December Daily Directory | But what stories do I include?

December Daily should be a project that we do each year to help us prolong that warm Christmassy feeling. And a way for us to revisit each year memories from Christmas past.

However, it quickly becomes dreaded by many as the panic sets in about what stories to document, duplicating stories from previous years, not having anything to document on a particular day - sound familiar?

I want you to know that you have come to the right place. Firstly, take a deep breath if you are stressed about the thought of December Daily......Remember, there are no rules in scrapbooking and that most certainly applies to this project too.

So, I want you to go and grab a cup of tea (or coffee) and a pen and notepad (which if you’re like me will take you ages to choose which one of your 150 unused notebooks you wish to use) and take a seat somewhere quiet where you can relax.

Now we can move on to the planning stages of December Daily. This project, I strongly believe, is all in the planning. You don’t need to spend hours or days thinking or planning for this but little things like making notes or setting up some foundation pages (which I will cover in a later blog post and videos on Youtube) will definitely help you to be more successful with this project. Choose your notebook wisely as this will also feature throughout my whole December Daily Directory guide and will form an important part of your kit preparation (which is the next part of this series!)

All we are going to do is make a list. We’re going to list as many things that we think that we can do or document in the month of December. I’m going to keep it very simple and just bullet point these. Have a read through my list, jot down any that you think you can do or that you want to do. Be sure to have at least enough for 1 per day plus a couple of extras in case you change your mind later on. Let’s go.....

- Decorate the Christmas Tree. Take some before and after photos. Take some photos of trying to get the tree down from the loft - That’s always a funny occasion in my house, trying to squeeze it through the loft hatch and it more often than not always results in an argument between me and my husband!

- Go and see some Christmas Lights. This could be a neighbours lights or even going to watch the Christmas lights being switched on in your town, or if that happens in November then just go and grab a photograph of them on any day in December. Best to make this a night time activity when its a little darker right?!?

- Have a Movie night. I love Christmas films and they are on TV already so find one that you love watching every year or find a new one you haven’t watched yet. This can be done alone or watch with some friends. Grab a blanket and some snacks and settle in for the evening. This is a great way to document a day when you’ve worked all day and you just want to chill out when you get home. If you don’t like Christmas films then choose another film. It’s just about documenting your memories in December and not everything has to be about Christmas.

- Special Events like birthdays or Anniversary’s. This is another way to document a special day in December. My anniversary is 1st December so I always start my album with something about this day but it is usually teamed up with putting the decorations up!

- Have a games night. I love board games. So get some friends or family round - order a takeaway if you fancy and just enjoy some good old fashioned board games. My personal favourite is Monopoly and I get so passionate about winning that I become super competitive. This is another great story to tell.

- If you fancy yourself as a baker then get your apron on and make some baked goodies. I always find an excuse to make some flapjack and Rocky Road treats and this is a great way to share with neighbours, friends, family or colleagues. The story may not be about the baking, it could be about the gift of sharing with loved ones and the joy on their faces as they bite down into something you have made. If you’re not much of a baker then how about buying some treats to share instead?

- Reading is one of my favourite pastimes. How about a good Christmas book. There are plenty of festive reads available. If you’re in the UK then I would recommend checking out The Works. They have quite a few to choose from and for a few pounds, this will give you some festive feels whilst reading it and giving you another story to tell. You could write about our love of books or even a particular book you are reading. Remember - no rules!

- What advent calendar do you have? It’s a common misconception that adults do not have advent calendars. Let me correct this by saying that we most certainly can. Tell a story of what was in your calendar. If you’ve been really good this year then you might even be lucky enough to have a cosmetic or even Lego advent calendar. If there is something out of the ordinary in your calendar then document it. I only have a chocolate one but I will most certainly be taking a photo of opening one of those little doors. The story could be about what advent calendars you had growing up. Special memories (good or bad) surrounding them. Did you not have one growing up? Then tell the story. I remember always receiving one with the cheapest of chocolate in and I hated the taste (sorry Mum and Dad!) But there is a story to be told.

- What about a lovely winter walk. This is something you can do on your own and it costs nothing which is even better right?! So pop on a winter coat, some boots, gloves, scarf and hat and get yourself outside and grab a few photos. Take a shoe selfie (for those of you who do not know what a show selfie is - just point the camera at your feet and take a photo of your shoes and where you are standing). Take a photo of the light thrown off from the street lamp. Take a photo of your street or local park at night. Tell your story of where you live and what is going on in your neighbourhood. If you are remote or don’t know your neighbours then use this as your story. Tell the story of maybe getting to know your neighbours - this could even lead you back into the activity a few points above where we talked about sharing some baked goods. It’s the season of good will after all.

- Christmas Shopping. I love to Christmas Shop online as much as I can. So, I can include things like a stack of parcels that I have received and tell my story around my reasons for shopping online. What arrived in the post that day....who was it for....why did you buy them that particular gift....If you like to go to the shops to buy gifts then grab a photo of where you went shopping. Take a photo of the crowds and how much you hate them (sorry that would be a story that I would need to write). Not everything in your album has to be a story of happiness and joy. I would definitely write about loving Christmas but hating crowds of people when Christmas shopping.

- Go and visit some friends and family. You may do this throughout December anyway but think of the story you want to go with it. Grab a photo of you all together. Do you meet each December? Tell the story. Do you go to the same place every Christmas time for a meal - lets hear about it.

