Notes for next year...

In auditing, we often have a section of the audit called "Notes for next year". It's a list of all of the crazy things that happened during the audit that we want to call attention to and remember next year. Well, I have made a "Notes for next year" for Christmas:

1) Throw away all objects with glitter on them.

2) Mount your TV on the fireplace at some point during the year, so you don't have to rearrange your entire living room just to make room for a tree.

3) Have several things of wire around so that you don't spend an hour trying to find your one roll that fell between the sofa cushions.

4) If you can pay $35 to have Cofers come set up your Christmas tree, PAY IT. Work an extra hour or something - it is worth it!

5) Don't let your OCD husband be in charge of straightening the Christmas tree (see #4).

6) Hang the mirror behind the fireplace AFTER you have decorated the mantle, otherwise all of the stuff on the mantle will fall down during the process.

7) If you can pay someone to put on Christmas lights for you, DO IT. Train Abigail at an early age how to put up lights.

8) Remember that all of your bows are seriously hanging by a thread - you need to go buy new ribbon in July, when Christmas stuff comes out at Hobby Lobby. Otherwise, in December when decorating, you won't find any ribbon. The only thing you will find in December at Hobby Lobby is summer decorations - go figure.

9) Try to research who invented glitter, and go after their ancestors.

10) Gather all extension cords ahead of time.

11) Wear a hat when decorating the Christmas tree to avoid masses of glitter from being all over your scalp - see #1 and #9.

12) Try to remember that your husband is not purposely trying to make you mad by pushing the tree back and fooling with it AFTER you have spent hours decorating it (see #5) and try not to hit the roof when he asks if he can move things off of the mantle so that he can change a ceiling light.

13) Remember that it's not a competition to see who can get their outdoor decorations out first in the neighborhood....it's totally ok that your house is last.

14) Last, but not least, remember the reason for the season! All of the stress and decorating is really not what the season is all about!!!