There are so many wonderfully talented people on the web, today I have put together a collection of FREE Christmas tag printables for you.  

Make sure you have enough colour print in your printer.  Visit the blogs of these wonderful printables, donwload the tags then print directly to cardstock, punch a hole and then add to your gifts with ribbon.

From my lovely friend Cass at Putting on a party

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The TomKat Studio 

Kelly Medina Studio

Orange you Lucky

Fresh picked Whimsy

 Fresh Picked Whimsy, labels for wine bottles

The Twinery Blog

Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart 

My Boy’s Custom Cards.com

A Farm Girls Dabbles

Raggedy Scrappin 

Family.com

eighteen 25

Lovely Design 

Miss Pickles Press

The Pink Ink Doodle 

Linking up with

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One of our family Christmas traditions is to build a Gingerbread House together.   It’s so much fun building and mostly decorating.  We find though one lolly for the house one for the mouth, lol.  This is a fun tradition and one I know we will continue for many many years.

First year we started the tradition I made our ginger bread from scratch…I burnt it and it broke, but we still managed to put something together.  The following year I found a ginger bread kit which was so much easier.  I have purchased a kit every year since.  

Gingerbread house kits can be found at Target, Aldi and I even saw some at Pillow Talk recently.

2010

2009

More inspiration – decorated Gingerbread Houses

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Are you holding onto Christmas Decorations that you haven’t placed on display for years?  It’s time to declutter your decoration collection.

When you are decorating your house this Christmas have a look at the items you have left and don’t want to display.  Why are you not displaying them?

Is it broken? Do you have the time to fix it?  Is it fixable? No – throw it out.  Yes – write it on your to-do list.

Is it extremely sentimental? Yes, then place it on display don’t hide it away or ask your children if they would like it.  No, consider the following options:

• Give it to charity
• Donate to a local school
• Donate to a local kindy
• Repurpose them, redecorate or spray paint it
• Use it for craft projects

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1 pack red baubles from Big W for $2

1 packet of Rhinestone strips from KaiserCraft outlet (most craft or dollar stores) for $2.50

 Idea found on pinterest originally from bhg.com

 Linking up with Blossom Heart, Pinterest Make Me Challenge 

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We have a gorgeous advent calendar that we have used for years.  As I mentioned yesterday, you can purchase or make you own.  In our advent calendar I place small inexpensive gifts, a lolly or note with an activity we will complete that day.  If the gift I want to give them is too big I write a note and place that in the drawer with a clue where it maybe hiding, it then becomes a treasure hunt….this is loads of fun. 

Remember to keep track of your purchases, using the Advent Calendar gift page in your The Organised Housewife Christmas Planner.

Advent Calendar Activity Ideas

 Suggested activities to place in advent calendar

• Decorate the Christmas Tree
• Open this years new Christmas ornament
• Go for a drive to look at Christmas lights
• Have photo’s with santa
• Write letter to santa
• Do some Christmas crafts
• Do some Christmas baking
• Give to charity
• Play some Christmas music
• Read a Christmas book
• Watch a Christmas movie
• Make a gingerbread house
• Wrap presents
• Attend a Christmas Party 
• Attend a Christmas Concert
• Christmas shopping
• Do a family christmas tradition
• Donate toy’s to a local charity

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Advent Calendars

I love Christmas, the excitement, build up, anticipation, decorating, family time together, creating, baking and most of all giving. We use an advent calendar each year to give a gift or little note to the kids.  Perhaps it’s not the traditional way an advent calendar is used however it’s how we have the most fun and joy with it.  

Tomorrow I will share with you what we place in our advent calendar, but today I thought I would show all the different choices and options are available for you to use, purchase or create yourself. 

Our Advent Calendar

 Purchased from Adairs many years ago

To purchase

Lego Star wars – Advent Calendar (Mr 8 is going to love this).  Available online from Bricks-4-fun.com.au

Myer

Lime Tree Kids 

 Kikki.K

Christmas Warehouse

 Deal Direct

DIY

Putting on a Party

Be a Fun Mum

The Useful Box

Raw box to decorate as you please, found at Spotlight or KaiserCraft stores

 Socks pegged to ribbon

Envelopes pegged to string

Countdown

Wrapped items on coathanger

Using a baking sheet

These are so elegant, paper bags, simply decorated and tied together with ribbon

paper cones

What do you as an Advent Calendar?

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I purchased the tin box from Target a few months ago.  I have put this box in a central location of the house for when I have a spare minute (hmm, rarity these day’s) I can write some Christmas cards or tags and complete items on my Christmas to do list.

In the box I have:

1. Christmas Cards
2. Christmas cards for the kids to give their friends
3. An assortment of Christmas tags
4. Baubles I plan on blinging up (will show you soon)
5. Christmas marshmallow sticks, which I have plans for too
6. Raffia ribbon, which is my preferred gift decoration

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