Getting Ready for Christmas – It’s Getting Closer!

Getting Ready for Christmas – It’s Getting Closer!

Getting ready for Christmas takes a lot of effort, thought, and energy; there are so many things to do! Not surprisingly, this can be stressful – especially if you don't prepare in an orderly and organized fashion. But even if you haven’t hung a wreath or prepared a shopping list, it’s not too late to get things done on time and in style!

 Christmas Gifts

Christmas is a time for gift-giving. Even though we all know it is better to give than receive – it is part of the expectations of the season – giving and receiving Christmas gifts is a major part of the season.

But don’t go overboard – it is important to set and stick with a budget. With that in mind making a list is key; include everyone you will be giving gifts to.

If you will be sending packages out you should move those people to the top of your list – that will help ensure their gift will arrive before Christmas. You can give the other gifts personally to people you plan to see during the holidays. And for the people that will be celebrating Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day with you – place their gifts under your tree.

Besides prioritizing your list based on the recipient’s location and when you will see them, you should also prioritize according to the individuals’ relevancy in your life. No – no, this is not the same as making a Santa’s Nice List! It’s more like listing people according to what you plan to spend on them. For instance, your immediate family members and close friends will likely be higher on the list than your mail carrier.

The list will help keep you organized and it will serve as a basis for setting your budget. You might not have enough funds to give gifts to everyone you want to give a gift to. The sorted listing will ensure you have a gift for those you hold dear to you.

Your gift should be appropriate for the person. You can handcraft some of the gifts if you have a limited budget. Some people prefer personally handcrafted gifts because it shows the time and effort spent by the person. Another gift option is donating to a charity in the person’s honor.

 Christmas tree

If you plan to have a live Christmas tree you should shop early – the best ones disappear fast. There might not be enough real trees in stock by mid-December. Of course, if that is the case you can also use an artificial tree.

There are different kinds of imitation trees, some are made from plastic and others may include parts made from wires, wood, and other materials. The benefit of imitation trees is you can reuse them in succeeding years. However, the smell and atmosphere might not be the same as having a real pine tree in your house.

You can also shop online. You can browse through the different web sites quickly and choose an excellent genuine or imitation tree. Some web sites even offer free delivery.

The Christmas meal

For many families, Christmas Day meal is comparable to the meal served on Thanksgiving Day. If you plan to celebrate Christmas at your home, you should make the menu for Christmas Day as early as possible. It is wise to stock up on the ingredients early.

If you will have guests at your home, you can assign some of the food to the different guests. They will enjoy helping out. If you are going to another person's house for the Christmas celebrations and holiday events, you should volunteer to bring some food. You can ask the host what type of food to bring to the celebration.

 Other concerns

If you plan to spend Christmas away from your home you will have to make early reservations for travel and lodging. Travel light – it will help you avoid some potential problems.

After you think you have everything ready for the holiday take one more step. Review what you have accomplished with a close friend or loved one. They may think of something that didn’t occur to you.

In the end – Christmas will arrive whether you are ready or not. Be wise and prepare now. Getting ready for Christmas before it arrives will relieve you of much stress and allow you to relax and truly enjoy the holiday!

Christmas Stress And Santa’s Nice List

It is easy to get caught up in the rush of the Christmas season. For moms it can sometimes seem a little overwhelming. There is so much that needs to be done and done by you. Here I will hope to show ways to relieve holiday stress.
Shopping is one of the major causes of holiday stress. Try to avoid shopping in the evening or on the weekends. These are the busiest times of day for stores. When you do go take a list and mark off each item as you purchase it. Don’t drive yourself mad trying to find the season’s must have item. I keep an envelope in my purse to keep track of receipts. The most stress free way to shop is online in the comfort of your own home.
At home you can take a long bath to help ease the stress. I get away with this by having my older children help the younger ones to write letters to Santa. If you don’t have older children have your husband help out. Light some holiday scented candles and let the water wash away your stress.
Couples sometimes disagree on the amounts of money being spent on the holidays. Before you begin shopping sit down together decide what you can really afford. There is no sense in putting yourselves in debt over Christmas.
Take time to do activities with your kids. You can do something simple like decorating a bowl to put reindeer food out in. We like to bake and decorate cookies as a family and deliver them to friends and neighbors. My kids like to make pretty cards to give to their teachers. Every year I help the kids write a letter to Santa.
When you bring home the gifts you buy wrap them so that you don’t have a pile to wrap at the last minute. Buy an inexpensive plastic tote to keep your tape, tissue paper, scissors, and gift bags together and handy. If you have gifts that are going to different places wrap the gifts for each place in a different color.
If you must travel during the holidays be sure to bring something to keep your child entertained. If you will be in a car for any extended time pack a few snacks and drinks. You are setting yourself up for frustration if you take nothing along for the ride. Look online for game ideas the whole family can play in the car. Put on some Christmas music and see how many songs you all know.
Take a deep breath and remember that you are building holiday memories your children will remember for the rest of their lives – and if it helps at all, I have it from someone of authority that moms always rank high on Santa’s nice list.