MAKE A NOTE!! -- August 15th, 1998

A Free Email Newsletter with Useful Information on a Wide Variety of Topics!

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In This Issue:

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NEW LIST-SERVER ARRANGEMENT

Welcome to the NEW Make a Note! Well, it isn't exactly a new newsletter, but this is our first issue coming to you from our official List-Server. As I told all of you "old" subscribers, who have been with me from the beginning, I will continue to send out to my old list in addition to the list server, for two issues. After that, I will assume that you wish to discontinue your subscription.

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CHRISTMAS THE EASY WAY

Normally I don't run the same info more than once, but several people have asked that I run my Christmas the Easy Way list again. IF you follow this timeline I guarantee that you will be done with practically all of your Christmas preparation by Thanksgiving, and spend Christmas focusing on the REAL meaning of the season!

-August: 

1.Make your Christmas list. Take a good look at the list. Are there people on the list you just exchange token gifts with? Or perhaps large families that are growing big enough to be a financial drain? Why not suggest you just exchange one family gift, draw names, or spend the money on a phone call to each other instead of gifts? Chances are they will be just as eager for the simpler arrangement as you are. Another possibility is to discuss cutting back on the amount spent on exchanges. Remember...simple is better, less is more. I'm not saying eliminate gift giving, just pare down, eliminate the clutter. After you have done this, make up your list with the people's names, ages, and the max you want to spend (don't forget to consider mailing costs), ask for gift ideas, hobbies/interests, peruse catalogs and write down possible gifts. Also mark whether the gifts would need to be mail ordered or bought at a local store. Don't order anything yet, just make the list. Also include on your list any birthday or other gifts that you would need to get for anyone for the last half of Nov through January, this will also cut your work load later. 

2. Have your family's Christmas picture done. Find a place that has the computer set up, where you can see, immediately, the picture taken and either approve or disapprove, this will eliminate re-shoots. Most Walmarts and Kmarts now have this system and run a LOT of wonderfully inexpensive package specials (the extra photos are where they make the money). Try to find a studio that will make an appt, or plan to arrive about 10 min before opening on a weekday. Once you get the photos back, if you would like more wallets to send out with Christmas cards and your photos are not copyrighted, then send them off to Walter Drake catalog (1-800-525-9291) only $3.95 for 18, or $15.95 for 100.

-September: Order Gifts! Remember, you are ordering any gift you will need from late Nov thru January. Then head to the store to buy the things you can't order by catalog. The more you use the catalog, the easier it will be. For people who love to shop, catalog shopping will probably save you money because you will be less likely to impulse buy. Don't forget to order Christmas cards, labels, or inserts, if desired (see note on Christmas letters below). Check out Christian Book Distributors' great web site at www.christianbook.com.

-October: 

1. Order Christmas Stamps from post office when they get them in this month. Don't forget to order your stamps by mail too & avoid post office lines; just ask your mailman for the Stamps-By-Mail forms or get one from your local post office. 

2. Christmas in a Shoebox program-you load a shoebox (get a large one from a shoe store, they usually have empties in the back) with all kinds of goodies, toys, candy, toiletries, etc. Take the box to a designated drop off in your town, and it will be delivered to a child in another country in great need. This is a wonderful program and makes the holidays a lot more personal. Contact your local Christmas book store or radio station for more info. If that doesn't work, contact the great organizer of this project, Samaritan's Purse at 1-800-353-5949 or www.samaritan.org. This is what Christmas is all about folks, help your children get even more out of it, by spending some of their own money on it. Better yet, get brochures and distribute them to everyone you know.

-November: 

1.  Start your Christmas cards/letters on the 1st! Up until 2 yrs ago I used to do a handwritten note in each card, but then our list got up to 200(we're a military family & move a lot), and I decided to "never say 'never' " again, and do a Christmas letter, but try to add short personal notes at the bottom of each. The nice thing about them is that you can give all the people on your list so much more info on what has been going on with your family, because there are so many we only hear from at Christmas. I personally always prefer a Christmas form letter than a card with only a signature any day, from people I only hear from once a year. Another way to save money is to put an inspirational Bible verse or other header on your letter and eliminate the cost of the cards completely, just mail the letters out. So do your Christmas cards/letters, have letters copied (for just a little more you could get the pages in color), address envelopes, put on stamps & return labels (definitely invest in this time saver, Walter Drake carries return labels for as little as 1000 for $3), stuff the envelopes, but don't seal them yet, in case you get mail from them & want to add a note at a later date. Enclose photos if you have them. 

