Can you believe that Christmas is just five weeks from today?! We’re counting down the weeks with tips to help you keep your Christmas season, stress-free and under budget!
I always have this image in my mind about trimming the tree: Christmas music playing, a fire in the fireplace, and my adorable family sharing ornament-related memories as we lovingly place our special things on the tree.
Real life often involves more stress than that: lights that don’t work, kids that want to “help” when you just need a minute to get things unpacked and organized, and parents trying not to get Grinchy while we attempt to deck the halls. A little prep work can help minimize the stress when it’s time to do the fun part of decorating.
Before you get the kids involved, try to snag a few kidless minutes (I know…easier said than done!) to find what you need, test the lights, develop a game plan for outside decorations…basically think of what could throw a wrench in the fun, and try to handle those things before you’re in the midst of the festivities.
For inside decorations, decide which decorations are your favorites, either for their appearance, or because they hold special memories. If there are items you could scale back on, consider doing so–it’s less to get out, less to dust around, and less to pack away in January. If there’s anything on your decorating wish-list (new tree, new lights, etc.), start scouting out the deals. There will be tons of them popping up in the next few weeks.
Once some of these details are handled, you can focus on that fun memory-making image rather than going all Clark Griswold on a tangled ball of lights! 😉 Have fun!
This week’s action plan:
Make sure you know where all your Christmas decorations are–if you need to un-bury some things, find time to dig them out some time this week so they’ll be ready for you when you want to start decorating. If you have outdoor decorations, keep an eye on the forecast for some decent weather days in the next week or two (that way you won’t freeze your fingers off hanging lights!). Round up necessary extension cords and check to make sure lights work! Weed through decorations, and pitch or donate the ones that aren’t favorites. Watch ads for deals on new or replacement items, so you’ll have them before you decorate.
If you’ve missed the other posts in the series, it’s not too late to catch up:
- Adjusting our Christmas planning philosophy
- Starting a game plan for gift giving
- Creative ways to stretch your budget
- Planning ahead for Christmas cards
- Homemade gifts to stretch your budget
- Think Outside the Toy Box!
- Start Planning for Black Friday
We’d love some Pins or Shares if you find these tips helpful–thanks!
