Although Thanksgiving is a hectic time with all the baking, it is made even busier by trying to get ready for the gift-giving holiday. If you make a plan for Christmas ahead of time, it may just relieve some of that stress.
How to Plan for Christmas
Planning for this busy season isn’t as difficult as it seems. However, there is some work involved. Before you go too far, it helps to get organized.
To get started, you need a few simple tools:
- Have a Merry, Simple Christmas eBook
- Holiday Planning Notebook
- Paper
- Pen
- Your Thinking Cap
Most items on the list are self-explanatory. Any time you set goals or make plans, it helps to write them down on paper. It takes quite a bit of thought to set successful goals and take the action steps needed to complete those goals.
Think of your Holiday Planning Notebook as your Battle Station. It’s where everything begins. This notebook becomes your battle plan. A Holiday Planning Notebook is where everything is organized. There are sections for lists, menus, budgets and more. One section should be for any gifts you plan on giving, with a worksheet for each person.
All this information is combined for easy reference. To get you started with your notebook, having a copy of Have a Merry, Simple Christmas can get your plan for Christmas moving forward faster.
This Christmas workbook is designed to help keep your holiday organized and running smoothly – and still maintain the normal daily activities and meals. It is loaded with tips, ideas, DIY crafts and worksheets to help you create a plan for Christmas with ease.
Create your notebook and keep it handy. From now until Christmas, you will be referring to it on a regular basis!
What to Plan for Christmas
There are so many things to plan for Christmas, we often don’t know where to start. These are just a few of the lists you will need to make your plan flow smoothly:
- Meals & Menus
- Holiday Baking
- Gifts to Give List
- Your Personal Christmas List
- Activities
- Budget
- Guest Lists
- Cleaning Schedule
- Christmas Cards
Keep in mind. Some of these plans may need to be done in pencil, as they may change over the course of time. You can, however, make idea notes.
Your meals and menus should be for both the actual holiday and the days and weeks leading up to them. The thought of not having to cook from now until Christmas may sound appealing. However, your family does have to eat! Having a menu plan for the weeks leading up to the holidays can relieve a tremendous amount of stress. It also gives you more time to work through your plan for Christmas.
Baking ahead for the holidays should also be part of your plan for Christmas. There are many things you can prepare ahead of time and freeze. It helps with both your weekly menu plan and food that is specifically for the holidays.
Holidays are one of the most expensive times of the year. Our spending can quickly get out of control. Having a holiday budget prepared ahead of time is the most helpful tool you can have.
A budget can keep you on track with your spending. It tells you how much you have available to spend. It prevents overspending. And it encourages creativity to keep yourself on or below budget.
One thing you should have in your Holiday Planning Notebook is a series of calendar pages. These should run from August until December. When you set goals for your plan for Christmas, you can enter your proposed deadline on the appropriate date.
Use these calendars to set aside things such as:
- Planning sessions
- Shopping
- Pre-holiday baking
- Crafting handmade items
As you start to receive invitations for holiday gatherings, put the date on your calendar. When there are school, church, and other functions you need to attend, you will have them scheduled. Having all of this already on your calendar keeps you from forgetting important dates, and double booking your schedule.
Are you planning an annual holiday party? Then you may want a separate section in your notebook dedicated to this. All your plans – from guest lists to menus – can make planning your party so much easier!
Planning for Your Gifts to Give List
The most difficult list to make is the gift-giving list. We live in an age of instant gratification. If we want something, we get it. That makes things complicated when selecting gifts to give.
If you are planning on giving handmade gifts, it helps to get started early. One list that comes in helpful is a Gift Supply List. This is a set of individual lists for each person. Each list begins with who you are giving the gift to and what you are making.
One way to have enough time to create all the gifts you want to make is by keeping a Go Bag. A Go Bag is a way to transport your project and work on it while you have down time. Have a doctor’s appointment? Take a Go Bag. Having coffee with a friend? That Go Bag will make the conversation even more fun!
Once you have an idea of the gifts you want to give, take the next step. List out the supplies you need and where to get it from. This can be physical or online stores. There is also a section of the cost to help you stay within budget.
You may love the idea of handmade gifts, but don’t enjoy making them. If that is the case, try shopping online with Etsy. Many of my personal items, such as looms, yarn, and eBooks have been purchased through them. I also love to find great gift ideas there, as well.
Now is the Time for a Merry, Simple Christmas
With a little bit of planning, you can have the Merry, Simple Christmas you've always wanted. Instead of hurrying through the holidays, you can now relax and enjoy every moment!
And to make it a bit easier, start with the Have a Merry, Simple Christmas eBook. OR - take it a step further and order your copy of the Merry, Simple Christmas Bundle! Not only do you get the original Have a Merry Christmas eBook, but you also get a Bonus eBook with even more tips, recipes, and more - but also the Holiday Budget Workbook and Spreadsheet.
With all of this, you can't help but enjoy your holiday. And the best part is you can finally look forward to having the Merry, Simple Christmas you always dreamed of having!
The original post can be found at The Farm Wife