Tag Archive for: holiday preparation

25 Ways to Get Ready for the Holiday Season

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The beginning of October ushers in the holiday season.  The joy of the season is amplified by preparation.  Many extra tasks and projects can be a mix of joy and stress. With intention, planning, and organization, you can create a holiday season that’s meaningful, enjoyable, and even relaxing. Here are 25 ways to get ready for the holidays so you can spend less time worrying and more time celebrating.

Home & Décor

  • Declutter before decorating .  It is time to refresh you space before you start to decorate. Clear out old or unused items so your home feels fresh and ready for seasonal décor. Let go of decor you have not used in several years.
  • Check your holiday decorations. Inventory what you have so you know what you need. Test lights, organize ornaments, and repair or replace anything broken.
  • Think through your decorating plan.  Each year brings a new approach to your decorating. Update your plan and decide which areas of your home you’ll decorate. Remember to keep it simple if you have less time and energy.
  • Set up a wrapping station. Make it easy and fun to do the required tasks. A wrapping station consolidates all your tools and materials. Keep tape, scissors, tags, and wrapping paper in one place.
  • Gather a team for cleaning and decorating. Remember that a team effort will help you enjoy the time together and be efficient.

Food & Entertaining

  • Plan your holiday treats and meals with simplicity.  It’s easiest to focus on your family recipes if you have help with semi-homemade extras. Write menus and grocery lists now to avoid last-minute stress. Use curb side delivery for easy shopping.
  • Stock your pantry with essentials. Know your stock and keep it fresh. Pull out recipes early to stock what is needed.
  • Prep freezer-friendly dishes. Your menu can include easy-to-prepare recipes that can be duplicated to save time. Soups, casseroles, and cookie dough freeze well and save time later.
  • Plan ahead for homemade gifts. Write out your holiday treat giving on your calendar to plan for time to purchase, bake, and deliver your treat.
  • Check serving dishes and cookware. Make sure you have enough platters, roasting pans, and storage containers.

Gifts & Shopping Lists

  • Create a gift list that follows your budget.  Write down recipients and brainstorm gift ideas in advance. Think about family games and puzzles as gifts that bring people together.
  • Set a holiday budget. Especially this year, finances are tight. Decide what you’ll spend on gifts, food, travel, and events to avoid overspending. Track your expenses on an app or spreadsheet to keep up with a tally.
  • Shop your gift closet. It is time to use all those gifts you picked up all year.
  • Order online early and track your items. Many times deliveries happen without boxes being opened. Shop, inventory, and then wrap throughout the season.
  • The joy of the season is in wrapping and delivering. Wrap gifts as you buy them instead of waiting until the night before and set a date on your calendar to deliver.

Family & Traditions

  • Host a family meeting to set dates. Block off dates for school concerts, family gatherings, and community events.
  • At your family meeting, prioritize traditions. Have everyone share what is their favorite holiday event. Decide which rituals matter most to your family and let go of extras that cause stress.
  • Schedule time to reflect and reset. Protect family evenings for rest, games, or movies together.
  • Prepare for holiday traditions with shopping lists. Use curbside delivery for help.
  • Don’t forget family fun that brings everyone togther.  Holiday outdoor light scavenger hunts, baking breads and cookies, and volunteering together are ways to spend time together.

 

Self-Care & Peace of Mind

  • Plan your attire for the holidays. Make this easy by assembling your holiday attire together in your closet.
  • Keep gift cards ready. Having extra cards available and low amount gift cards makes gift giving easier.
  • Get to the airport early and have your playlist ready. Arriving early makes parking and getting through the check in process less stressful.
  • Bring your holiday intentions to life by setting happy boundaries. Reflect on what is meaningful to you and follow your intentions with a polite no. Overcommitment leads to frustration and aggitation.
  • Focus on gratitude. Writing in a holiday journal, you can share what you’re thankful for.  Many families have a gratitude jar for the holiday season.

The holiday season doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. With a little preparation and lots of intention, you can enjoy more of what truly matters most. By prioritizing time with family and friends, meaningful traditions, and the season’s spirit, you have the most joyful of holidays. Pick a few of these 25 strategies to start today, and you’ll be ready to celebrate with less stress and more joy.

