Have you seen the commercials for pre-Thanksgiving “Black Friday” sales and lay-aways already? Some people ardently dislike the way the Christmas season seems to begin earlier and earlier. I don’t mind, since I love so many things about Christmas, especially the food and treats.
Looking ahead on my calendar, I see that this weekend is the only one between now and Christmas that doesn’t have any major work or social obligations in it. I actually plan to get a jump on my Christmas baking:
With the first big “holiday” grocery sales starting this week, I headed off to the store with my circulars and a fistful of coupons to score some great bargains. Some of my great deals were a 5 pound bag of Gold Medal flour for $1.28, aluminum foil for $.75 a box, bags of chocolate chips for $.98 each, and boxes of Chex to make Chex mix during the holidays (which I like to gift) for $.75 each. I tend to pop into stores to buy their loss-leaders (that’s what advertised good deals are called…the sales that get people’s attention and bring them into stores) in the morning before work. It takes organization and time, but it is worth it to me since I minimize the costs I know I’ll have.
I cleared out a shelf in my pantry for these purchases so I can stay organized. I am using my time this weekend to pre-measure the dry ingredients for fifteen types of Christmas cookies. I am using airtight plastic containers and zippered plastic bags, making notes on the containers using a dry erase marker (yes, it washes off)! While putting these “cookie kits” together, I will also print the recipes and highlight the ingredients needed to I can keep an eye out for sales in the upcoming weeks.
What are you planning to make this holiday? How do you get ahead of the holiday rush?