20 Holiday Season Preparation Ideas
Shelves are starting to overflow with Christmas decor. Literally. Did you ever realize how narrow aisles get during the holiday season? How quickly they fill up with items that they want you to buy?
I absolutely LOVE Christmas. Always have, for the fact that there is something about the peace of God and the reflection of what the birth of Christ means, that is incredibly inspiring. That is why making sure that Christmas is NOT a stressful or overwhelming holiday, is important. When it comes to buying gifts, I am a straight up list person. If it’s not on the list, it’s not going to be in my cart. I get too easily overwhelmed with all of the choices. Choices of every kind – no matter what you are looking to get.
So how do you prepare for a season, when our culture is just overflowing with consumerism and an explosion of the checkbook? It is possible to not let the true meaning of the season get lost in the process. It is possible to actually ENJOY every minute of CHRISTMAS.
Here are some holiday season preparation ideas that will hopefully allow YOU to enjoy every minute of the season!
1. Say NO! Saying yes only adds one more obligation, one more present to wrap, and one more event to work around. We do not need to prove that we can do everything. Saying no is the most freeing word. It may offer guilt for the first 5 minutes, but for the season, you will feel free. Don’t be afraid to say no!
2. Stick with what works. You have been living in the Christmas season for years. Think about what stresses you out. Think about what is most overwhelming. Think about what really works. Make a list! If you know this certain dish always is a hit, stick with it. Don’t spend time trying to find something new. If you know how you like your house decorated, don’t change it up. Stick with what works.
3. Make what you can, ahead. Many desserts and even side dishes are freezable. What if you took the time to make those items now and froze them? Then when party time comes, all you have to do is pull it out of the freezer, and maybe warm it up, but that’s it! How easy is that?
4. Be okay with enough. You walk through aisles and aisles of food, Christmas decorations and think “I want it all”! Let’s be realistic. We can’t do it all. Set boundaries for yourself and know when enough is enough!
5. Start exercising. Sounds odd, but the best way to relieve stress sometimes is to exercise. Exercising for me personally, is more of a must than an option. I feel so much better about myself, which makes me feel better about others (it’s true), and I know I can enjoy some of the sweets I like to indulge in because I know the next day I will hopefully be exercising them off. Exercising has so many benefits – even if it’s a short walk. Get outside, get some fresh air, and air out your stress!
6. Think about your values. It is easy to get caught up in the buying mode, where we buy to impress others. What are you letting influence your values – magazines, ads, websites, blogs, media in general? Decide what you want YOUR Christmas to look like – don’t try to reflect someone else’s.
7. Does your faith play a part in your Christmas? Faith is what drives ours. Every year, we try to find different ways to grow in our faith and every year, we are more and more humbled at the gift of Christmas. It is easy to lose sight of the reason for the season, but keeping a right mind and heart, is a great place to start.
8. Don’t buy a Christmas tree or decorate: before you call me the Grinch, the reason I say that is because maybe buying a tree and decorating isn’t even worth it? Are you going to be gone for a good chunk of December? If so, is it worth buying a tree? Is decorating your house, going to cause you too much stress? If so, consider scaling back on the decorating for a year and then reevaluate the next year. We personally do not buy a tree at the moment because we do not have room for one. We live in a small house and a tree, well, there isn’t even a shot at fitting a 3 foot tree. It is one less thing we have to think about, and plus, we travel to our parents’ homes during Christmas, so we aren’t even home DURING Christmas to enjoy it!
9. Don’t send out Christmas cards: again, not trying to be negative nelly, but if it’s too much stress, don’t do it. You will still be loved (hopefully) by family members, even if you don’t send them out.
10. Ask for help – don’t be afraid to ask your family to assist you in wrapping, baking, cleaning, etc. You maybe are not the only person living in the house, so rally the troops! Turn up the Christmas music, make some hot chocolate, and have fun TOGETHER.
11. Check your gift wrap supplies BEFORE. Do you need to buy more paper? Or do you have so many scraps, that you could stand to use UP what you have? Don’t try to bring a fashion statement to the party with your presents – just use what you have.
12. Create a Christmas center in your home. You are probably thinking “but WHERE?” That is a good question. Maybe this “center” is a traveling center. Maybe it’s on a card table. Maybe it’s on the floor. Wherever it may be, it is a wise idea to have all of your gift wrap, gift bags, ribbon, scissors, tape, pens, twine, etc., all in one area. To spruce it up, plug in a cd player and play your favorite Christmas music!
13. Don’t forget to breathe. Christmas is supposed to be memorable and enjoyable – don’t let yourself get too wound up. Enjoy the presence of family, of being together, and take time to enjoy the sights and sounds of the season.
14. Stick to your budget. If you wrote down a number, don’t go over it – there is a reason why you set a budget!
15. Consider not doing a gift exchange. If you are buying gifts to just BUY gifts, opt out of your work’s gift exchange, your friend’s, your family’s, whatever. Don’t buy to just buy.
16. Get specific ideas from people if you can. This means emailing, calling, asking that person what they would like IN ADVANCE! Try to ask them as soon as you can to prevent last-minute, stressful buying.
17. What is the most thoughtful? Not every gift can be handmade (or maybe not any), but if there is someone who would appreciate a homemade, handmade gift, don’t hesitate to make it.
18. Watch the sale ads. Starting early means you can compare prices more, which in turn means saving some cash!
19. Be positive. Nothing creates a more crabby shopper than a negative person. If you are only walking up and down the aisles fuming, it is going to do no one any good.
20. Have fun. Think about the person you are buying for. Say a prayer for them. Encourage them. Think of ways they have influenced you. This keeps gift buying in perspective and helps you realize that waiting in line 15 minutes IS worth it – especially for this person!
Are you ready? Do you feel ready? Following some of these principles, it will make your holiday season much more manageable. And enjoyable!