2. Wrap presents & box them up the first week in November. 

3. MAIL ALL BOXES NLT THE THURSDAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING (this year, the 19th). This will help you avoid that slight before Thanksgiving rush. Remember to try to go directly to UPS (usually cheaper than post office) or to a post office. Mailing services usually will charge you double for their convenience. 

4. Seal & mail all cards going overseas by regular mail 4 days before Dec. 1st (this year Nov 27th). 

5. Seal & mail all cards going to APO's or the other side of the country from you 3 days before Dec. 1st (this year Nov. 28th) AND put up your Christmas decorations. 

6. Plan to make or buy some little gifts to exchange when someone brings over a plate of cookies or you need a little hostess gift (more gift ideas in the months come). 

7. Seal & mail remaining cards on Nov. 30th. I don't send cards locally unless I receive one each year, instead why not call with Christmas wishes during the month & hand them a photo the next time you see them.

-December: Enjoy the season. The only thing that might keep you busy is goodie-making, unless you have a large freezer to make them ahead of time also. Loaves of quick bread wrapped in colored cellophane can be just as pretty & less time consuming. But if your freezer is a small one, decide how many kinds of cookies you want to make & divide them up among the 10 days before Christmas Eve, which would usually be the last exchange date. This may look like an overwhelming list, & your Nov will certainly be busy, but you have plenty of time to start now, spread things out and really have a nice, fairly calm, meaningful Christmas. POST IT...on your fridge.

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SIMPLE, FRUGAL LIVING INFO

Patty K. referred me to a wonderful email newsletter and web site put out by Debi Taylor-Hough. Her web site and newsletter are filled with info about saving money, simplifying housework, decluttering tips, inexpensive, creative, recipes, debt reduction, and much, much more. Check out her wonderful web site, links, & info at http://members.aol.com/DSimple/index.html. For you non-web folks, you can still subscribe to her twice monthly newsletter, by sending an email message to hub@xc.org and typing EXACTLY in the body of the message:

 subscribe simple-times

Nothing more, nothing less that the line above, remember this is machine read. She is also the author of a book called, "Frozen Assets: How to Cook for a Day and Eat for a Month" due out in 12/98. I hope to be able to include some of her tips in future issues of the Make a Note. POST IT...by your computer. P.S. And a BIG thank you to Debi & Pastor Wilson for walking me patiently through the list server setup.

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SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Gospel Light is sponsoring a National Sunday School Teacher of the Year award, but DEADLINE is fast approaching. All entries must be received by Gospel Light by August 31st. The prize for the winning teacher is a trip for 2 to Hawaii. For those of you who see me in town, I do have a number of forms to pass out. For those of you out of the area, contact your local Christian book store to see if they have forms or call Gospel Light at 1-800-354-4224. If necessary they can Fed-X them to you. Any teacher who is currently teaching or has taught Sunday School for a minimum of 2 years & is living is eligible. The form looks fairly easy to fill out and I know there are a lot of deserving teachers out there folks, let's nominate them and let people know what is special about each & every one. POST IT...by your phone.

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FREE MOTHER'S DAY BIRTHDAY GIFT

If you know someone who had a baby on Mother's Day this year, or signed adoption papers on the day after Mother's Day this year, then let them know they can receive a FREE Kodak Advantix Camera and their first roll of film w/developing FREE. Send a certified copy of the birth certificate or adoption papers to Kodak Advantix Camera Picture Perfect Mother's Day, P.O. Box 6542, Young America, MN 55558-6542. Only 1 camera per family. DEADLINE FAST APPROACHING ...must be received by Aug. 31st. For more info, contact Kodak at 1-800-242-2424. POST IT...by your phone.

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JOKE

Q: How many telemarketers does it take to change a light bulb? 

A: Only one, but he has to do it while you are eating dinner.

 ---contributed by Eldon Weisheit to Reader's Digest.

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QUOTE

"Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." --President John Adams

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FEEDBACK

Please feel free to email me with any questions on information you would like to see covered in the newsletter, comments or suggestions. Subscription Info at bottom of newsletter.

God Bless,

Sharon ^i^

Make-A-Note@worldnet.att.net

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