The greatest gift of all

Wow - a new year! I have to say that Christmas and New Year are already a distant blur. It was a relatively relaxed xmas, but far too many presents exchanged and having to find room for more 'stuff'. (Although that's always a great excuse for me to do another declutter).

The best gift I received (except for time with my boys) was a duck. Yes, you read correctly, a duck. It was in an envelope and purchased through Oxfam. It was the gift of a duck to be given on my behalf to help create a better future for someone less fortunate. I thought it was the coolest idea and would strongly recommend this for someone you care about and as a perfect gift for the person who has everything. You can find out more by visiting www.oxfamunwrapped.com.au

I hope everyone has a prosperous and organised 2010!

A Less Stressful Christmas

For a less stressful Christmas, start your meal plan now. Work out a timeline and work backwards. Anything that can be premade and frozen will mean less to do on the day.

Start purchasing items now like napkins and condiments to spread out the cost. Also, if you start planning now, it's easier to delegate when people offer to help!