Seem a little early to be thinking about Christmas? We’ve already begun
our Christmas shopping. If you’d like to make the most of the season and
the day, some simple — and early — planning can go a long way to help.
Christmas is the time of year associated with love, joy and goodwill
toward men. Until we approach the holiday and reach a level of stress we
didn’t realize a human being could reach! In an attempt to head off the
holiday hassle this year, here are a few tips on creating a personal
holiday checklist to make the holidays go as smoothly as possible.
Be a Perennial Shopper
The first idea isn’t always practical for people, but if you have the
time and the means, keep an eye out throughout the entire year for
clearance items or great sales that you can take advantage of to cut
down on your Christmas giving list. In short, it pays to be a ‘Perennial
Shopper’. Store all of the items in one specific place so that you don’t
forget you have them! Order Christmas gifts online to save time and
avoid getting mobbed in. If ordering online, order well in advance to
ensure delivery well in time before Christmas.
Sort Out Your Gift List
At the beginning of November, sit down and make out a list of people you
will be giving or sending a gift to. Place the people who will need
their gifts sent through the mail at the top of the list because you
will want to take care of them first. When your list is complete, it’s
time to go through the gifts you purchased throughout the year and
assign them to the appropriate people on your list. Voila! You’ve
already whittled away at a few names. If you have trouble assigning all
of your gifts, don’t worry. Put the remaining ones aside and you will
find that you either forgot a name on your list or received an
unexpected Christmas present from someone you should exchange with.
Start with the Card List
The Christmas gift list will be similar to the Christmas card list, so
in late November, you should take the first list and add the names that
need Christmas cards. Take your list and divide it by five 5. The next
five days will be spent preparing the assigned number of Christmas cards
until the list is complete.
Wrap them up!
Buy your Christmas wrap early and keep it easily accessible somewhere in
your home. Every time you return from Christmas shopping, immediately
wrap the gifts and put them away. It will save so much time in the long
run and you don’t have to devote an entire day to completing this task.
Plan Your Grocery Shopping
If you are planning on entertaining during the holiday season, try to
plan out your meals and each time you go shopping, stock up on the non-
perishable items and the frozen items you will need. Anyone with a
family knows that what does not get consumed at a party will have no
problem finding another event for it to be enjoyed.
Also before leaving for shopping, plan ahead the quantity of groceries
that you will need based on the number of people you are expecting to
come over. Take a stock of your Pantry and fill it up with necessary
items.
Prepare Your Home for Guests
Take a critical tour of your home from the point of view of a third
person and make note of things to be fixed or added. Check the condition
and availability of your cooking and baking pots and pans. Get your
appliances serviced and blades and knives sharpened. If you have a loose
electrical switch, get it repaired. You don’t want to be left stranded
on the day of a party or dinner. Check your burners and grates.
These ideas might seem simple, but they can help free up some extra time
and help you to enjoy a smooth holiday season. With fewer tasks to be
accomplished in such a short amount of time, you can focus on the
important aspects of your Christmas celebration.
About the Author
This article appears in the Christmas 2004 issue of ‘Celebrating
Christmas PDF Magazine’. To read the complete article and to download a
FREE copy of the entire magazine, go to
http://www.celebrating-christmas.com/magazine.shtml
Packed with illustrated articles on holiday recipes, crafts, home
decor, party planning tips, gift ideas and family fun activities for
Christmas, ‘Celebrating Christmas’ magazine is the ultimate combination
of a ‘Home and Lifestyle’ and ‘Holiday’ magazine and is aimed to help
you celebrate a better, merrier and stress-free Christmas.