One Last Giveaway!

 

Because I have a mess of Christmas card envelopes to address, two more (or three, still undecided on that...maybe even four) kinds of cookies to make, other gifties to work on, and a card-making project with the kids for their classmates...plus packing up the cookies to ship to family and friends...I haven't had time to post anything.

But I did want to do this giveaway.  I did something like it last year, and I wanted to do it again.

So.

I'm offering a gift of goodies to the winner.  I'd love to send stuff to you all, but I'm not quite stinking rich enough for that.  So...

An assortment of cookies, maybe some papery ornaments...who knows.  Maybe I'll stuff one of the kids in the box, too, if they keep up this "only X more days til Christmas" thing they're doing.  Or one of the cats - they keep pulling ornaments off the tree.  So who knows.

I'll be figuring out the contents over the weekend.

The deadline for entries will be midnight on Sunday, December 20th, and I'll announce the winner bright and early Monday morning in a new post.  SO PLEASE CHECK BACK TO SEE IF YOU ARE THE WINNER!  And the winner will need to email me their full name and address so I can get the goodies out as soon as possible.  I can't guarantee delivery before Christmas, but I'll try. 

So that's the giveaway.  A box of assorted goodies.  Hmmm...maybe I'll just clean out the kids' rooms and ship it to you!  Or gather up assorted guitar picks and strings from the music room!  IT COULD BE ANYTHING!

Okay, not ANYTHING.  Nice things.  Made by me, mostly.  For you.

Anyway.

To enter - just share, in the comments section of this post, how you stay sane during the holiday season.  How do you keep things from getting too crazy, either in your house or in your head?  Do you have little kind things you do for yourself to help take a break from the chaos?  Bubble baths?  A quite hour with a good book and a cup of tea?  A rousing game of FreeCell on the laptop?  An hour of cardio?  Tell me.  Tell us. 

And that's about it!

Let the entering begin!

Comments

[jennifer]

well, I try not to over commit--it is hard not to have something going on every night in December. Staying in every so often keeps us sane!

[Karen]

hmmm how do I stay sane... I love to decorate but we don't go all out. I love to go to parties but only go to a couple (mostly ones the kids can go to as well). I just try to keep things about family as much as possible and about giving to others without going crazy.

[Maureen]

I try to take a few moments for myself in that I take a hot bath or just about a half hour to do a project that relaxes me (a craft like knitting).

[Allison]

Hi Jayne! I'd love some of your cookies for sure. To stay sane I take walks, drink tea, and take time to zone out while watching mindless TV (a special treat). Hope you have a wonderful holiday and get to take some time for yourself!

[Tracey]

I snuggle my son-he'll be 3 months old on Monday. :)

[Lisa Hamilton]

hey there! this year i've been doing things a little differently because of a burgeoning belly with wiggly little person inside! i've been trying to have some tea or cocoa, listen to some holiday music, take a nap and rub my preggo belly with some soothing lotion! can't wait til next christmas when i can enjoy it with a little one and eventually get to cooking and crafting with him/her! thanks so much for your blog ... it's ALWAYS a delight! :)
merry christmas! :)

[Jen - The Alien Spouse]

I keep things as simple as possible, and only do the traditional things that I actually enjoy. Each year Christmas is totally different to the year before, and I like that.
Some years we go for a walk by the sea, some years we play video games for the entire day and other years we travel to see family. Mix it up!

[Amanda Newton]

If I make sure to get my regular exercise in, then I am much more able to enjoy the holiday. If I have to pick between scrubbing the baseboards or an hour on the treadmill, I will walk every time. Thanks for the giveaway.

[femmelasoleil.wordpress.com]

I listen to music that isn't holiday related. I try to watch more movies or at least fast forward through commercials.

Working out helps. I'm usually so tired aftwards I fall right asleep.

I don't go out more than I have to. Apparently my car has a sign taped on the bumper that says "HIT ME!" especially during the holiday season. Especially on the off-ramp to the parkway right by the college. Especially when I am already in a bad mood from my co-workers chastizing me for not knowing what the new "It" thing is this year.

Watching the cats play "Jaws" with the cardboard boxes.

Making (by hand) a fabulous present for someone I love dearly and knowing that the greatest gift I can recieve (or want) is the look on his/her face when he/she sees it.

Reminding myself that giving from the heart is better than giving from the wallet, and reminding myself that the people closest to me also believe this.

[Laural]

I try to go to as many Christmas concerts and programs as I can -- not that it helps with the general craziness, but I love them so much! Merry Christmas to you and yours, Jayne.

[patty]

I'm Italian & I remember all my nona's reciepes So I bake, cook, fry, boil,or just chill!!!

[Laura]

I bake....though sometimes I think that it just causes a different kind of insanity. :)

[Kassy]

To stay sane I try to make sure I get some relaxing down time...maybe a bath or I get control of the remote to watch what I want on TV, or a walk, etc. I'd love to try some of the goodies you've made - everything you make always looks so good :)

[judith]

I make lists, a list of what I'm going to need to do the week before. A list of what I'm going to cook, a list of where I'm expected to be. Then I toss those aside and knit. I have already made my massage appointment for after Christmas. but before New Years, so I know somewhere in there I'll feel really relaxed.

