Preparing for the Holidays: "Bringing in the New Year"

A long time ago (not that long ago, but it seems that way for me) I did a series featuring the book Queen of the Castle.  I thought since baby is here (I'm scheduling these posts out) that I'd recap the holiday part of the book.  So every Wednesday you'll get some great tips on prepping your heart and home for the holidays.  This is the last post for this series recap.  I thought I'd share it with you early since I'll more than likely be taking a bit of time off for Christmas.

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This chapter in Queen of the Castle is "Bringing in the New Year".  Lynn begins by sharing her love for leaving the "holiday cheer to twinkle away until well after May Day." Lynn, however, also appreciates the wisdom of her husband and now enjoys clearing the house January 1st.  "It feels good to clear out the old in readiness for the new.  Isn't that what the New Year is all about?"

Lynn suggests using the last week of the year for clearing out excess "stuff".


*As you put away new gifts, get rid of one gift.


*As you put away a new shirt or sweater, get rid of one.  Better yet, clear out all the sweaters and shirts you haven't worn in the past few years!

*Go through file cabinets and get rid of papers no longer needed.

*Sort through your craft stash.  If a certain blog writer you started a project more than five years ago and haven't finished it, pitch it or give it away!  I'm totally not pointing fingers in the mirror here (a-hem).


We have a kiddo with a birthday on Dec. 30th.  Some years we keep the decorations up until January 1st, some years we take them down before her birthday.  I'm not sure what we'll do this year, but it will be before we start back up with school again on Jan. 3rd.

This year I will make Parmesan Crusted Chicken, Crock Pot Mac-n-Cheese, Cherry Cinnamon Applesauce, steamed green beans, and then we'll probably enjoy some brownies (usually made by our Rebekah) and the some Peppermint Candy Cane Ice Cream (loooove it!).   Afterward we'll sit around and go through our calendar for 2011 remembering our hardships as well as the blessings of the year.  We'll go around the room and pray for this coming new year.  Then we'll play some games, watch a few movies (The Sound of Music will be one of them!) and bring in the New Year with a prayer and bedtime hugs and kisses for those kiddos who haven't already fallen asleep and been carried off to their beds.

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"I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 

always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all."  

Philippians 1:3-4