The Twelve Months of Christmas ...

This year I wanted to do something different for Christmas with our kids ... a theme to go with a "Make It, Bake It, Sew It, Grow It, Repurpose It" idea. After pondering this during a January insomnia night I came up with the idea of the "Twelve Months of Christmas." I could hardly get back to sleep with all sorts of ideas floating through my head. By summer I had a few concrete ideas and I started collecting the items and packaging for each month's theme. Here's what I came up with:
January: Movie night (Regal tickets in a popcorn container)
February: Bouquets in Winter (vase with Trader Joe's gift card)
March: Car Wash (Kaady car wash gift card in a car holder)
April: Gardening (Bucket filled with gloves, garden accessories, gift card)
May: Cinco de Mayo (homemade salsa, Mike's, chips)
June: Summer BBQ (glass votive holder, BBQ sauce, 3 rubs)
July: A Taste of Italy (homemade Limoncello, shot glasses)
August: Happy Hour (gift card to McMenamins)
September: Romance (pasta, sauce, candles & holders, dessert, wine romance music CD)
October: Fall Baking (TJ Bread mix, ceramic measuring spoons, homemade dishcloth, printed freezer labels from Martha Stewart site)
November: Red Box Movie Night ($$$ in a RED box, theater candy/popcorn)
December: It's Cold Outside! (Ceramic cocoa set, homemade marshmallows and cocoa "accessories")
Yes ... that made 36 gifts to wrap, package, and hide : )
Christmas morning we waited until all gifts were opened and then celebrated "The Twelve Months of Christmas." What fun to give ... and share in the joy of the recipients.
It was a great year-long project for Christmas ... fun shopping, finding bargains, discovering a great container idea, trying new recipes, thinking of different things I could find used/repurposed, and getting inspired by the blogs I read.
I already have an idea for next year ... however, I cannot share it because the recipients are also readers!
I hope you enjoyed a wonderful Christmas with those you love!