Every family has one: a gift-giver of extraordinary flair and creativity. Year after year, this paragon finds just the right gift, large or small, for every friend and relation, and all without breaking the bank.

Her “just because” offerings are tiny jewels, she’s hip to the latest teen trends—and she never, ever hears the double-barbed response, “Oh, you shouldn't have--you really shouldn’t have!”

What’s her secret? A master gift list.

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Can you make a Christmas planner from a simple 2-pocket folder? With back-to-school sales offering these items at a bargain price, take a tip from blogger Stamp, Paper, Scissors and create a custom holiday organizer.

This Christmas planner packs a lot of punch into a small space. While we've seen pocket-folder planners before, her clever addition of a small "gift guide" notebook, calendar (using printable calendars from this site) and receipt envelope makes this planner extra special.

Don't miss the printable template for the gift guide notebook!

Make a Christmas Organizer

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Will you bake a haunted gingerbread house this Halloween?

Whether you're a gingerbread house novice or a seasoned pro, the Web has recipes, patterns, templates and ideas galore to inspire your spooky creation.

Try these links for fantastic, fearsome Halloween gingerbread creations:

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Welcome to the Rudolph Club: your once-a-month meeting to simplify your holidays and get organized for Christmas, 2008!

At OrganizedChristmas.Com, we know that the holiday season can be fast and furious. Solution? Take a day once each month throughout the year to plan and prepare for a more-organized holiday season.

On the 25th of each month, we'll bring simple assignments and easy tips to try now for a simpler, more joyous season for 2008. Over the year, you'll tackle planning and preparations to make the season lighter, brighter and less stressful come December.

Summer's end brings back-to-school--and the holidays aren't far behind. How to prepare today? Collect your crafts! Click the read more link below to read this month's Rudolph Club assignment:

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Labor Day weekend ahead! School bells are ringing, football fills the airwaves and September looms. Will the holidays be far behind?

Sure, you're dreaming of the perfect Christmas--then you open your eyes to reality. Looking around the house, it's hard to imagine how to cut the clutter, manage fall cleaning and prepare for Christmas all at once.

How will you bring the current state of domestic chaos into holiday readiness: clean, organized, prepared?

It's time to kick off the Houseworks Holiday Plan! Week by week, we'll deep-clean, declutter, and prepare for the holiday season in small, sustainable bites.

Along the way, we'll create a personalized Christmas planner to simplify the holidays--and online HHP communities provide motivation, inspiration and fun.

The fun starts Sunday, August 31! Will you be ready?

Houseworks Holiday Plan

Magical Holiday Home's Houseworks Holiday Plan Forum

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They're popping up in a neighborhood near you: "We've Been BOOed!" signs that fly from house to house. What's behind it all?

You've been BOOed! Welcome to the wonderful world of BOO-ing.

It's a Halloween take on "Secret Santa" or May baskets: secretly leaving small gift bags or BOO baskets, a BOO poem, BOO instructions and a BOO sign at a neighbor's door.

In turn, the neighbor is asked to BOO two others, leading to a chain reaction--and Halloween fun.

To start a BOO, use our free printable BOO kit. We've got a one-page poem/instructions sheet, and three different BOO signs to make it easy to start a BOO in your neighborhood.

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As we get ready for Christmas, we’ll be making lists (and checking them a lot more than twice!), holding discussions with spouses, children and parents, and drawing up a holiday budget.

Too often, we record our plans piecemeal, consigning them to a confused clutter of scrawled envelopes, jotted notes and cryptic calendar entries—none of which make it to the shopping center with us when it’s time to buy gifts.

Organized people keep the results of their work in a central place. Try the tips below to create and use a Christmas notebook--your personal guide to relaxed and happy holidays:

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Calling all papercrafters! Looking for something a bit more luxe than our three-ring binder version for your Christmas planner?

Get step-by-step instructions to create this standout Christmas planner from the Make Me Creative Blog. With an embellished velvet cover, decorated dividers and colorful receipts envelope, this Christmas planner would make a perfect holiday gift:

In addition to the detailed instructions and photos, the site also includes a link for right-sized printable Christmas planner pages to fill out your finished notebook:

Great job!

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Spark young writers with a clever non-food gift in a jar: a Child's Journal Jar. Simple, kid-friendly questions turn journaling sessions into fun! This printable gift in a jar makes a great gift for back to school.

We've made it easy to craft your Child's Journal Jar. Free printable journal prompts have colorful legends and graphics to make a pretty gift. Add a free printable gift tag for a professional touch.

To assemble your Child's Journal Jar, print the colorful journal prompt pages linked below. Each page holds six colorful journal prompts.

Child's Journal Jar Prompts

New! Print our journaling prompts in .PDF format.

Cut apart each journal prompt, and fold it so that the colored graphics are folded to the outside, with the journal assignment on the inside.

Fill the jar with journal slips, and attach the free printable gift tag for a great gift for kids!

Want more? Check out our Adult Journal Jar. With over 200 free printable journaling prompts--and a colorful gift tag to print--you'll create a special gift for a friend or family member.

