It seems like Christmastime is always lurking behind a corner, peeking slyly and being obnoxiously startling when it sneaks up behind you. Before the season drops in on you and makes you feel like you’re fa-la-la-la losing it, pull yourself ahead. Pre-plan this year to make it run as smoothly as Santa’s sleigh in the sky.
Decor in Order
Between your outside nativity scene and rolls upon rolls of lights, Christmas decorations pile up in a hurry. Rather than spend half the day figuring out this game of Jenga you’ve made out of boxes of ornaments, get everything organized before the season is actually drawing near. The middle of the summer is the perfect time to go through it all! Sort through and put everything back in a sensical, stress-free way so that it doesn’t come tumbling on top of you the next time you open that closet.
- Pare down on the sheer amount of stuff by purging the items that you’re less attached to. Donate them to places like churches, nursing homes or charitable organizations.
- A cheap DIY way to store ornaments? Put them in egg cartons. These nifty little containers were designed to protect fragile contents, so use them to your advantage!
- Shrinkwrap is your BFF when it comes to storing your artificial Christmas tree. Instead of dismantling it and storing it in its flimsy cardboard box, keep it intact and tightly shrink wrap it.
Gifting Made Easier
It always seems like your mind goes blank when it’s time to sit down and think of gifts for everyone when the time comes. Instead of panicking and spending too much money on the wrong thing, keep a running list as the year goes on. Listen for what people tell you in passing and write it down later.
- For example, Ashley mentioned while you were at coffee the other day that she needs new earbuds, and you’ve noticed that Dad’s steak knives are all mismatched and tarnished. Logging these little ideas away makes for a helpful reference down the road, plus it shows your loved ones that you really do hear them and know them well!
Meal Planning
If yours is usually the house that the whole family comes to for Christmas dinner, think ahead of time how you need to prepare for it. What do you need to shop for, and how will you arrange the seating?
- One way to keep yourself on the top it all is to make yourself a DIY cookbook for the big day. Print or write down your traditional Christmas recipes, even your turkey brining concoction and Grandma’s eggnog. Slip them inside of plastic sheet protectors and hold them together in a binder.
- If it helps, draw a diagram of your dining area. Plan out how you will fit everyone and where you will borrow extra tables and chairs if you need them.
Be proactive in getting everything ready for the season. That way, when it tries to catch you off guard, you can greet it with your Rudolph sweater and a plate of fresh-baked cookies.