Belated Holiday Greetings & Letters to Santa

I really related to Brooke's recent blog post about holiday crafting procrastination--this is my holiday crafting style too.  A sort of pell-mell run to complete 6 projects you planned and 4 more you just found but have now decided you somehow have to fit in before Christmas D-day. And no, I would not say that I prefer this approach.  In fact, in my head the past few days I have been constructing a plan for how I will do it all differently next year, putting the tree up and decking the halls Thanksgiving weekend, and making gifts in batches over a series of weeks--with the final reward being nothing to do this final week leading up to Christmas other than maybe wrapping some gifts.  Is this even possible?  Do some of you manage to make this happen for yourselves?  And if you do, how do you do it? 

I am thinking it is possible because I see Amy's blog posts that have been showing off her lovely holiday decor for weeks on end now. I marvel at her--and covet this sort of decorating ease. 

But I am happy to say that I have finally helped Beeper to write his letter to Santa and to get that off in the mail--and then I used this little utility on Big Huge Labs to draft a letter from Santa in response to Beeper.  I mean, I could have designed the stationary myself, but well, you see, I am busy trying to do all of my holiday crafting and gift making this week.

I also got our holiday cards made this weekend and will send them off first thing tomorrow.  (How could I resist using these ridiculously cute and fabulous photos of Beeper in some way--I never have been one for a traditional holiday greeting).  And yes, I am sending them off with full knowledge that many will likely not reach their recipients until after Christmas--which is why I made these mailing labels..

You may not be able to read them from here but they say: Belated holiday greetings for...  Somehow owning up to that fact that I know they are late makes it okay that they are late--at least in my world.  Also, I actually sort of do believe that it might be nice to receive a holiday card a later--after all the others have already come in--just a little reminder that it is still the holidays afterall and someone is thinking about you even now in this week leading up to or after Christmas.

Anyone else out there needing to send some belated holiday cards this week?  If so, I have made a download for you of the mailing label--as well as another label that is for general (not belated, not holiday) mailing use.  You can download that right here:

DOWNLOAD MAILING LABEL

I simply printed the labels on some adhesive/sticker paper (I like the full page mailing labels at Office Max--they adhere to anything) and trim around the edges of the label.  

I will be back soon with photos of the new Christmas stockings that are on my work table as I write this...as well as lots more to come (sadly) before Dec 25th.