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Although it seems as though much of the blogword is focusing their attention on Christmas home tours {cough, cough, guilty}, as fun as it is to get our home holiday ready, Christmas is all about the traditions.  That is what excites me most about the season.  The warm fuzzies.  The kids doing good deeds.  Making a list and checking it twice.  And for once, not a "To Do" list!


I don't always take a moment to switch gears from this organizing and project heavy blog, but it is nice to share a few stories that fill the walls of our home I am always writing about.  And until I sat down to write this post to share with you #mykindofholiday, it never occurred to me how many fabulous traditions we have built into our Christmases, year after year.  I just may cry while writing this and reflecting on some favorites... I am a sappy one...

Yesterday, I shared my new wrapping station setup. 


Although gazing at it just may become my number one hobby, it means more to me than pretty and functional gift wrap.  It also represents one of my most favorite Christmas traditions.

 
This tradition has carried on from my childhood.  And it is funny, as a kid, it kind of annoyed me.  But now, I look back and know my mom was a freakin' genius... and I completely appreciate it. 

There is a reason why they always use the saying, "Like a kid on Christmas morning".  It is one of the most exciting and magical mornings of the year.  Like most kids, my brother and I would wake up earlier than normal, and tip toe out of our rooms and start rummaging through our stockings, and shaking the packages under the tree.  There may have even been mornings when I went as far as unwrapping my gifts to peek inside, and then fixing them back up before my parents woke up.  I know, such a rotten kiddo.  My mom caught on to this and decided to keep the magic and mystery of Christmas morning alive.  Thus, the Santa numbering system was born.


Santa got sneaky and started putting a number on each package under the tree, leaving a letter with the key in the hands of my parents.  All of the sudden, my brother and I had no idea who the presents were for, and the excitement and mystery of Christmas morning returned.

Thinking back on all of my Christmas mornings growing up, I may not recall each and every gift I received, but I do remember the pure exhilaration of sitting in a circle with my family, reading the letter from Santa and realizing which of the packages I would get to tear open.  And even once my brother and I were in high school, the tradition stayed alive and brought us many laughs.

Each day leading up to Christmas, I will plan out the gifts {with my super awesome gift planning printable} and stash them away in secret hiding spots all around the home.  Then, on Christmas Eve, my husband and I turn into Santa's Elves.  We put on holiday tunes and spend time together wrapping all of the gifts.  Then, the really fun part, creating the letter from Santa!


The presents are sweetly tucked under the tree, and we head to bed with giant smiles spanning from cheek to cheek.  Once morning rolls around, we lie in bed and giggle as we listen to the kids playing guessing games and wondering which gifts are theirs, all while we hold the key.  And the best part is that we get to be "present" when the surprises are revealed.


Although the gift numbering tradition is a long time favorite, we have a few more, which we cherish as well.


Christmas Pajamas


This is another tradition that was started during my childhood.  Every year my mom would purchase me a special set of pajamas to wear on Christmas Eve.  From plaid, to penguins to Christmas trees, I rocked it all.  Now, one of my warmest moments each year is watching the boys open their pajamas and letting them wear them much of Christmas day.



Christmas Countdown

A few years ago, we started our Christmas countdown tradition.  I love pulling out a fun activity from the box each day and drinking hot cocoa, having dance parties, blasting Christmas music, crafting, decorating and purely unplugging to enjoy simple moments with one another.



O Christmas Tree


As I mentioned in our holiday home tour, our tree also carries special meaning.  Each year, we head to the very same tree farm and pick out a tree as a family.  Every last member must agree on the tree, and the owners of the tree farm are always excited to see how much the boys have grown from year to year.



Ornaments with Meaning

Each year on Christmas Eve, the kids take a trip down memory lane and tell stories of all of the ornaments they have created, crafted and collected over the years.  We look at their small handprints and toothless smiles, and hang all of our meaningful ornaments all over the tree.




'Twas The Night Before Christmas


When all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.  On Christmas Eve, no one in our home is stirring because we are all listening to dad read us The Night Before Christmas...



Cookies!


