Helpful Tips to Stay Organized Over the Holidays
Do you need to stay organized over the holidays? I think we all do! Do you find yourself up at 2 AM on Christmas Eve trying to wrap the last of your gifts? Have you forgotten about important holiday traditions and had to fit them in the last few days before Christmas? If so, you know that organization is not your “thing.” However, that doesn’t mean it can’t be. Keep reading for some helpful tips on how you can stay organized this holiday season.
Schedule Ahead to Visit Santa
If you are like most people, you may not even be aware that this is possible. By scheduling your time with Santa, you can avoid the seemingly never-ending line with your toddler or infant, who will likely wind up melting down before you reach the man in red.
There are more than a few locations that now allow you to make a reservation to visit with the local Santa. You can arrive just a few minutes before your appointment, get a few pics, and ensure your kids stay in a good mood. If you are feeling particularly nostalgic this holiday season, you can even grab all the VHS tapes of your visits with Santa and transfer from VHS to DVD to show your kids all the times you got to meet Santa, too.
Send Out Holiday Cards
People who are organized have likely had their seasonal photo session setup by (at the latest) October. However, you shouldn’t feel like you have to be Pinterest-perfect to send out holiday cards featuring your family this year. Snap your own fun picture using your phone and then use one of the many, affordable card making services available online.
Be sure to order your cards early enough so that you can tackle addressing a few every night for a few weeks. This will keep it from becoming an overwhelming task. If you want to keep things even simpler, forget the photo completely. Instead, write a heartfelt and short note before you drop the store-bought card in the mail.
Plan Your Gift Giving Ahead of Time
One of the most stressful parts of the holiday season for most people is gift-giving. It’s time consuming, expensive, and difficult to find that “perfect” gift for everyone. This year, rather than waiting until the last minute to handle all your holiday shopping – take a proactive approach. Make a list of everyone you want to buy something for, two to three ideas for each and start shopping in early November. By getting your shopping done early, you can actually enjoy the holiday season. Also, with a list, you can keep track of what you have bought, who you have bought for, and other pertinent information.
Use a Holiday Calendar
While you are going to pull out the Advent calendar, it’s also a good idea to use a holiday planner or calendar, as well. Between the class parties, work celebrations, and family traditions, you may find that keeping track of everything you plan or want to do is more challenging than it should be. Be sure to keep a schedule handy and update it when things change. This will ensure you aren’t caught by surprise.
Don’t be Afraid to Say No
While everyone may make a valiant effort to do it all, this isn’t realistic. There is no way you can attend every event at school, work, in the community, and with your family. The key is to figure out what is most important to you and then say “no” to the others.
If you want to ensure you remain organized this holiday season, keep the tips here in mind. They will help you enjoy the holidays without getting overwhelmed and stressed.
