cozy-ness instead of glitz..i.e. try to light candles instead of electric bulbs

bake a custard or bread to fill house with the yummy scents..

keep the decorations simple; pine boughs and holly sprigs--and just the colors red and green together and gold and silver together..

working plumbing

I like these suggestions from darkseid!

hahaha  exactly!  Working plumbing is HUGE!!!  Every time I take a HOT shower, I whisper a thank you to God ... or when I flush ... lol  Kitchen sink is another story ... badly in need of work ... *sigh*  hopefully, soon!

another thing to remember;
DELEGATE some of th work

I never thought about that before... what makes a holiday extra special. This Thanksgiving Day is our most "special" holiday yet because the kids were able to fly in to Charleston to join us and it is our first holiday with our only grandchild. So for us it's the family, the beach, the good weather and the food... we like to try new recipes. My son-in-law has a big family and they go caroling as a family at Christmas.

Most important is the family. And when everyone realizes that these could be their last holidays together for awhile, it is bound to be special.

My soldiergirl is visiting our dear friends who lived at Folly Beach - now in Monck's Corner (is that how it is spelled?)  N Charleston!  Wish I could be there, too!  I'll be down in this Spring, at some point, I think. 

My tendency is to overthink things and bum myself out ... ya know, get over emotional!  *sigh* hoping that doesn't happen!  Thanks for  your input.

 I think that if you are the kind of hostess that is relaxed and "lets the chips fall where they are," in my book that makes you a great hostess.  People who over try to do celebrations -- zap the fun out of it. I bet, you have made so many beautiful memories with your past celebrations -- maybe you could take some old photogrpahs from previous celebrations -- with all their flaws and joys -- and just give the pictures short captions and get Kinkos to bind them in a small book. just and idea...

hmmm I was actually thinking along those lines ... like a memory box or book for the girls to take with them in their travels.  Thanks & Happy holidays!

I love having the kids and their friends and a whole houseful all the time.  I do my baking ahead of time, and freeze the cookies and sweetbreads.  However even big kids like to frost Christmas cookies, so that might be a group project.  Plan a menu of crock pot meals, so you don't have to spend time thinking about what to make and it mens that the prep cleanup is done in the morning, giving you the rest of the day free. A stack of favorite movies (we have a James Bond marathon between Christmas and New Years) and table games.  I have a basket of fleese throw blankets in the living room all winter, so kids (and my mother) can wrap up.  Some fuzzy socks or slippers, a basket of special hot drinks in the kitchen (a special coffee, a variety of teas, cocoa packets) and a couple peices of chocolate or mints on their pillows.  And don't forget to ask them what they want to do while they are home, my boy is coming home for Christmas, but he has plans that don't include us, so we are scheduling his days, so I know when he will be with me, we are not making to many plans, hubby works except for the 25th and the 1st, my 17 yo daughter works during that 2 week vacation (probably including the 25th and the 1st) and I work on the Sundays and Christmas Eve.  they may want to take some time to visit friends as well.

Oh , I nearly forgot, Letters from Santa (those are written by me, and go into the stockings, )

Have fun, and relax

Thanks!  Ya, I have to admit, I'm thinking about a fake tree ... if I have any cash left over after Christmas, I may go looking ...  Stocking up on board games, too ...   and we like card games a lot, also!