Do this NOW to get ready for the holidays

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do this now in October for holiday organizing

 

It’s October and we are starting to see twinkling lights on holiday trees.  It’s tempting to wait for the day after Thanksgiving. There’s a big list ahead of you. Capitalize on the time by getting ready in small ways for the holiday.  Stretch your preparation time forward into October.  Do this NOW to get ready for the holidays.

 

Write out your holiday lists.

Start with a budget, gift list, a card list and activity lists.  A budget is a guideline for what your expenses will be this holiday. It’s your way of keeping financially responsible when it’s easy to go off track.  Your gift list includes all those you will be exchanging with or thanking with a gift. This can include teachers, hostesses, hair person and others.  Your holiday card list needs tweaking with updated addresses.  An activity list adds meaning to your holidays.  Know that happens when and create a holiday calendar to share with your family.  You can keep these lists in a holiday notebook.  These are  your guide posts for the season ahead.

 

Take your holiday card photos and choose a holiday card

Holiday cards are a joy to receive. Your family photo is a special way to share what’s happened this year. Now is the time to take the photo. It’s great weather to be outside for the background.  It’s the first step for this holiday project.  Check online for possible cards. There’s an array of choices and it’s the next step to decide on your card too.  Get this mini project checked off and ready to go.

 

Shop holiday craft bazaars

This month is filled with the joy of holiday crafts and goodies. Use this time to check out local vendors to support local crafts people.  There’s treats for parties and hostess gifts.  There are theme gifts special for the holidays.  Holiday craft bazaars also get you in the holiday spirit. You can find a list of local holiday markets online.

 

Check out local resources

Maybe this year you want to have a local restaurant make the Christmas Eve lasagna.  Maybe this year you want to have a cleaning service come in and deep clean the week before you have company.  Think about what help would make a difference for you this holiday.  It’s a gift you give yourself to be able to enjoy the holiday fully.  Now is the time to gather resources and referrals for extra help.

 

Make a plan

Whether it’s logging onto 101 Days To Christmas or simply sitting with your calendar, now’s the time to make a plan for the holidays ahead.  Each holiday season we vow to be more organized and more productive with our time.  October is the time to talk to your family about simple holiday traditions, about what’s special to them and then prioritize these activities.  Add dates to your calendar, purchase tickets for the Nutcracker, and decide when you will pull out the decorations.  A plan, a list and a calendar keep us in control during the holiday season.

 

What are you doing NOW to get ready for the holidays?

 

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Get Ahead for the Holidays

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The holiday season is just around the corner! That means there’s a lot to be done in a short time.  The holidays are about giving and sharing, as well as helping those in our community.  

  • Plan your holiday season with a big paper month at a glance calendar or the google calendar online.  Knowing your upcoming commitments and plans keeps you from double booking.  Review it weekly to keep on track with purchasing gifts and making goodies. Set deadlines on your calendar to get it all complete.
  • It all starts with lists. Go into your gift closet and make a list of what you have purchased all year. Make a list of who you are giving gifts to this year.  Make a list for Thanksgiving dinner, what will you serve and who will be attending.  Lists make our life run like clockwork.  Use a cute holiday spiral notebook or your smart phone notes section.
  • Get your holiday cards in the mail efficiently with Send Out Cards.  Gift cards are also available on this site too! www.sendoutcards.com/EllenDelap
  • Use the smart phone app Red Laser to comparison shop. http://redlaser.com/
  • Shop online at www.amazon.com to get discounted items and often free shipping.
  • Gather your family together to decorate your home.  Set a time, put on holiday music, and have a blast together. 
  • Go online to stores where you shop and get additional coupons for your purchases. Join their Facebook Business Pages to learn about sales and discounts. 
  • For families, give the gift of time together with memberships to the YMCA, Houston Children’s Museum, Houston Zoo or Houston Museum of Natural Science. Family gifts of an ice cream maker or a movie set are great way to connect. Think small this year!
  • Make a holiday playlist to get you in the mood and keep your attitude jolly. Many of our favorite artists, from Sinatra to Michael Buble, have their own holiday albums to listen to.  Or make your own with Pandora. 
  • Use www.usps.com to mail your boxes. Create your shipping label at home and skip the lines at the post office.  Set early deadlines for you to get items off. 
  • Plan one family activity for your family to connect with our community.  Talk to your family about what means the most to them and how they can contribute.  Bring your items to the philanthropy with your kids to share the real meaning of the season.  There are lots of needs around us this year.