Raising Maine

WHOA! Is it already holiday time creeping up? Or should I saying blatantly blazing its furious trail onward?

The first weekend in November seems to throw me into a panic. I - who have a "gift closet" that starts during the summer and the beginnings of craft projects lined up for months, in preparation for the holidays so I DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THE YEARLY PANIC - am getting nervous. Church fairs and the local Hallmark holiday promo's are the first signs. Forget the holiday music - that's been going on for weeks some places.

I am counting the "shopping days" left (not easy to miss, as I work in retail now) and all I can say is, and I quote myself from every year I've known myself since about the age of about 21:
"This year, things will be simpler."
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

So I look to you, who are mostly my "younger" sisters but loaded with wisdom:

Ideas for simplifying?

What do you do to trim down, in terms of expense and energy?

Is it possible to reverse a long-held tradition of approaching holidays with great intentions but still getting caught up in doing too much?

How do you lower your own expectations? Others' expectations of you as Mom/sister/aunt/etc and does anyone want to come clean my house for me? (ha ha - just testing...)

The one with the best suggestions gets an all-expense paid trip to view my un-given gifts from the last 15 years which include bargain items from the teen store at the mall (10 for $10 - how can you beat that deal?!?,) handmade note cards from a church fair I went to in NH 12 years ago, and 3 brand new junk jewelry items I bought on sale in NC several trips ago, needing only partial repair...