I wish I had a baking bone in my body.  Sometimes we attempt to make Sugar Cookies and usually just eat them straight out of the oven when they are still soft and warm.  Most of the time, members of Bryan's sweet family bake us a plate of delightful treats, and sometimes, I depend on Target.  Regardless of how we acquire our cookies, Santa appreciates them just the same!



Miracle on 34th Street

A movie the entire family can snuggle in and enjoy, each and every Christmas day, while wearing our Christmas cozies, we tune in to watch Miracle on 34th Street.



So there you have it.  A few of our Christmas traditions which we hold near and dear to our hearts.  Now it is your turn.  I would love to hear what makes your home so special to you during the holiday season.  Any traditions that you have been carrying on since childhood, or even longer?




 
As a member of the Target Inner Circle, this post was written as a collaboration with Target and their #mykindofholiday campaign.  All opinions are mine.

This past week I was invited to take a little organizing break and ultimately witness a celebration like none other....


Imagine, a town with a population of around 3,000 people winning a nationwide competition, which included cities over twenty times their size.  Yeah.  That happened!

Earlier this year I was asked to be part of the Target Inner Circle, and it was a partnership that instantly made sense to me.  I have shopped at Target for as long as I remember, and you all know I can't resist the temptation they throw at me as they constantly release new fabulous items from small town boutiques and famous designers.  Yes, my hubby chains my wallet to the inside of the car and gives me a cash budget when shopping at Target.  Can you blame him?

What I also heart about Target is their involvement around the community, which I was able to see first hand his week.

Tuesday afternoon, my hubby and I hopped into the car for a three hour drive to Benson, MN.  Yes, we drove far, far away from civilization.  OK, so I kid a bit.  But it is so similar to our own small town which is lined with farms, corn fields and small-town pride.  It felt like a home away from home.

This town was the center of our attention that day, because they did something a bit extraordinary.  They pulled together, they called everyone they knew, they used social media, they rallied at sporting and community events and they won.

Target is setting out to give an insane amount of funding to education {more on that here}, and with that, they challenged schools across the country to vote.  The votes would translate into dollars, and the first school to hit 10,000 votes would win the entire competition with a celebration.

Knowing that, can you believe that a town of only 3,164, could pull together enough support and votes to win the entire competition?  I think that is what sent chills through my entire body that night.  Seeing a community so close-knit and overcoming the odds, and winning something so tremendous brought this small town gal to tears.

A few pretty special celebs also stopped in to tell the town congratulations.  And then they stuck around for awhile to get their celebration on!




After a day long celebration with the students, which included games and a famous DJ, they ended the evening with a concert on the football field, which was rocked by the talented Luke Bryan.  Honestly, I had no clue who Luke Bryan was prior to heading that way, but I left there the biggest country music fan ever after listening to him and seeing his pretty smile.  Sigh...


It was an honor to be invited to share in this special moment in history for the small town with big hearts.  This event will forever be remembered by the students and staff in Benson, and they should be endlessly proud for being an inspirational underdog story and showing the importance of togetherness. 




I was not paid for this post, just offered to put on my celebration pants and hang out with the fine folks of Target and Benson, MN!  Truly an experience I will never forget! 

I love oh so much that I was invited to be part of the Target inner circle earlier this year.  Here is why.

Target is my second home and I am honored to have joined such a talented group of people.  That in itself is. amazing.

But what is even more incredible to me, and one of the reasons Target is a brand that I am honored to partner with, is because of their constant community outreach and desire to give back.  Not only do they do things locally, a few weeks ago they also launched their new Feed USA products and initiative.  Have you heard?  Have you seen?  Crazy cute stuff here folks.  And as much as I adore a great set of canisters and darling bins and baskets, bottom line is that this collection is providing meals to children and families across America.  If you check out the number on the specific Feed product, you will notice how many meals will be sponsored by that purchase.  Love.



Target also chatted it up with some of their Inner Circle members, and challenged us to give back locally as well.  Feeling inspired by their Feed initiative, the boys and I used the fantastic canisters as part of a little neighborhood treat stand.


Because I was involving the kiddos, we decided to keep it really simple with "Treats for Charity."


