The holidays take some planning and coordinating. From gift giving, holiday meals, to parties we have a lot being added to our schedules in a short amount of time. To help ourselves out there are a few things we can do now to get ready for the holiday season.
Yes, I’m already thinking about the holidays. My kids have started dreaming of their Christmas wish lists and I have been thinking about the activities I would like to do together as a family.
I like to think ahead and have a plan for the holidays so I can avoid feeling overwhelmed and unprepared. When I don’t have a plan I can get a little anxious. To avoid that feeling there are a few things I can start doing now to get organized for the holidays.
Putting up my Christmas tree is not one of them. These items don’t involve decorating of any kind!
Here’s what I’m doing to prep for the holidays:
5 Ways To Get Ready Now For The Holidays
Use A Holiday Planner
I know many of us have our digital calendars on our phones we use everyday. But with the holidays there are a lot of extra activities that are added into our already busy schedules.
Having a specific planner to use for the holidays can be very helpful. A holiday planner will house anything holiday related in one place.
No searching for our kids wish lists or the favorite cookie recipe. It will all be in one spot that’s easily accessible.
(This calendar printable and other printables in this post are part of my Deluxe Holiday Planner)
Writing down all your activities, parties and celebrations on one calendar will help you to avoid double booking or over scheduling your holiday season.
Sometimes paper planners are better and I think during the holidays this is true!
Set A Budget
This year will be the first holiday season that I’m setting a budget before I start shopping!
In years past I would buy gifts and keep a running total of what I was spending on each person. Which is helpful- But I didn’t set any limits to my spending.
I think you know where that led. 😬
This year I’ll be setting a projected budget for my shopping. I like to have a few categories for spending so I’ll have a section for holiday entertaining, decor, and gift giving.
The gifts category I’ll separate into family, extended family and other.
Setting a budget before I shop will help me stay focused on getting meaningful gifts for each person on my list and keep my budget out of the red.
Make A Gift Wrapping Station
I highly recommend you avoid wrapping all your gifts on Christmas Eve. That is a very stressful and overwhelming situation to be in.
Make yourself a gift wrapping station in your home. Set up a portable table and stock it with wrapping paper, gift bags, bows, tape and gift tags.
If you don’t have space to keep a gift wrapping station set up, then make a portable gift wrapping station using a plastic tub or large cardboard box. Place all your gift wrapping items in the tub.
When you buy a gift you’ll be ready to get it wrapped and under tree.
Plan A Day To Bake or Make
Do you love to bake or make homemade gifts for neighbors and relatives? Make a plan and list of who you will be making or baking gifts for and then schedule a day (or more) to get it done.
I like to spend a day baking cut-out cookies and then schedule a separate day to decorate them. Sometimes I invite friends over for a cookie decorating party and other times I’ve kept it as a family activity.
Baking is definitely a favorite activity for me during the holidays so I make sure to add in a few days on the calendar specifically for that.
If you like to make gifts to give then you also need to have time to get that done. The earlier you start the better.
Be Ok With Saying NO
The holidays bring many opportunities for extra activities but we can’t possibly do them all!
Take time to meet with your family and have a brainstorming session of holiday activities and traditions you would like to do together.
Once you have your list circle your top priority activities. My family has a few traditions we like to do each year. If you need some inspiration check out this post: 5 Simple and Meaningful Holiday Traditions Your Family Will Love
Next, start putting these activities onto the calendar and see how full your schedule is looking. If it’s getting to full decide together what you can remove.
Be OK with saying NO so that you can enjoy your holiday season and avoid feeling run down and tired. You don’t want to miss the moments and joy in the activities you are participating in with your family and friends.
By doing a little planning and preparation to get ready for the holidays I’m hoping to stay sane and stress free during this fun season. I think these ideas will be helpful for you too!
All of the planning printables shared above can be found in the Deluxe Holiday Planner.
This is the exact planner I’m using to stay organized this holiday season. You can go here to get more details and grab your planner!
What are some things you do to prepare and plan ahead for the holidays? Leave your ideas in the comments below.
