Christmas doesn’t have to be about endless shopping lists, so I’m sharing some creative ideas and activities to make it a happy (and crafty!) holiday for you.
1. Bullet Journal Planning
Have you tried bullet journaling? I started my first one this year and have not put it down since. It’s my go-to daily bible of planning, tracking and creativity. If you love a good to-do list, than this one is for you! I enjoy using it every month to track my habits, work on my illustrations and for jotting down all my must-dos. Check out some of my Bullet Journal spreads on my You Tube Channel! For the month of December I will be writing out my gift list and all the Christmas movies I will be watching too.
2. Decorating Prep
Since moving in to our first home I have been given so much joy from our garden. Gardening has also become a new hobby of mine and a daily habit (that I love!). This year I have grown the flowers and foliage that will be featuring in our Christmas styling. I will be making some Australian Native plant wreaths and cut flower arrangements for our deck and Christmas table. You can prep for these a week or two earlier by drying some of your foliage and flowers. I used twine to attach Banksia, Protea, organic grasses and foliage to a clothes hanger.
Note: Not all flower and plant types are long lasting, but some herbs, cut flowers and native plants do hold their colour well and can be dried easily.
3. December Daily
This is a great way to document the holiday season. Just like the A Week In The Life project, December Daily is about documenting the month with photos and journaling in the form of an album, a handmade mini book or travelers notebook – any way you want!
I participated in this project last year, putting together a photographic album, however for 2017 I made my own handmade mini book and have been collecting souvenirs, ticket stubs, food packaging and taking photos on my smartphone during the month to make it into a ‘junk journal’ of sorts.
4. Illustrate Your Ideas
Make your to-do lists a bit more fun by illustrating your ideas for the Christmas tree, gift wrapping and styling the home. Whenever I have a DIY idea sometimes I like to draw my creations down first. I also do this to document memories too, like I did with my Christmas ornaments.
5. Raid Your Craft Stash
You may be surprised by what you may already have on hand. Think about what papers, materials and tools you may be able to use to decorate your Christmas cards, gift wrapping and for decorating the tree or home. I have a little DIY on making Christmas Mail + a FREE printable to help you out too – your welcome!
6. Go Thrifting
I love a good trip to my local op shops at this time of year. I can always find one-of-a-kind ornaments and vintage wrapping paper and fabric. I also like to use children’s Christmas book pages to make gift tags and wrap my gifts.
7. Fill The Garden With Colour
If you’re enjoying Christmas celebrations with he family outdoors you may want your garden to put on a show too. Favourite flowers of mine in season in Australia this time of year that come in festive shades include; Christmas Bush, Protea, Snapdragons, Roses, Geranium, Dianthus, Dahlias and Cosmos to name a few.
8. Style With What You Have
An on-going family tradition of ours is styling the Christmas table. In my family it’s just as important as the Christmas tree! Since moving in to my own home, I look forward to styling the Christmas table each year. I start my prep early by choosing the dining wear and the centerpieces. When purchasing plates and cutlery I always keep in mind Christmas, so I often select a set that can be used throughout the year for special occasions and can also be jazzed up a little for Christmas. Most key pieces like a burlap or natural coloured tablecloth can also look nice for a festive feast.
Hope these creative ideas come in handy this holiday season. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the days events, but by slowing down and adding a fun creative element to each task makes it all worth while.
Merry Christmas + Happy Holidays!
Jenna xo