Time management and family counselors tell us
that Christmas is a season, not merely a day. So slow down and carefully plan your visits,
perhaps spreading them over a few days. For instance, my husband's family celebrates
Christmas each year as a family reunion. They rent a hall (no one has ten grandchildren
running through the formal living room), decorations are donated, refreshments are
provided "pot luck" style, and the burden of entertaining is not placed on any
one person.
Another way to avoid the holiday blues is to
set a gift budget. I won't go in-depth to teach you Accounting 101, but I do have some
ideas of how to set a spending limit, shop year round, or make your own gifts. These are
all great ways to keep from feeling so depressed when that credit card bill arrives in
January.
Below are ways to get a jumpstart on the
holidays NEXT season........
Greeting Cards:
My biggest time saver is ordering holiday
cards the first week of October from a mail order catalog, then addressing them the week
of Halloween. By November, you're ready for gift buying and have a major chore crossed off
your "to do" list.
Buy holiday cards after Christmas when they
are on sale, then stash them away for next year. I suggest you don't pack them away with
other holiday decorations - you may forget about them, and you won't have easy access for
advance processing.
Create a permanent record of sent and received
holiday cards to avoid making one each year. This is especially important if you buy cards
in advance. Make a list and file it in your file cabinet, on your computer, or in a
dedicated Christmas Card Record booklet. (These can be found at stationery stores and
bookstores, and from mail order catalogs.) This allows you to take an inventory of cards
for the next year, according to your revised list.
Send postcards instead of holiday cards. - it
takes much less time to write a message, and requires less postage.
Only send cards to out of town friends and
family.
Send virtual cards electronically. Of course,
this only works for those friends and family members "on line", but it saves a
lot of money and you can send more cards than you normally would.
Order postage stamps through the mail to avoid
standing in a long line at the post office. (I do this year-round, and it saves me from
hauling my son in and out of the car just to go into the post office for stamps!)
Don't send cards at all (this practice is
becoming more popular each year)
Gift Buying:
Shop year round. This not only budgets your time, but
pocketbook as well. Make a mental note whenever a friend or loved one mentions something
he or she would like to have. Pay attention during other gift-giving occasions, such as
birthdays and anniversaries, and write their wish list notes down later. Not
only will you save money allowing for a few gifts each month, but also you will give the
recipient a gift they will enjoy for quite some time.
If you elect not to shop year round, choose less hectic
times to do your shopping. Early mornings on the weekends, just as stores open, are ideal.
You practically have the entire store to yourself. Another option is to shop during the
week, rather than on weekends. You'll find easier parking, shorter checkout lines, and
more thinking time on your hands by using this tip.
Shop online or from catalogs. You pay for shipping costs,
but will save money and time. Sometimes you won't have to pay sales tax, and that
justifies the shipping charge.
Opt not to give gifts at all, except to immediate family.
There are so many variations on this theme, so it's a good idea to have a
family
meeting to discuss your options. Often you're not the only one feeling a monetary
crunch, and often it's a relief to others as well.
Getting the House Ready for the Holidays:
Stock your freezer and pantry during the month so you will
have fewer trips to the grocery and fewer meals to prepare. This might be a good time to
cash in those pizza coupons!
Feel free to screen your phone calls, then plan a time when
you can return calls. Wrapping gifts or stuffing cards into envelopes is a good
multi-tasking chore to do while you're on the phone.
Plan your parties and holiday meals well in advance. I'm a
firm believer that you can never have too many lists. Being a mom means multi-tasking, and
we're getting better every day at it, but we're only human. If it's not on the list, it
probably won't happen!
Muster the troops, and decorate the house and trim the tree
using all the help you can get. Have a tree-trimming party. Invite friends or
family members over, put on the Christmas music to set the mood, serve refreshments or
order in. It's much less of a chose when everyone pitches in to help. After the holidays,
you can do the same thing. No one really likes to un-decorate, but if you make
a party of it, to celebrate the New Year perhaps, time goes much quicker.
Lower your expectations: Don't feel you have to be ready
for House and Garden Magazine to photograph your holiday dinner. Potlucks and no frill
meals are wonderful, as most veteran moms will agree. New moms are so overwhelmed with
schedules and their new job as a mother - the last thing anyone expects is a Martha
Stewart presentation.
Let people help
you. This was a hard lesson for me to
learn, but as my son turns three, I'm a firm believer in this advice. During the holidays,
those you love surround you and they are there to help when you need it. If you need help
with meals, ask them to make their specialty. If you're a terrible cook, this can be a
blessing. If you don't want anyone underfoot in the kitchen, let him or her baby-sit.
Believe me, this is the biggest help you can get as your children grow.
