Three Things to Do in September to Prepare for Christmas

Here we are in September. Christmas is only three and a half months away. Don't the holidays creep up on you every year?

If you've been following along with our monthly to-do lists, you should be less stressed about Christmas coming in 106 days. If you haven't had the chance to keep up, or if you are just discovering this blog, check out the monthly lists and see what you can manage:

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

What are three things you can do in September to prepare for Christmas? 

Decorate Your Tree for Fall

(Say hi to Theo!)

The year that I did this made my life so much easier. Putting up a tree ahead of time means less to decorate in late November or December. Though you can use orange or purple lights, I kept the white lights, so I could easily transition the tree to our collectible ornaments tree in December. 

Buy Your Holiday Lights

Photo credit to souvenirpixels on Freepik.com

Buy your holiday lights early for the best selection. Decades ago, I got into the habit of writing down how many strands of working lights I stored away for each tree. Since I already know how many total strands I put on each tree, I buy the needed lights before dragging everything up from the basement. I always buy one or two extra boxes in case something unexpected happens. 

Wrap your DIY Projects as You Finish Them

Photo credit freepik

Wrapping presents takes a long time. I recall many Christmas Eves bent over the card table, wrapping gifts. Wrapping as you complete your DIY projects will save you that last-minute, back-breaking chore of spending hours wrapping all the gifts. Put on some Christmas music and get in the spirit early!

Here's to staying on track and making the holidays less stressful. See you next month!

Christmas... in the News: Holloway Christmas Tree Farm for Sale, Rotary Adopt-A-Family Sign-ups & A Very Jonas Christmas Movie

 

Welcome to this edition of Christmas... in the news. This is a review of Christmas articles and news over the last week.

Happy Sunday! It's that time again--time to share three bits of Christmas news that happened over the last week. There are so many great things going on that it was hard to choose what to offer. 

The first bit of news comes from Nipomo, California. KSBY reports that the longtime owners of Holloway Christmas Tree Farm are looking to sell the farm and retire. Doesn't owning a Christmas tree farm sound like fun? You can read more about Holloway Christmas Tree Farm in the article by clicking here. On a side note, our local tree farm started tree tagging this weekend. 

The Jackson Star & Herald out of West Virginia, reported that sign-ups Ripley Rotary’s Adopt-a-Family program will start early this year, taking place from September 16 - 20. For more information, you can click here. I volunteer for our local Adopt-A-Family program. It's wonderful!

Looks like Disney+ will premiere the latest Jonas Brothers endeavor, A Very Jonas Christmas Movie, on November 14. From the Disney+ press room comes the article that shares more about the movie: "Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas face a series of escalating obstacles as they struggle to make it from London to New York in time to spend Christmas with their families." The brothers are producers on this film. Check out more information and a teaser here. 

One article I didn't share this week was about Noel, Missouri, going back to having year-round holiday decor to boost tourism. The article requires being a paid subscriber to read it. There is a 2024 article about the town. You can read that here. Consider it a Christmas bonus. :) 

Only 109 days left until Christmas! See you next time. 

Christmas... in the News: Top-Selling Toys, Christmas Music & Kingsport Toy Drive

 

Welcome to this edition of Christmas... in the news. This is a review of Christmas articles and news over the last week.

Happy Sunday! Hope you had a great week. Can you believe it is September tomorrow? There are only 115 days until Christmas.

This week's edition of Christmas... in the news starts off with one of my favorite childhood things: toys! Independent out of the UK says that scented slime and Bluey's Celebration Home will top kids' Christmas lists this year. Check out the article here. 

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that WLDB (93.3) has already switched over to playing Christmas music. How fun is that? Read the article here. Gulf News also states that come September 1, Christmas music will be playing in the Philippines. Check it out here.

Last, but certainly not least, in Kingsport, Tennessee, the Times News reports that Restoration Hope is holding its 100 Kids, 100 Toys annual toy drive. Learn how you can help here. 

Enjoying this weekly segment? Let me know in the comments. Wishing you a fabulous week!

My Spotify Christmas Instrumental Playlist

Christmas... in the News: Robert Moore and Company Closure, Hope to Dream Event & Lady A 'Cozy-Country' Christmas

 

Welcome to this edition of Christmas... in the news. This is a review of Christmas articles and news over the last week.

Happy Sunday! Just one more Sunday before September arrives. Isn't that crazy? Only 123 days until Christmas.

Sad news comes to us from Mobile, Alabama. We shared the impending closure of Robert Moore and Company Christmas Town and Village Collectibles back in May. WKRG5 has reported that today was the last shopping day at the store that had been in business since 1976. You can read about it here. 

WCPO9 out of Cincinnati shares the heartwarming story of the Hope to Dream event, which provided 50 beds to kids in the Tri-State. The event took place at the Cincinnati Reds Youth Academy. Read more here. 

iHeart Country reported that Lady A shared details of their upcoming holiday record, which coincides with their Christmas tour. It is said to have 'cozy-country' spins on numerous holiday classics. Check out the entire article here. 

That's it for this week. Look for another Spotify Christmas playlist coming soon. 

My Spotify Christmas Playlist

Christmas Picture Book Review: The Birds of Christmas by Olivia Armstrong

 

Lovers of Christmas and folktales will enjoy The Birds of Christmas by Olivia Armstrong.

On a chilly night in Bethlehem, the Raven spreads the exciting news to his feathered friends that a child has been born. They fly to a humble stable, where they give gifts to the newborn babe. The little Robin fears he has nothing to give, but quickly discovers even the tinniest bird can make a difference.

The Birds of Christmas is a beautifully told folktale that reminds us we all have special talents and gifts. With the Raven's recurring call to wake up, he spreads the joy of a new baby being born to them. Then the birds busily get to work before meeting the child and his mother, Mary. 

Young readers will be treated to reading a legend of how robins got their red breast in a tale that unfolds against the stunning artwork from Mira Miroslavova. Golds and blues blend together in delightful artistry, bringing forth an eye-catching story that will have readers turning page after page. 

A unique and meaningful way to celebrate the Nativity can be found in The Birds of Christmas. Coming August 19 from Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, you can pre-order the book now. 

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 12, 2025
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 40 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0802856470
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0802856470
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12 ounces
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 4 - 8 years

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.