Planning for the Holidays: Is it like planning for a Disney Vacation? - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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There are other changes as well.
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It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
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So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
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Planning for the Holidays: Is it like planning for a Disney Vacation?
I had an "ah ha" moment this morning when I realized that planning for the holidays is very similar to planning for a Disney vacation.
When planning a Disney vacation, I have some deadlines:
180 days—Advanced Dining Reservations made
45 days—Trip Paid in Full
10 days—Check in on line and pre-order Photopass CD
1 day—bags packed
A holiday countdown looks amazingly similar:
1 month—tree up and decorated
2 weeks—cards mailed
1 week—shopping done
5 days—start thawing the turkey, bake and decorate cookies
1 day—all presents wrapped, wait for Santa!
I definitely see the similarities but I'm much more the planner when it comes to Disney. For us and the holidays, the tree always goes up after Thanksgiving (this year was an exception though), cards go out whenever I get them done, I've done shopping up until Christmas Eve, and the last few years, the bulk of the gifts got wrapped ON Christmas Eve. This year though, I've actually started wrapping gifts and I've gotten about half of them done so at least I won't be up until the wee hours of the morning on Christmas Eve - but keep in mind, I didn't plan it like that, it was a last minute decision (I was home, Abby had a half day at school so I actually did something useful with my time )
you are right except for those of us not going anywhere, we don't have to be concerned about the house, thankgoodness.
I also don't have the airplane flight to be concerned about.
So I find this ALOT easier even though I do admit, the stress is there especially with a kid with chicken pox and a son whose getting an unexpected tooth pulled thurs I am glad that I planned ahead. Only a few stocking stuffers and my last min groceries to buy.
Sometimes I am glad that the holidays over. I hope i don't feel that way about my vacation
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For me; Christmas shopping starts some/most years as soon as school starts back in August....
My shopping deadline is by Thanksgiving or black Friday (if there are deals worth waiting for).....
I don't put the tree up until our Christmas break starts (this year was Dec 16) since that starts our time off of school and work.
I start menu/food planning when Christmas break starts also; but don't cook/prepare/grocery shop until a few days beforehand (tomorrow).....
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I am glad that I planned ahead. Only a few stocking stuffers and my last min groceries to buy. 
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