking of which the dryer’s heating element is shot–should arrive by 1/2—-UGH!!!!”

Maegan Tintari wrote on her blog . . . love Maegan

“I have a bit of work to do but hopefully plan on spending the rest of the day baking holiday treats for our family and friends & finish wrapping presents. I honestly am not sure why I have not been taking Xanax all week or downing copious amounts of merlot to deal with all this stress… but I think I will start now. It’s vacation, right?”

–Maegan Tintari, “Holiday Decorating . . . and a few updates,” . . . LoveMaegan blog, December 23, 2011

Charity Beasley wrote a very insightful post on her indietutes blog:

“Did I mention that the holidays bum me out and I feel shell shocked by the cold air and lack of sunlight? Did I mention that I want to just flap my arms around and yell shutupshutupshutup to Christmas and tell everyone to go back to bed? I’m sorry. This is not a merry season for me. This is a quiet time of year, to take naps, to reflect and evaluate. Take a breather. Rest.”

–Charity Beasley, “hush,” indietutes blog, December 21, 2011

Organizer Erin Doland also wrote a hilarious review of The Elf on the Shelf:

“I like the holidays. I really do. I enjoy spending time with my family and sharing a good meal with good conversation and watching my son in the Christmas pageant. I look forward to exchanging gifts with my nearest and dearest and trimming the tree. I’m someone who prefers her holidays to be simple and free of rats who tattle on you to Santa Claus, like The Elf on the Shelf does.”

–Erin Doland, “Unitasker Wednesday: The Elf on the Shelf,” unclutterer blog, December 14, 2011

As I was rushing about this holiday season, there were a few brief moments when I had time to stop and think for a bit. The short days and darkness of this time of year coupled with the cold, bleak landscape and thinking of memories and family sometimes made me sad. There wasn’t much time to focus on that because there was so much to do. It made me realize that perhaps all this craziness at the holiday season is sort of a form of distraction therapy for all of us. Perhaps people throughout centuries have felt a bit down at this time of year and just had to get themselves through to the solstice when the days would begin lengthening again marching toward spring. So rather than complain about all there is to do, perhaps I should be grateful for it.

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season, however you celebrated (or didn’t) and that this month’s posts gave you some assistance in your busy season. I am already taking my own medicine and doing some early prep for next year’s holiday season. It is a great time to buy nice ornaments and other seasonal wares on deep discount, great for cookie and ornament exchanges, or maybe your Christmas sweater for next year’s “ugly sweater” party. It is also great to print out and plan for any projects, recipes or patterns you may have seen made this year by others to try for yourself next year! (oh no! only 356 days and counting left!)