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Organizing
for the Holidays
Once
again, the holiday season is upon us. For many people
that means a season of frantic preparations, running
around and stress. But it doesn't have to be that way.
With a little planning, you can turn your holiday season
into a truly memorable (and less stressful!) event.
Have a game plan for making the holidays special for
you and your family. Make lists of everything you need
to do and prioritize them. Here are a few tips to keep
in mind as you count down the days:
When it comes to greeting cards, here are a
few suggestions:
-
Order your cards early, maybe at the beginning of
October. You can spend the month addressing them.
That way, come November, you can focus on buying gifts,
and the cards are already done.
-
Buy holiday cards after the holidays when they are
on sale and hold them for next year.
-
Create an e-mail list of friends and family and send
your cards electronically. There are several very
good websites with a wide variety of cards that you
can send (and most sites offer this service for FREE!)
-
Create a permanent record of sent and received holiday
cards to avoid making one each year.
-
Order postage stamps through the mail to avoid standing
in long lines at the post office. For more information
visit www.stamps.com.
For
gift buying, consider these options:
-
First, plan ahead and make a list that you can use
from year to year, updating annually. Create a budget
for your gift purchases and stick with it.
-
Shop year around to avoid the crush after Thanksgiving.
This helps relieve the pressure on both your pocketbook
and your schedule, not to mention you.
-
If you have to brave the holiday shopping crowds,
try to do your shopping at less hectic times (mornings
when the stores open or during the week)
-
Shop online or from catalogs.
How
to get the house ready for the holidays:
-
Don't raise your expectations too high. You don't
have to make your home fit for an article in House
and Garden magazine to be enjoyed. You have enough
to look after without having to make the home look
'perfect for the holidays.'
-
Stock your freezer and pantry during the month before
the holidays to cut down on the number of trips to
the grocery store.
-
Also stock your freezer early for quick meals. You
can cook extra food with your meal every day for a
week for instant leftovers later.
-
Screen calls and e-mail to limit interruptions and
eliminate stress.
-
Delegate simple duties or chores (gift-wrapping, cleaning,
etc.) so that you can focus on other tasks. Even on
the bigger duties, "muster the troops" as
necessary. And make it fun. Have a "tree trimming"
party with friends and family to make the task easier
and a lot more fun at the same time!
-
You can keep your stress down by multi-tasking whenever
possible. Combine work with play (e.g., listen to
music, watch TV or spend quality time with family
and friends while wrapping gifts, decorating, etc.)
-
Use your down times to run your errands and avoid
burn out.
-
Have a game plan for your holiday meals. While we
all want everything to be perfect, you want your focus
to be on time with your family and friends, not on
kitchen duty. Try preparing foods in smaller portions
where possible to allow for easy heat and serve dinners.
-
Instead of attending multiple holiday parties that
would require lots of driving around town (or even
out of town), consider inviting people over for an
open house at ONE location at staggered times to spread
the holiday cheer and cut down on the time you spend
GETTING there.
-
On the big day, start off small with the easier food
preparations. Spread tasks throughout the day, leaving
less important preparations for later. Remember to
take a break (go for a walk, listen to music, take
a power nap) before family and friends arrive so that
you're fresh. Enjoy yourself and make the most of
the day - you've earned it!
-
The day AFTER the holiday, look at how you did and
make your "to do" list for next year. Look
at what worked and what didn't, and you will be one
step ahead for next year's holiday season.
If you try some of these tips, you'll be sure to bring
a little order to what is too often the chaos of the
holiday season. And, hopefully you'll be free to enjoy
this special time with family and friends.
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