December is hectic at best in my house. The last few days of school, winter break, Holiday shopping and prep, wrapping presents, planning meals... all of the things that make December special are also things that can put a girl (or anyone!) over the edge.
I have come up with quite a few Holiday Hacks over the years to get me through the month of December (and into January) intact. Maybe you can use a few to make your life a bit easier during this time of year.
Don't send the cards.
Do I love getting Christmas cards in the mail? Yes. Do I send my own? Nope. I decided a few years ago that it was too expensive and too stressful to get a good family photo, create the cards, buy the stamps, and get them out on time. My decision was validated when I watched a friend open a card (not mine, lol!), look at it for approximately 15 seconds, and drop it into the trash can. Instead, send a text or an email, or post on social media with a Holiday greeting. Let's normalize not sending cards.
Pack things you need for your tree together.
The tree is likely the first of your decorations to go up, and there's nothing worse than having everything ready to go... except the lights. Pack lights, tree skirt, tree topper, etc, all together for a quick set up.
Donate decor that you no longer use.
Free up the space, and free yourself from the obligation to use every decoration you own. Bonus: You will bring joy to a family in need by donating your excess.
Get rid of the clutter before you start shopping.
Not only will you end up with a neater space, you can take inventory of what the kids need, what sizes they wear, and what toys they didn't play with, all of which will make shopping easier.
Buy premade food for your holiday meal.
You don't have to buy everything premade, but adding in at least a few items from your local grocery store or restaurant will drastically reduce your prep work for the meal. No one will judge you. In fact, they will likely think that you are a genius.
Say no without the guilt.
There are about 17 million events happening around the holidays. It is okay to decline invitations and skip some of the local events.
Delegate.
Your family should be able to pitch in to get some of the holiday jobs done, even if they are on the younger side. Delegate age-appropriate tasks!
Wrap a few gifts at a time.
Ask me how I know this. I struggle with this one and always end up spending hours wrapping on Christmas Eve. I dream about how lovely it would be to relax on Christmas Eve and get a restful night of sleep. Start the habit of wrapping a little each day now.
Take breaks.
Watch a movie, take a walk, or read a book. Take a nap or meditate. Whatever you choose to fill your break time with, make sure you take them.
Color code your wrapping.
I don't use labels for the gifts under our Christmas tree, mostly because I want to keep the kids guessing right up to the big reveal. A few years ago, I started wrapping all of each person's gifts in the same wrapping paper. It makes it super easy to find gifts under the tree, and the kids always look forward to finding out which paper is theirs.
Plan an evening out with a friend a few days before the actual holiday.
I have been meeting my friend for a Holiday Starbies Refresh around December 20 for several years now, and it is amazing how much I look forward to it. You will think that you don't have time. Do it anyway. I had to force myself to do it the first couple of years. It doesn't have to be lengthy. An hour or two to escape all of the holiday stress will do wonders for your mental health and give you a refresh.
Write out a list of gifts that you can refer to on gift giving day.
Avoid the inevitable forgotten gifts by referring to a list. I have my tri-fold list with me on Christmas morning. Hey, even Santa uses a list!
Embrace the chaos.
I mean, the chaos will happen regardless. You might just enjoy the holiday season a bit more if you don't fight it.
Have a wonderful and stress-free holiday season, friends!
