I can not believe how quickly we are approaching the end of the year! So much has changed for me these past few months, from my personal life to my professional life, and I can’t wait to see how everything I’ve worked hard for this year comes to fruition in 2018. But before I get ahead of myself, I want to really revel in the last few weeks of 2017. Once September rolls around, I start planning my travel and party ideas for fall and winter. When I started According to Adriana I was 20 years old, in college, and just all around in a different phase of my life. Now that I am a few years older, I’m more likely planning a Christmas party than a night out. I’ve acclimated to suburban life, now enjoying my weekends at home far more than ever before–which brings me to this post.

I want to celebrate the end of the year with you. From now until Christmas, there will be weekly blog posts each Sunday talking about how I prepare and celebrate the holiday season. I’ve gathered a few tips from around the internet that have proven helpful for me these past few years that I will be sharing with you, along with some family traditions that take the guess work out of hosting during the festive season. There are 10 Sundays, including this one, to get all of this information out to you, so expect a bit of everything: entertaining, cooking, gardening, decorating, purchasing gifts and wrapping them, and so much more. (Just reading that last part makes me chuckle; what a change a few years makes.) I’m all about preparation, so some of the tips I might share in October may seem premature, but the extra effort now means that I won’t be stressed out come December. So without further ado, let’s get started!

AUTUMN: Last week we went apple picking to get us in the spirit of the season. There’s something so nice about planning a day trip and really enjoying it; there was no checking the time, responding to emails, or taking work phone calls. I was sure we would have baked something special with our pickings by now, but instead they’ve become a great snack each day. My grandmother used to make spiced baked apples and rugelach around this time of year, so I’m tempted to recreate her recipes before we eat them all up.

CHRISTMAS: I think in some ways I start planning for Christmas right after the previous holiday has ended. I start looking at what is going on sale, what did I dislike about my planning style, and how I can improve it for next year. I also think I’m inspired by so many things that have very little to do with Christmas that by time we’re in June, I’ve already thought of how these seemingly unconnected ideas can play a role in my decor. It’s not always as cut and dry as “Oh, I loved that one movie I saw in March and therefore that’s going to be my theme for Christmas for this year.” A lot of the time it’s more about a color scheme or a feeling I want to evoke. For example, something I saw right after the start of January 2017 made me think about tinsel trees and vintage ’70s glass baubles, so for three months or so all I was searching for were vintage tinsel trees and bottle brush trees. That’s not what my theme is going to be this year, but it just goes to show you that your inspiration isn’t limited to what’s on offer each year. In fact, I think the worst thing to do is to determine how you’re going to plan your themes for the year based solely on what’s on display in Christmas shops. You’ll end up paying for what everyone else will have, and chances are it won’t look exactly how you envision it because very few of us are the set designers charged with creating these looks in the first place. Think about what you like, not what the trends are.

Each year we pick a day in October (usually some day between the middle and the end of the month) to exchange Christmas lists. This year, the day is today, October 15. These lists are a big deal in my family because we believe giving thoughtful gifts is just as important as giving practical ones. By Christmas, I know what items I’ve wanted throughout the year but haven’t purchased. This means we’re always exchanging gifts the recipient actually wants and will use. We aim to put 10 to 12 items of differing price points on our lists. I’m ANTI gift cards, so knowing I’m giving a gift that will be appreciated is a great feeling. Offering our lists to one another in October means that we’re respecting each other’s financial obligations and timelines. I usually like my gift shopping to be done by the beginning of December, and I’ll keep more expensive items for others in mind for Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.

In terms of planning, let’s start with baby steps this week. One of my favorite resources is the Ultimate Christmas Countdown Checklist from Real Simple. It starts in October and outlines all kinds of holiday to-dos to keep in mind. I print mine out and keep it at the back of my Holiday Planner. We’ll talk more about that fun little book next week.

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