The Christmas Notebook

Each year I make my Christmas list in the same notebook. It makes it easy to look up what I got people last year or even the year before that for Christmas. When you buy for a bunch of nieces and nephews you really don’t want to duplicate the same gift from last year.

Since I have bought people the same Birthday card that I sent them the year before, the notebook is a great solution for me. I use a composition one that costs under $1. It has a bright orange cover, so it is easy to spot on a shelf or in a box. I never misplace it for long because of it’s very bright color.

It has really helped me when I find a great gift and then consult the notebook only to see that I bought it two years ago for the same kid I had in mind to get it for. Luckily when you are early into Christmas shopping you can shuffle gifts around. Give that gift to that kid instead of the one originally planned. But later when the shopping list is smaller, it’s really hard to do. That’s when I don’t shop unless I have my notebook for reference. I spend enough around the holidays without picking up gifts I can’t give to anyone.