5 Holiday Planning Tips for a Stress-Free Season

Save it for later!

Holiday Planning Tips To Enjoy the Holidays

The holidays are here! I want to give you the perfect holiday planning tools so you can enjoy time with family and friends instead of rushing to prepare for the turkey, gifts, and decorating the home.

It won’t take much, and if you give yourself one full hour for planning, you will be ready to have everything you need for a successful holiday season.

If you’ve been to any store lately, you’ve seen the holiday decorations hit the stores. It’s the time of year that puts everyone in a good mood until our families arrive and we realize that we haven’t done half of what we wanted, or worse, what needed to be done. And then the rush is on to complete everything at the last minute.

Well, let’s not worry about how we did so far. We are here to change it! Let’s plan for THIS year, and with good holiday planning, you and I will have a happy, stress-free holiday season.

Believe me, even with my organizational skills, I still get surprised by how quickly decorations, presents, and food hit the stores, only to disappear from the shelves again. So, after a couple of stressful seasons – and “Santa” not finding what the kids asked for – I decided that I needed to start early and get organized to avoid unnecessary worries.

Now is the time to plan out your whole event. By now, you should know whether you will travel to relatives for the holidays or host dinner. It’s a great time to start planning your menus and gifts for the people on your list.

With a bit of holiday planning, you’ll enjoy a fun and loving season.

The shopping: Write a list of each person you would like to gift. If you need to draw names, make it happen via email this week. Then, select a budget for each person, withdraw the cash, and put it in envelopes. Start by perusing the catalogs and looking for what’s available online. It’s an easier way to shop and will help you avoid the crazy holiday rush.

Just be careful with the shipping & handling fees if you decide to do all your shopping this way. They can really eat up your gift budget.

Once you get the shopping done, it’s time to start decorating for the holidays. I love browsing online for holiday decorations, home ideas, table settings, and gift wrapping inspiration.

I am not a crafty person, and I do shop for my decorations instead of making them, but if you’re “crafty” enough AND have the time, then by all means, include a couple of projects in your list as gifts for your friends and neighbors. Presents like pinecone wreaths or candle covers are easy to make, fun, and last for years.

Next comes the cooking part! I am fortunate, as this task is taken care of by my husband, who loves cooking and does a great job in the kitchen. It may seem like the cooking should wait, but it’s a great time to start right now!

We still have time before Thanksgiving, and an early weekend morning can be a great time to bake up and decorate holiday cookies and bars. In addition, homemade jellies and jams make excellent holiday gifts to share.

My personal favorite is a two-layer bar made of dark and white chocolate, nuts, and dried fruit. It’s so delicious! I wrap a generous amount of it in cellophane with a beautiful ribbon, making an affordable and delightful gift for neighbors, the mailman, the gardener, and school staff, for example. And it can also be given as a treat with a larger gift.

The family pictures for the holiday cards! If your kids are anything like mine, you can’t get them to look at the camera without making a silly face. Oh, my gorgeous boys!

But, here are some inexpensive options to pass on the expense of a studio shoot: get your kids dressed and head to your favorite hotel lobby for a beautiful holiday picture, or if you are in warmer places like us, dress in jeans and white t-shirts and go to the beach for a fun time, showing your relaxed spirit!

Print your cards or newsletters, buy your holiday stamps, and, if you’d like, print your addresses using a text editor like Word using the templates with the address labels. I like to carry my kit with me in a poly envelope with all my supplies inside. I visit a nice coffee shop and enjoy my time there.

Last but not least, understand that the holidays are some of the most stressful times of the year. If you have a family and are traveling or entertaining, it’s essential to schedule some time for relaxation without doing anything.

Book your manicure ahead of time, ask your hubby to take the kids out for a couple of hours, and sit back with your favorite drink and enjoy some alone, quiet time!

After following these steps, you have finished your homework and completed your holiday planning! Now, let’s get busy implementing our plans and get ready to enjoy the season. This year, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy the holidays, creating memories instead of stress!

I hope you enjoy these holiday planning tips!

Save it for later!