The year is rapidly coming to a close. It’s kind of funny to say that, when barely 80% of the year has gone by…but there’s a feeling of urgency as we get to this time of year. Here in the US we celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s eve over the span of six weeks. I also have a birthday in the middle of that, so there are four big holidays that get crammed together in the last 1/5 of the year.
Crazy!
Both Thanksgiving and Christmas are also prime-time for family gatherings. The college kids are usually home for parts of those holidays. Other out-of-town family comes in. And our frantic schedules are filled to overflowing with all sorts of activities, gatherings, and various events.
Don’t get me wrong, I love this time of year. I managed to keep myself in check and didn’t play any Christmas music until the day after Halloween…but it was a huge personal battle the last few days of October.
And to answer the question I always get asked, no, I don’t get tired of Christmas music by the time Christmas rolls around.
But Christmas Music does do one extremely positive thing for me…it gets me in the mood to actually prep for the holidays!
Let’s face it, there are tons of things that need to be done besides the normal things that you need to accomplish. The house still needs to be cleaned, but it needs an extra-deep shining and buffing if company is going to come over. There are decorations to put up. Larger meals to plan. Guests to prepare for. It’s almost like having a second job!
Over the years, I’ve developed a number of checklists to help me prep. They’re nothing fancy, but they help me avoid dropping the ball. You can do the same thing. For instance, it’s never too early to start thinking about the Christmas gifts you’d like to get for people. Do you have a list? If not, start one! Make it simple, like the person’s name, gift ideas, and then something to indicate what you purchased. In my case, I also add a column for where the gifts were hidden (since that’s something we’ve done ever since the kids were little). It’s really harrowing when you’re racing around the house on Christmas Eve trying to figure out where little Susie’s presents are. Not that it’s ever happened to me. OK, maybe just a couple times!~While you’re at it, check your stock of wrapping paper, tape, ribbons, bows, etc. Better to get those now than to be running out to the store at the last minute.
While you’re at it, check your stock of wrapping paper, tape, ribbons, bows, etc. Better to get those now than to be running out to the store at the last minute.
Now’s also a good time to get those donation clothes out of the house. And don’t just put them in the trunk of your car and drive around with them in there for six months. Put them somewhere you’ll see them, and make a specific plan to take them to the donation center. First off, it gets them out of the house, second you can use the tax deduction for this year. Finally, there’s likely somebody who would love to have them and what’s better than doing it during this time of giving!
Also, start thinking about the big holiday meals. We’ve got a huge Thanksgiving meal that we make…and I use the same checklist year after year. I’ve even got a standardized shopping list that I use. By starting now, I’m able to watch the sales and get the best value for my money. Plus I’ll have the turkey early enough so it can be properly defrosted! Most importantly, I won’t be sending somebody out early on Thanksgiving with a shopping list as long as my arm of the things that I thought I had in the pantry. Having done that in the past it’s not fun for anybody!
Finally, now is a great time to start thinking about the areas of the house you actually need/want to tidy up before the season gets crazy. Sure, we’re all supposed to have perfectly neat and tidy houses all the time. But I live in a constant state of C.H.A.O.S. (Can’t Have Anybody Over Syndrome). I’m not proud of it…but it’s a fact. During the holidays we often have drop-in visitors (usually folks I’ve meant to visit since their last Holiday visit but didn’t get around to). It’s not pleasant to have to keep the door mostly shut and talk to them through whilst blocking their view of the house. Worse yet, if it’s cold outside and I have to let them in…it’s embarrassing.
Seriously, this is the year that you can have your act together. Don’t set the bar too high, but you can do a little bit today that’s going to make the upcoming weeks a bit more enjoyable and a load less stressful!
Let’s work together to make it a great holiday season!