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Child-friendly, fun craft gift, M&M Cookies in a Jar is perfect for teacher gifts, Secret Santa or stocking stuffers! For a holiday touch, use M&M-brand chocolate candies in seasonal colors.

Our free printable gift tag carries out the M&M-brand theme! Bold and bright, this two-sided tag comes in three lively colors. Print and fold to create this colorful gift-in-a-jar.

Includes free printable gift tags.

New! Print this M&M Cookies In A Jar gift tag in .PDF format.

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With friends like these, we could all get organized for the holidays! Check out this wonderful Christmas pocket planner given to InspireCompany blogger Amy by her friend Pam. It's clever, creative and wildly colorful:

Christmas Pocket Planner

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What would happen if one of Santa's elves came to your house to visit?

He'd arrive sometime before the holidays began. Sent by Santa to check on good little girls and boys, he'd roam the house at night, popping up in the most unlikely places come morning.

Sometimes, elf mischief would take place--and he'd be caught red-handed! Finally, on Christmas Eve, he'd report to Santa and hitch a ride back to the North Pole ... until next year.

If you can imagine it, you can do it: meet Santa's Magic Elf!

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A favorite hot-weather sweet sparks a great gift in a jar: Orange Dreamsicle Cookies!

Taking the name--and flavors--of a cool summer treat, Orange Dreamsicle Cookies are punched up with vanilla baking chips and a burst of citrus.

Layered and decorated with a pretty gift tag, Orange Dreamsicle Cookies In A Jar are perfect "just-because" gift or gift basket item.

We make it easy with a free printable gift tag. New! Print this gift in a jar gift tag in .PDF format.

Click the read more link below:

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Planning for the holiday season? Why try to wing it, on the fly? To get into the seasonal swing in comfort, find a place in your home for an activity center devoted to Christmas planning.

An “activity center” is a key home-organizing concept. Borrowed from those mistresses of controlled chaos, pre-school teachers, an activity center combines a focus, a dedicated area, and storage for tools and supplies in a single location. For example, sand play is easy at the sand table, and clean up is even easier if shovels and dump trucks live in open bins stacked beneath it.

Just as little ones know where to go to play dress-up, your Christmas planning center is the place you’ll go to make Christmas lists, address Christmas cards, organize décor ideas and plan menus. It’s home to Christmas planning and information, so create a pleasant and efficient place to prepare for the holiday to come.

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Welcome to the Rudolph Club: your once-a-month meeting to simplify your holidays and get organized for Christmas, 2008!

At OrganizedChristmas.Com, we know that the holiday season can be fast and furious. Solution? Take a day once each month throughout the year to plan and prepare for a more-organized holiday season.

On the 25th of each month, we'll bring simple assignments and easy tips to try now for a simpler, more joyous season for 2008. Over the year, you'll tackle planning and preparations to make the season lighter, brighter and less stressful come December.

Click the read more link below to read this month's Rudolph Club assignment ... and celebrate Christmas in July by getting organized!

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So what if it's summer?

Smart holiday planners "think Christmas" ahead of time--and summer is a natural time to get a head start on holiday planning.

Click the read more link below for planning pointers from Celebrating Christmas online magazine.

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Summer's here ... time to think Christmas?

Sure--if you want to stay debt-free. The summer season is the right time to think ahead to the financial demands of the holiday season. Starting a savings plan during the summer months makes sense--and cents.

Get the summer savings how-to with this article from MotleyFool.com. Best tip? Pay Santa first!

Christmas is Coming! Hurry Up And Save!

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Gifts In A Jar: Adult Journal JarIt's summer and canning jars, like fresh produce, are in season--but you can do a lot more with them than put up tomatoes for winter!

Savvy holiday planners know that gifts in a jar are easy, welcome and fun to make, so check out these gift-in-a-jar ideas from HomeCrafting.com.

You'll find a great round-up of gifts in a jar, mason jar recipes and crafts projects for all the seasons of the year. Check 'em out!

Gifts in A Jar (and More!)

Need more ideas? Visit our Gifts In A Jar page for recipes, inspiration and easy gifts:

Gifts In A Jar Index

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You've seen them everywhere from crafts fairs to bath boutiques: pretty handmade gift soaps. Clear and colorful or rich with natural additives for beautiful skin, they're a welcome holiday gift.

Best of all, they're easy to make using melt-and-pour soap. Heated in the microwave, clear or opaque glycerin soap base is combined with colorants and fragrances, then poured into molds to harden. When cool, soaps pop right out of the molds, ready to use.

Follow these soap-making tips and soap starter projects to help you master this squeaky-clean craft:

Basic Instructions for Melt-and-Pour Soap

Confetti Creations Soap: Melt-and-Pour Soap Project

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Long days and school vacations mean Christmas crafting can be a welcome break from summer routines.

Celebrate Christmas in July with these craft projects and friendship gifts. Perfect for Secret Santa exchanges or neighbor gifts, they're easy to make:

We Whisk You
A Merry Kissmas

Dustpan
Cookies

Candy Cane
Reindeer

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