Getting the thought process going...

So, it is August, and unlike most years, I have not made one single Christmas/Winter solstice present yet (unless you count the new hats, but I am pretty sure they will have them by October - on the first cold day).

I thought I would take a moment to collect my thoughts and mark down some of the things I am thinking of.  I noticed several craft / simple living bloggers out there have started their Christmas crafting - or at least their idea collecting - and I thought we could all help each other collect some ideas.

So here we go (and also this way I have a place to come back to when I forget what I was thinking of):

-fabric bookmarks for the stockings, kind of like this one over here but "boyish"

- one pair of socks for each stocking?
-I'm thinking a knit tie for S since he will need one for graduation, and N will need a new pair of slippers unless he gets a pair for his birthday.
-toiletry bags for traveling - I don't think they like when we all have to share one.
-new Hackey sacks - I think I might use this pattern from the purl bee but shrink it a little bit...last time I knit them, but I think fabric ones will be fun.

-I have no ideas for the Hubby this year, but he did mention that he didn't think we should exchange gifts between the two of us this year, so I might just make him some treats for his stocking.  A pair of fingerless gloves perhaps, since he burned the fingers of a pair last year?

I really liked the way the cookie bags turned out last year, so I will definitely be doing some more of those to pack up the teacher gifts of baked goods...I just need to make something to decorate them.  Maybe felted acorns, maybe paper or ribbon roses, maybe felt pinecones, maybe beaded pinecones.  Still plenty of time to figure that one out.

I will need to make the Christmas cards, of course, but I have an idea in mind...actually I have two - a "quick" one and a more time consuming one.  Time will tell which one will be made.  I make 20 cards roughly, every year, so it's not like I have 100 of the things to make.

Some sort of homemade candy or treats for the stockings would be nice...I didn't end up having time for that last year, I think.

I think the boys this year will be making each other "gifts from the kitchen" but I'm not sure what.  Candy maybe.

I'm not saying I will be making everything on the list -in fact, I am almost sure I won't - but if I start in September, some of the ideas are afternoon or evening projects that I could finish up quite quickly.  That would leave December free for all of the things that pop up out of nowhere -and leave time for skating and sledding and cookie eating making and all of that.  I also want to have a few of my friends over for an evening or two of hot chocolate and crafting.  Every year, we say we will do it and every year we focus on the other "to-do's" and don't get around to it.

How about you?  Do you have your crafty list made?  Anything you care to share with us?