It’s the most wonderful time of the year
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! We love the lights, sounds, smells and feel of the holidays. It can be overwhelming too! There’s lot of places to go, people to see, gifts to buy and cards to send. Here’s simply strategies to keep this the most wonderful time of the year for you too!
Make lists
Have you been searching the Internet for a gift for a “just in case” hostess gift for a party? Or not sure what to purchase for your family but you don’t know if you are a part of a gift exchange? It all starts with a list. It’s a list of who to buy for and a list of your budget for the purchases. That list keeps you aligned with what you plan, instead of those extra purchases and expenses. Find 3 small “general” gifts for hostesses and “surprise I brought you something” times. My favorite list making apps are Evernote and Notes. Your list is with you all the time on your smartphone. Make your holiday wonderful with a list.
Write it on the holiday calendar
A quick family meeting, even if it’s only you and your partner, gets all the details on your holiday calendar. Invitations are coming in and holiday activities are starting up. Writing these on your calendar makes sure you are in the know and are at the right spot at the right time. It’s also important to schedule time to just be. By scheduling in this time to sit, reflect, catch up, and rejuvenate, you gives yourself the gift of time. Otherwise, all your time will be filled and you will end up feeling frazzled. It’s hard to not overbook the holidays however your holiday will be wonderful with a modest schedule. Use your usual calendar and add these dates in red, green or blue to stand out.
Enlist help
Santa has his elves! Mrs. Claus is there too! It’s time for us to work as a team too. There’s help around us to wrap gifts, make treats, and share the fun. Ask for help from your family with specific requests but without being a perfectionist. Look around for resources to help, ask teens who want to make a little extra holiday money and inquire when a friend mentions a service they used. Take a small step by purchasing already cut fruit, using the gift wrap option online, hire a cleaning service or a decorating professional. These little gifts to yourself make your holiday wonderful.
Rest up
The holidays are when we are most busy. It’s easy to stay up much later online, decorating and baking. However, it catches up with us! Keep true to your bedtime routine that includes sleep for 7 – 8 hours. Be sure your sleep is restful with a cool, darkened space. Make a list at night while your tasks are fresh on your mind to keep your mind clear and ready for rest. Stay true to your exercise routine to be tired in a good way to sleep well.
Simplify
It’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the wonderfulness of the season. Holiday fun extends to extra gatherings with friends, sharing more treats with neighbors and family, and extra good wishes with holiday cards and gifts. Simplify your holiday by choosing what’s most meaningful to you. Reflect back on prior holidays with your family or in a moment of meditation to remember what made your holiday special. Take that awareness to the next step by reinforcing this with your holiday activities. Just checking in and knowing that even one thing is NOT on your agenda this holiday makes for a wonderful experience.
Not sure what to simplify this year? Here’s how I do it. My decorations include a festive doorway garland and my Christmas tree. We send holiday cards at the beginning of December. My holiday treats include make ahead holiday treats. Find what’s most meaningful to you, and simplify the rest.
More tips to simplify and organize on my newsletter! Join here!
I put out a LOT of holiday decorations. Initially, I gathered a few in college and setting them up felt like a lifeline through exams. Over the years, I collected more. Once I had children, we got even more. Then my children started receiving decorations as gifts each year (ornaments & small trinkets, etc.) I’m at the point where the children aren’t here to help me set up, but they don’t have space yet to take much of their decor with them — the breaking point! Last year I decided that I just was going to leave some of them in the boxes… you don’t have to do everything every year, right?
Great tips Ellen! So glad you mentioned rest as it’s the one thing most people overlook! Merry Christmas!
“Simplifying” definitely resonates with me. Surplus of holiday decorations and overabundant gifts can be difficult to manage. I love the idea of reflecting back on prior years and to repeat the activities and choices that brought you the most joy!
Hppy Holidays 🙂
Thanks Nancy! I love that we are focusing on meaning for us all.
We can overlook how much our energy is a part of our holiday. Thanks for stopping by!
So true! Our family simplified our decor last year. We have what’s most meaningful out and let go of a lot. We shared most of our decorations with our grown kids in years past and now just have what we love to display.