Preparing for Christmas - early!

According to local malls and department stores, Christmas is just around the corner… Everywhere you go there are decorations, Christmas trees and festive music – and it’s only October!

However, as the lead up to year’s end is so frenetic, it is sensible to do some ground work, to become a bit organised. In the long run you will be more relaxed and you may even get to feel smug as you watch others around you fizzing around trying to catch their tails! Being that little more ahead of the game, you will save money, headaches and even your sanity.

Here are some top tips to assist you plan out your best, most laid-back Christmas ever!

1. The Christmas Chat
   
   October is a great month to start this conversation… Who is going to host? Where is it going to be? Are you going to have a barbecue on the beach, or full on Northern Hemisphere - turkey with all the trimmings? How will you manage presents? Having these decisions made will make for a less stressful Christmas, for everyone involved.
2. Create a budget
   
   Christmas is an expensive time of year so it’s a good idea to think about how much you want to spend on the knowns – gifts and food. How much do you want to spend on each person and how much will you spend on children's Santa gifts? Without some planning ahead, this spending can so south very easily! There are also other expenses to factor in such as - work functions and Secret Santa gifts. Small things suitable for those can be purchased over the whole year if you are really organised!
   
   The cost of food is another big consideration and a great reason to have everyone contributing to the feast! However, there are various bits and pieces you can purchase in advance to spread out the spending.
3. Re think last year – what worked well and what should be avoided?
   
   Think back to last Christmas. Did you have any regrets because you didn’t have everything you needed? Did you run out of time to complete some tasks, e.g. do a Christmas letter or have a family photo done? If so, those things can go at the top of this year’s list.
4. Sort through your Christmas paraphernalia
   
   Bring down that box of Christmas bits and bobs from the attic/garage and have a really critical look at everything in there. Are some of your decorations broken or very tatty? If you have a fake Christmas tree, is it still looking good? Now is a great time to replace them if needed – maybe even have a go at making some decorations!
5. Make your own wish list
   
   Don’t you hate it when someone asks you what you want for Christmas and you can’t think of a thing? One way around this is to create your own wish list. As soon as you realise you really want something, put it on your list, so when you are asked that question you have an answer. Some of the smallest, useful things are great to receive as a gift such as a keep cup or a really good pen.
6. Work on your Christmas card list
   
   Christmas cards are not as popular as they used to be, but they do serve a particular purpose. People do enjoy receiving a card that has been hand written and that can be displayed and read often. Older people in particular love them and don’t get the same enjoyment from an email.
   
   If you don’t want to write cards but have friends and family in other places, try sending an e-card. There are lots of great businesses such as Blue Mountain and Jacquie Lawson that produce funny and serious cards that you can email around the world. You can even schedule them to arrive when you want to.
7. List traditions you want to start
   
   You possibly carry on traditions from your own early life, but would you like to start some new ones? These might include:
   
   
   • Buy and wear some Christmas pyjamas
   • Make a rule that all gifts have to come from a charity store, book swap or are home made.
   • Take a photo every year in front of the Christmas tree
   • Create a New Year’s prediction list.
   For more cool traditions, see here for lots of ideas, (a Northern hemisphere website, so not all are applicable).
8. Wrap presents as you buy them (and label)
   
   I love wrapping Christmas gifts, but some people find it stressful – particularly if there are lots. If you wrap as you buy and label the gift, you will be completely organised in plenty of time. A word of warning though… if you have children so you need to hide gifts, remember where you put them!
9. De-clutter kids toys
   
   If you have kids you can take it as a given that they will receive more toys for Christmas. It’s a great idea to work alongside your kids to de-clutter, so that those toys that are no longer age appropriate or, just not played with are given to a charity shop. Perhaps they will turn up in someone else’s Christmas stocking? This means that there will be room for those new toys and that your child is learning all about recycling!
10. Create your Christmas playlist
    
    You will definitely need music in the background at Christmas. Now is the time to create a playlist to suit the group who will be together. Will it be full of Christmas music – from across the decades, traditional and modern? Or will it be a mix of Christmas and non-Christmas music – or even not Christmas music at all, but a series of favourite songs that you know the people around you will enjoy.
11. Build Children’s toys before wrapping
    
    Obviously this is not a good idea if the point of the present is for the child to build something; however for those toys with lots of moving parts and that make noise, you want to know that you have all the pieces and most importantly, if it needs batteries you have the right one(s) and that it works!

Some of these might seem in the too hard basket, but have a look through and even if you use a couple of these ideas, it may make all the difference for a more relaxed and stress-free lead up to the festive season. Good luck!

Heather Knewstubb

Time Genie Support Services for Creative and Educational Businesss

Kapiti Coast

New Zealand

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