- Food Shopping - I love this task. I love food so this is my opportunity to go absolutely nuts in the supermarket. If you change your shopping location at Christmas (it's the only time of the year that i’ll Shop in Marks and Spencers!) then there is your story. Take a photo of the seasonal aisle in your supermarket or of the groceries you have in your trolley or of the 10+ bags you have crammed into the boot of your car. Tell the story of how much food gets bought and will never get eaten but how you buy it anyway. How about keeping your shopping list and including that? (It’s best to photocopy your receipt if you’re going to include it as they generally aren’t archival and you’ll find that the printing will fade).

- So you’ve decorated your house with all of the tinsel and baubles you can find - so how about the office. If it’s only a little tree you keep on your desk or some tinsel around your computer monitor - tell the story. Have you been at the office late and its dark outside and you are sat there staring at your Christmas lights surrounding your desk and just wishing you were at home with a hot chocolate? Does your work do something special for Christmas like go for a Christmas meal together? Or can you feel how people are excited and can you feel that buzz in the office? You know what I am going to say now - tell the story.

- National Christmas Jumper day - Get the date in your calendar - December 14th. Get that Christmas jumper on and grab a selfie or get a few of you together and take a group photo. If you don’t have a Christmas jumper (firstly, why not?) then wear something else that is festive like some green tights or some tinsel in your hair. This is your opportunity to dress up and get into the spirit of Christmas. It is also for a great cause as any money raised on this day goes to charity. (Google Christmas Jumper Day for more details)

- Hot Chocolate/Winter Coffee - I love to get a Costa Hot Chocolate when they release their Christmas menu. This is something that I look forward to every single year and I will admit, I have already treated myself to one (sorry not sorry!). It’s become quite popular to collect the different cup designs from Costa/Starbucks and include these in your album. I am no different and have done this the last couple of years. So don’t throw your cup away - wash it out, dry it and include it in your album.

- How about a wish list for each person in your family? There is only myself and my husband but this would be a great story to document. Looking back on this list year on year you can see how tastes and wants have changed. This is a great way to get other people involved with your album. Get some tags (you’ll need those in your kit) and write each persons name on them and hand them out to each of them. Get them to write their own wish list. You can then pop this in your album.

- I know that not many people give Christmas cards anymore but again - take a photo of the cards you have received. If you have received one with an extra special message then keep it and include it in your album also. If you’ve been sent an email with Christmas greetings (and not the one from Next with a 10% off coupon), one that means something then print it and include it, But most importantly - tell your story about it. Why was a certain Christmas card so special this year? Why was that email an important one to document?

- We’re all crafty people right? Well I am sure that there are other crafts that you do during the month of December? Do you get your kids involved in making paper snowflakes? Or do you have a Christmas Planner that you like to decorate and carry around with you (cough - like me). Think about something else crafty that you do like knitting or crochet. Are you knitting a Christmas jumper for somebody? Who is it for? Take a photo of your work in progress. But just make sure you add these stories in.

- Do you take part in a Secret Santa at work. Or are you involved in a group where you could organise this to happen? I am taking part in 2 at work because I just love giving gifts. Receiving them is great too mind. But grab some photos of your secret Santa gifts. Did you receive something funny to wear? Put it on and grab a photo. Grab a photo with your secret Santa, I want to hear those stories.

- What about a little photo shoot? On your own - sure, why not? Grab something festive and let your imagination take over. It's only for fun right? If you have pets or children (or both) get them involved too. Put some antlers on your dog and grab a photo - Catch a photo of you and your better half kissing under the mistletoe (my husband would be lucky if I did this!) But just have some fun taking some photos. You might even have some great shots by the end. Let your inhibitions go and let your imagination take over. Christmas Pjs in front of the tree? Hands warming in front of the fire. This is a great way to add some extra photos to your album for sure!

- A nice easy one - wrapping presents. Grab some photos of the chaos that ensues when wrapping lots of presents. Have you got glitter everywhere? Have you got a secret hiding place for presents so no one see’s? Have you found someone else’s hiding place? Did you sneak a peak (that’s naughty if you did). Take a photo of your amazing wrapping paper choice this year. You can lay your wrapping materials out and photograph a flat lay (please Google if you’re not sure what this is - It will help you  with your photography skills for sure). 

- Are you hanging up the stockings on your wall? Well then lets tell the story of who has which one, what is included in them each year. Is there a joke present that is added in every year? Do you still include an orange in the stocking? (Yes a Terrys chocolate orange for me - hehe). Where do you hang them? Do you place them about the bottom of the bed or hang them above the fire?

- What are other people up to this December. I am quite happy to stalk my friends and family on facebook and if there are any funny memes or photos then I will include them in my album too. This album isn’t just about you. It’s about everything and everyone around you too. If I see a photo of one of my nieces or nephews having gone to visit Santa then I would grab that photo and want to include it - I’d ask them to write the story for the day! Think outside of your immediate bubble. There’s a whole world out there.

- It’s December 20 something - what still needs doing? Write yourself a to do list - What do you still need to buy - whose presents still need wrapping? Have you forgotten the foil for the Turkey? Include that to do list in your album. Not only will it be your story for the day, it’ll also help you keep focused for getting those last minute items done and finished - and it was your December Daily that helped you focus on that!

So here we are, at the end of my list that took me 2 minutes to write. There are hundreds more ideas of things you can include. This list is designed to help get you started. So, I hope you have made some notes in your notebook so you’re ready to start December Daily with a bang and that you feel confident on the stories that you have to tell. Everybody has stories to tell. Let’s find those stories together.

Claire x