Start NOW to check off the Christmas To Do lists!
Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year minus that mom's work load/chore list doubled, if not tripled. Here are some tips to start now. which will give you more family time in December; not to mention alleviating the stress level at least a bit.
- Stock up on freezer meals now or ingredients for your favorite crock pot meals
- Buy and wrap stocking stuffers.
- Change guest room bedding and towel and give a good deep cleaning
- If not already started, start and finish all the homemade gifts; like my annual grandma calendars gift or photo books.
- Take the family Christmas picture and write the yearly Christmas letter (great way to do an annual family history)
- Give the family a deadline for their Christmas wish list, mine is November 15
- Make and freeze Christmas foods and treats that can be frozen. *
- Make the neighbor/friend/teacher gift list; research and decide what to give them; make ahead including adding gift tags etc.
- Calendar now all the important Christmas activities including deadline: Cookie Exchange Party, Caroling, Delivering gifts, Santa visit, Christmas Tree outing, shipping Christmas gifts, cousins Gingerbread House making party, ...
- Polish Silver
- Put up Outdoor Christmas light (before the weather turns frigid), just wait until after Thanksgiving or acceptable time for you to turn them on.
- Make any important reservations or pre-orders NOW.
- Make a menu list for the big meals and parties
- Watch the weekly sales and buy whatever is on any of your lists; don't look for just food sales, also remember your gift list and any decorations you are in need of.
- When Turkey goes on sale in November buy 2;one for Thanksgiving and one for Christmas (if you serve Turkey for Christmas).
* For example this year I made a double batch of sugar cookies. Half the batch we used Halloween/fall cookie cutters and the other half Christmas. We put the un-frosted Christmas cookies into the freezer, all ready to decorate in December. Another Example I make a Praline Yams that is more like a dessert than a side but hey its the holidays right? I again double this, one for Thanksgiving and tuck the other pan into the freezer for Christmas (Eve at our house) Dinner.
If this list is overwhelming, just do one thing everyday to prepare for Christmas. Perhaps today all you have time for is to wash to guest room sheets. Then every time you go grocery shopping grab one things for stocking stuffers and one extra crock pot meal.
I have the stocking stuffers but have not wrapped them yet. I decided that my husband gets that job this year, since it was his idea in the first place to wrap them. The nights he stays up watching his favorite shows I am going to bring out those stuffers.
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