You can keep the kid's toys, I still have an attic full and the hubby has all the guitar and mandolin strings and picks one could need. Just send cookies and cute papery things.

[Shannon]

Sanity during the holidays? Are you crazy?????

But really it's helped me a lot to just steer clear of crowds. I shop online mostly or late or early. I live in downtown Chicago so the entire shopping area is offlimits to me until after Christmas is over. Plus I go out of town to visit my family and being a guest on progress helps keep your sanity as you try to find clean towels everywhere.

Jayne...i so enjoy following your adventures -- your kids are so sweet and your kitties make me smile. Your family is wonderful and it makes this single woman in Chicago smile to hear your stories. Happy Holidays to you and your clan -- hope I get the cookies!

Shannon in Chicago

[annalene]

I soak my feet in the tub and read a magazine... haha... so simple and boring but its at least its quiet in there!

[Rondah]

I stay sane by taking a nice drive either alone or with my grandson looking at all the Christmas lights at night
zachsgran1 at yahoo dot com

[Jackie]

I stay sane by baking (weird, but true)! I guess it's because it's been one heck of a year and I haven't gone back home for a long time, so I'm really looking forward to relaxing at home and baking lovely things for my parents and friends this holiday.
- Jackie

[colleen]

I try to start my shopping in early November and I have one full day a week that is just for our family to stay home and relax. We usually bake cookies on those days.

[kathi]

With homeschooling during the day, knitting any chance I can get, making goodies and magnets, and working part time, bedtime has become my favorite part of the day. I love crawling into bed at night and dozing off!

[Amy]

Hiding or taking walks helps me..

[Karla]

I have eliminated some things....I only do small decorating...I send out my cards AFTER Christmas...and my adult daughter helps me clean house before we host 3 (yes THREE) Christmas's this year...on sequential days. And I don't sweat the small stuff. I make sure the bathrooms have plenty of clean towels (they don't always match) and toilet paper, and everybody brings stuff for dinner, and the dishwasher runs a lot.
And we enjoy each other's company. And the season. Wishing you and your family a happy, stress-free (mostly) Christmas.

[Katie]

I watch a lot of Christmas programming in my pyjamas. While eating fudge. All day.

[Tanya]

I stay sane by remembering what is important, staying within my budget and baking lots of cookies for gifts
tmc480 at yahoo dot com

[Jane M]

I now work out - mainly doing CARDIO KICK BOXING because I can punch the air and take out my frustrations! Then I go home and eat like a wild woman!

[Elecia Fogg]

I know this isn't where I am supposed to post this, but I am SO excited about this snow!!! Eeeee..... The kids musrt be crawling up the walls! :)

[Di]

That's a really good question. I'm not sure I do stay sane... Lots of tea, for sure. Staying up too late after the kids go to bed. That generally results in not enough sleep, but sometimes the extra peace and quiet is worth it.

[Heather]

I just try to just tone down the whole holiday. I keep things simple and go only to a few choice occasions. It helps I don't have kids. ^_^

[Shelly]

I usually try to get all the gifts selected and made or purchased before Thanksgiving. That makes December go much more easily, I can focus more on baking and just the holiday stuff I *want* to do. Unfortunately, I got nothing done prior to December this year, I'm pregnant with TWINS!

So, I'm surviving this month by imbibing large quantities of Pumpkin Spice Latter from Starbucks. Also, most of my gifts are geing home sewn, which is something I really enjoy and don't have struggle with the retail crowds.

[Linda Wildenstein]

Sanity is relative. I am pretty sane until I have to deal with relatives. LOL. I would love to enter your giveaway.......even if you send me the kids, just not the cat. I have a naughty beast of my own, thanks anyway.

[sarah]

i try to take a few breaks on my laptop to read my favorite blogs and maybe play a few games of solitare and free cell ;P

i don't have children yet though, so the craziness in my house is all of my and my husband's own doing...

[RT]

Mimosas!

[Scott]

Church service on Christms Eve. It really calms things down.

[The Chick Voice]

For many years I directed large Christmas productions at churches. 75 cast members, 50 piece orchestra, rehearsals and 7 to 10 performances. Christmas was a blur............since I quit about 10 years ago....things have seemed calm by comparison. Things have never been that hectic since. Kinda miss it sometimes..............nahhhhh.......

[Alice]

Who can stay sane???
#1 Drink lots of good wine
#2 Snuggle and read with my grandson
#3 Refrain from saying "I should...."
#4 Fold some origami stars
#5 Eat lots of cookies

[[email protected]]

Having found this blog its great to watch new places and see the world through your eyes... to relax at a busy time is to have a pot of tea... go to the computer room and close the door... and off I go.

[Erin Valerie]

I know I missed the deadline for this, but I wanted to comment anyway...

What I do to stay sane (and this year it's been DIFFICULT) is what I'm doing right now -- reading your blog! It's seriously more relaxing than a movie, you have no idea. You should write some fiction and publish it. =) Thanks so much Jayne, and Merry Christmas!!