It seems like when Thanksgiving and Christmas time is near, it is such a stressful time when it should be the most enjoyable time. I love both holidays but I absolutely love Christmas. It really is the most wonderful time of year. I love celebrating the birth of Christ, but I feel like I really don't get to enjoy the true meaning of Christmas like I should. We are always in the hustle and bustle of things trying to get everything cooked, decorated perfectly and finding the perfect gift. Now that I have my son and he is at the age to really enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas, I want the holidays to be slower paced. I want to teach him to give thanks and teach him about the birth of Christ. I want to just bask in the wonderfulness of it all. Here is what you can do now so that you can have a more relaxing Thanksgiving and Christmas.
1) Candy- Since Halloween is over and Thanksgiving is almost here, most of the Halloween Candy is still stores. This means lots of candy for Stocking Stuffers. Buy it now at a discounted price so that you can save money.
2) Cookies - Go ahead and make up your Thanksgiving and Christmas cookie dough. Freeze it and when the time is near, unthaw it and pop those delicious cookies in the oven. I promise they will still be just as good.
3) Casseroles: Most casseroles you can make ahead and freeze. This will take such a load off of you and save you from the extra cooking.
4) Cards: You can start filling out your Christmas cards and addressing them. You can even mail them out early if you like. Cards can get so time consuming so this will definitely help take a load off of you.
5) Crafts: I like to work on my crafts early, especially homemade ornaments and wreaths. I have found that if I wait until the last minute, I end up not doing half of the crafts that I intended to do.
6) Decor: Start getting out your Christmas decor a little at a time. Don't wait until the last minute to drag it all out. This way you won't be overwhelmed and exhausted from all the extra work. This is the very reason that I decorate for Christmas before Thanksgiving. I always put our Christmas tree up before Thanksgiving. I like to relax and enjoy Christmas for more than just 25 days.
7) Desserts- Just like the make ahead cookies and Casseroles, some desserts can be pre-made and frozen too, especially pies and cheesecakes. I promise this saves so much time when its down to crunch time.
8) Gift Cards- If you purchase gift cards for some people, go ahead and start stocking up on the gift cards. Just buy a few at a time instead of having to buy them all at once.
9) Gifts- Don't wait until the last minute to buy gifts! I have done this before and Trust me it gets so stressful. I like to start in September or October and buy at least one gift per paycheck.
10) Lists: You can start making your lists now! Whether it be a list of guests you are inviting to dinner, a party or your Christmas list, Plan ahead Now! You will have a head start on everything and know exactly who you need to invite or buy for. Making a list will also be good for the plans you intend to make throughout the holidays.
11) Stockings: Stockings are my favorite! It was a tradition that my mom loved to do for us, so I always try to carry on her tradition. My mom loved to go all out for Stockings. I always looked more forward to the stockings than the gifts. Go ahead and start buying stuffers now!
12) Wrapping: I can't stress this one enough! Wrapping is such a pain. Don't wait until Christmas Eve to wrap everything. This will take the enjoyment out of Christmas and put you in a bad mood. If you have already bought some gifts, start wrapping now especially the non-Santa gifts and place them under the tree.
Follow these 12 steps so that your holidays can be spent with Family and Friends making memories. Don't let the stress of everything put you in a bad mood and take the fun out of everything. Holidays aren't meant to be stressful, they are for giving thanks, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and making lots of memories with your loved ones. I promise if you follow these simple steps, you will find that things will go so much smoother and you actually will be able to relax during the holidays and be able to enjoy it.
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