First, this was fun because the kids and I were able to spend an afternoon baking together.  We baked blueberry muffins, brownies and cookies.  Lots of cookies.  Nothing fancy, straight from the box stuff here folks.  This girl wasn't made for the kitchen and it was a miracle they didn't end up being jack-hammered from the baking pan {due to repeat customers, I am guessing they weren't half bad}.  We also made up a few gallons of lemonade.

The concept was to exchange the treats for a donation to the local food pantry.  Individuals could either purchase a snack and/or lemonade, or bring a non perishable food item to donate.

We brought our backyard dining table out front, and gathered some items from around the home to draw attention to the treat stand.  This included some plants, balloons, trays, etc...  We also used our menu planning chalkboard to create a simple little menu for any individuals walking by and a large woven basket to collect the food items that were donated.


We received an extremely generous first customer who happened to be driving by as we were setting up.  It got the boys geared up for the day and they even did a wonderful job spreading the word throughout our neighborhood and recruiting customers.  The boys were planning on running the stand for a few hours, and you can imagine the mushy gushy super proud mommy heart I had when I said it was time to take it down and they wanted to do it for longer.  So they did.  They were really excited and feeling great about the outcome of their time and what it stood for. 


We have held lemonade stands like this before, just for the fun of it, and they have never done as well or have been as successful as this one.  It wasn't about the treats or the lemonade, it was about the cause.  People were excited to see the kiddos involved and what it stood for, and really came through so the boys could make a wonderful contribution to our food pantry.  We are so grateful for that, and it was really a simple and fun experience, something anyone could easily do to make an impact.  One thing the boys thought was extra neat, is that the food pantry can really make their donation stretch.  A single dollar can purchase multiple meals, just how many will always vary by location, but it is an interesting fact worth checking into.

It is important for our family to always find ways to give back.  And I rarely talk about it or blog about it because I believe that it's something you do just because it is the right thing.  But I also believe in sharing simple little stories and solutions like this, to help inspire at least one more person to do something similar.  Our investment was simple, a few ingredients to bake and some lemonade mix, plus our time and we were able to make an impact. 

Target does it again!  Products that are both darling yet inspiring, you can check out the entire collection here.  Do you have a fav?  Isn't that "Feed Love with Love" pillow superfab?  And just as Target challenged us, I am challenging you.  You in?


As a member of the Target Inner Circle, I was provided Target products from their FEED USA line, however, all ideas, opinions and lack of baking abilities are my own.

This past week we hosted a small gathering at our home to celebrate Thanksgiving.  It wasn't a giant affair, however, it was a good way to amp up for larger celebrations that come with the holiday season.


I will admit, throwing a shindig can be a bit overwhelming.  You have to prepare the guest list, create a plan for drinks and food, scrub your home, decorate and maybe even DIY some of your own decor.  However, with a little planning ahead, many of those stresses are sure to melt away....

This month, Target is partnering with their Inner Circle team to put together a Party 101 series!  This is a series I will be stalking following very closely.  Although I am a planner at heart, there is still so much to learn when it comes to throwing the perfect party and the Inner Circle crew will be covering everything from invitations to cocktails to figuring out what to wear.  Today, I am kicking off the series with a few tips that help me when it comes to planning a party!


Make a List!  Check it Twice!

It should come as no surprise; the key ingredient for me is a checklist.  Checklists make my world go round so when it comes to putting together a holiday celebration, I stick with what I know.


The party planning checklist is part of a bigger holiday planning binder I started building.  Of course, I found the fabulous binder at Target.


Because planning a party doesn't happen overnight, I created a checklist that covers everything that needs to be done a few weeks prior all the way up to the minute you open the door for the first grinning guest.

As soon as the thought of having a party comes to mind, it is smart to start jotting down a few of the important pieces of the party puzzle.  Will there be a theme?  Who do I want to invite?  Where will I host the event?  What date and times make the most sense for my guest list?  Do I have a strict budget to stick to?  Should I serve a few appetizers and drinks or a full course meal?


Once I determine the event date, I flip to a separate calendar at the front of the binder and write in when I need to accomplish some of the key items on my to do list.  For example, I will write in when I should have the invites sent out by, when I should start deep cleaning, when I should start decorating and even my trip to the grocery store.


