How to get ready for Christmas now…Christmas…oh how I love everything about you! The lights, the trees, the managers, the decorations, the sappy movies, the music. Yup–everything about it. Christmas is my jam. Even so, I acknowledge that it’s a crazy busy, sometimes stressful time of year.
Like everything in life, Christmas is easier with some proper planning. Below I am outlining for you how to get ready for Christmas now. I hope you can use this list to organize your season in a way that removes most of the stress so that you can truly enjoy this season with the people you love.
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How To Get Ready for Christmas now:
#1. Schedule, Schedule Schedule!
The single easiest way to stay sane through the holidays is to have a schedule in place. So before the season is in full swing consider creating the following schedules:
- Create an event schedule. Put all of the special events of the season on this, such as the ballet, Christmas parties, Christmas caroling, dinner with friends, special church services, etc.
- Create a Christmas movie schedule. In my family, we listed out all of the Christmas movies we want to fit in as a family this year (there are A LOT) and then scheduled them into our calendars. We even choose specific snacks to go with each movie. This way everyone is planning on it and can make sure to schedule around them.
- Create a baking schedule. If you are someone who has events to cook for as well as cookies and meals for your own family it can get really crazy trying to keep track of it all. Sit down with your list and a calendar and see which things you can pre-bake and freeze and then schedule in specific times for all of the rest.
- Create a gift-wrapping schedule. If you have multiple people to buy for like most of us, wrapping gifts can be extremely time-consuming. Plan ahead how you are going to deal with it this year. Some ideas are to wrap each gift as soon as you get back from shopping, or set aside certain days to wrap for each person on your list. For example, on Saturday wrap Suzzie’s gifts. On Sunday wrap Joe’s. You get the idea.
#2. Prepare a Christmas List for each person you intend to buy for
Having a very specific list for each person will help you avoid buying random gifts spontaneously and going over your budget. I am soooo guilty of this. I’m sure you’ve been there too–you get home from a day of shopping and you are excited to go through the items, but as you lay them out you start to wonder, why did I buy that? Are they even going to want that? Yup, thats the tragedy of spontaneous spending.
#3. Prepare a Christmas Budget
Decide now, before you are in the store stocked with shiny new things, what you are gong to spend on each person on your list–and stick to it.
In your budget you will also need to include a specific amount for each of the following:
- Gifts
- Christmas Decor
- Christmas Supplies (wrapping paper, cards, stamps, etc)
- Meals and Baking
- Donations
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#4 Order Christmas Cards, Christmas Stamps, and Wrapping Paper
It’s important to order these early, both so that you will get the biggest and best selection, and also so that it doesn’t get overlooked during the business of the holiday.
#5 Plan your Christmas dinner menu and buy ingredients now
I am embarrassed to say that a couple of years ago I waited to buy baking supplies until the day I was supposed to bake something for Thanksgiving with my family. I got to the store and they were completely out of pumpkin. Not a single can left on the shelves. It’s hard to bake pumpkin roll without pumpkin. Learn from my mistake. Buy the ingredients you will need to bake this holiday season early.
#6 Figure out your donations
Figure out which causes you are donating to this season and make a plan. You will have already budgeted for this in step 3 so now you just need to determine where your resources are going.
#7 Pull out all your decorations and go through them
Go through your decorations to determine which ones you are going to use, and which ones need to be discarded or put back away for another year. Make a list of anything that needs to be replaced so that you don’t forget to purchase those items later.
#8 Decide on a decorating schedule and theme
If you live in a small apartment this may not be necessary but I certainly find it necessary living in a two-story house. Decorating is a lot of work. It’s easiest if you do it over time and do not try to get it done in one day.
This year I am taking it room by room. I have planned a theme for each room, and rather than stressing myself out about putting everything out at once, I’m just doing one room at a time.
For example, we are decorating our breezeway this weekend. It’s “theme” is colored lights. So our tree in that room will have all different colored bulbs and colorful ornaments. The decorations will be happy and cheerful. Whereas in our living room, which I will decorate next weekend, I am decorating it in a more classic sophisticated style–red and green with glass ornaments.
#9. Get your guest rooms for guests that will be staying over
Evaluate what needs to be done to get your guest room ready for any guests that may be staying over. Make sure you have clean linens, towels, etc ready for them.
#10 Pull out your Christmas clothing
Pull out your Christmas clothes and evaluate what you will be wearing this year and what purchases you may need to make. Including:
Christmas Pajamas (if that’s your thing. Its definitely my thing)
Christmas sweaters
Any formal wear for Christmas parties
#11 Make a playlist of your favorite Christmas songs
There is almost nothing better than Christmas music playing in the background while you bake Christmas cookies, decorate, wrap presents (dread), or open gifts with loved ones on Christmas morning. Having a playlist of your favorite songs is even better.
Wrapping it up….
Christmas IS the most wonderful time of the year indeed. With some careful planning, it can go more smoothly, and you can make sure to check the important things off of your list one by one. Create a schedule, decide on the budget, plan the menu, baking, and giving, and prep your home. This is how to get ready for Christmas now. I hope that your season is Merry and Bright!
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