The checklist contains two pages; the second expands on some of the key to do list items by helping me manage the guest list, plan my menu and create my shopping list for the big fiesta!



Plan ahead!  

Typically, a few weeks is all one needs to throw a successful party, and much of that time is to give your guests enough of a chance to clear their schedules {because your party will be off-the-hook amazing}.  And right off the bat, it is as simple as compiling a guest list and sending out the invitations.  Sometimes, I save time by going the digital route with my invites, although, you can never go wrong with a hand-written option.  Then, I get excited and make some lists and about a week before the party I spend a little bit of time each day doing something quick and easy to prepare.  Doing some of these tasks ahead of time reduces the risk of me running around with a towel on my head while dusting the bookshelves while grilling the shrimp while pouring the drinks and setting the table three minutes after the doorbell rings... that would never happen....

The weekend before I will do a good deep cleaning our home.  That ensures that on the day of the soiree I just need to do a quick pick up and vacuuming.  I will also head to the grocery store and begin to prepare items that can be made ahead of time.  I even like to set up the table and put out any decor items, to be sure I haven't forgotten anything and that I am happy with how it should all come together the day of the event.


The checklist is also great for a few of the other little things I like to do in advance, which I almost always seem to forget.  Things like washing serving dishes that have been stored away for a long period of time, charging my camera battery and creating a music playlist.  Again, by checking those items off of my list ahead of time, when the day of the gathering comes about, all that is left to do is pamper my toes, curl my eyelashes and pull the appetizers out of the fridge.


Get Inspired!

As much as the checklist is a partysaver, I added a few bonus items into the binder as well.  Behind a few pre-printed checklists, I added in clear sheet protectors, which I filled with party ideas galore.  I tapped into my Pinterest page and printed out inspirational photos of pretty themes, decor, invitations and recipes.  I also slid in some pages from holiday store catalogs and glossy magazines, which offered even more decorating and treat ideas.  Sure, we live in a digital world, but I am an old school gal who likes everything in one place.  And if I am sitting down to plan out a gathering, then it works for me to have some of my favorite ideas and inspiration right behind my checklist.





Keep it Simple!

We try and keep our appetizers and dinner menus fairly basic, and haven't had any complaints yet!  If you love to be a showstopper, create a single shining star menu item and let the rest act as back-up dancers.  Cheese and cracker platters as well as fruit and veggie trays are always a hit, and when displayed on pretty serving dishes they can still make a statement.



Help Your Guests Help You!

My last tip is not to help you prepare, but to help you clean up at the end of the bash.  Consider setting up self serve stations for snacks and drinks.  Make sure your trash and recycle bins are accessible and labeled so your guests can easily clean up after themselves.  Place a large, empty bin next to the sink for their dirty dishes, so you can keep the counter clutter to a minimum while you are hosting.  Stock the bathroom with paper products and clean towels to prevent awkward moments.  And keep a small cleaning kit with wipes, vinegar, club soda and salt stored in an easy to access location for those accidental wine spills.


We don't host a lot of parties, but it sure is nice to have ideas, a plan and reminders for when we do.  One of my top goals in 2014 is to make sure we are enjoying our home equally as much as we are working on our home, and I think that means cheers to more gatherings and cocktail parties at the Jones residence!

And here is the freebie Party Planning checklist printable for you to enjoy!

{click HERE to download a FREE Party Planning Checklist}

So how about you?  What tips do you have for organizing and throwing a successful, stress-free holiday party?  I would love to hear your extra helpful tips in the comments below!

And if you are excited to see more Party 101 tips, Target will be sharing a round-up of their Inner Circle posts on their A Bullseye View Blog.  You can also follow #mykindofholiday and #targetinnercircle on Twitter and Instagram and see all of the posts on this Target Inner Circle Pinterest board or by clicking the images below:



Party on my friends and....


As part of the Target Inner Circle team, I was invited to participate in their Holiday Party 101 posts, and was compensated with a Target gift card.  All opinions are my own and I fully support gold dot binders and party planning checklists.