With less than 5 weeks to go until Christmas day, the festive season is well and truly upon us. This special time of year reminds us of the importance of spending quality time with the people we love. It is a season filled with joy, love, gratitude and celebration. Christmas is one of my favourite times of the year. It can however, come with a lot of stress and pressure to keep up with the high expectations of having gorgeous Christmas décor, managing the many event obligations of the season and hosting house guests over the holidays. It’s never too early – despite what the Grinches of the world may say- to get your Christmas season organised and started. It’s also important to let go of the idea of ‘the perfect festive season’ so that you can fully enjoy what this special time is truly about.
These helpful tips will help show you that having an enjoyable, stress-free holiday season, while still looking after your wellbeing is totally possible.
1. Plan and Schedule:
Getting organised well in advance is the best way to avoid the heavy stress that can come with the festive season. Instead of letting panic get the best of you, get your notebook or planner out, grab a good cup of coffee and get planning! Create an ongoing to-do list that you can add to and scratch items off of from November to January. Write down everything that you need to get sorted. This can include anything from getting the Christmas cards sent out, decorating the Christmas tree as a family, shopping for gifts or getting the spare bedroom ready for holiday guests. Prep your kitchen zones to make cooking and cleaning over the holidays as easy as possible. Get out the large roasting dish or massive pot for the gammon so that you aren’t frantically searching for it on Christmas morning. Stock up on food or any other supplies that you may need ahead of time to allow for a more easy-going holiday season. Assign each of these tasks into your weekly and monthly calendar so that there is a scheduled time for each one. This will avoid overwhelm and allows holiday prep to become more manageable. Delegate any tasks that you can to other members of the family so that you feel less pressured to sort everything out yourself.
2. Have a Good Declutter:
Throw away or donate any broken or unused items to make space for anything new. If you are purchasing and receiving new items as gifts this Christmas, you need to make space for them by referring to the one in, one out principal. A good idea to get the kids involved is to ask them to have a look through their toys. Ask them to choose 5 toys that they no longer use that they can donate to charity. This is to make space for the 5 new toys that they may be receiving as Christmas gifts. Doing this also reminds us of the spirit of giving and being kind-hearted to others over Christmas time.
3. Create an Inviting Space for Holiday Guests:
Whether you are having guests over for Christmas day lunch or holiday family sleep overs, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere can make for an easy going and relaxed Christmas. Plan ahead and take note of whether you have enough crockery and cutlery for your lunch or dinner guests – if not renting or borrowing items is a great alternative to rushing out and buying! If you have friends or family staying in your home for a few days, prepare enough bedding and towels a couple of days in advance so that you don’t need to rush around while they are visiting. Leaving a few travel toiletries and a small festive gift in your guest room is a welcoming touch for visitors, too!
4. Thoughtful Gifts:
Rushing around days before Christmas to purchase gifts is not ideal for a relaxed and enjoyable holiday season. Rather, a few months before Christmas, take note of any items your loved ones are hinting at or asking for. Have a budget for each person in mind to avoid overspending and tick purchases off your to do list as you make them. Planning ahead allows you to give your family and friends thoughtful and meaningful gifts. If you are looking for inspiration for something personal, hand made gifts or vouchers to a much-loved activity can be worth much more than a last-minute panic buy. Wrapping gifts as you buy them can also help to reduce the stress of trying to get everything sorted at the last minute.
5. Let Go of Perfection:
Give yourself and others permission to let go of perfection. The immense pressure that we put on ourselves to have the perfect Christmas décor, cook the perfect meal, give the perfect gift and appear to be perfectly put together, is way too much to handle! Let go of it completely and give yourself grace. Over Christmas we are gifted time to celebrate with our loved ones. Don’t waste a second of that time bringing yourself down or thinking you aren’t enough. Be mindful of what this season is truly about and share love, joy and gratitude with those that surround you.
You don’t have to sacrifice your well-being to have an organised and beautiful holiday season. Allow yourself to focus on the things that really matter. Show gratitude and kindness to yourself and others and let’s get rid of the ‘perfect Christmas’ narrative that causes us so much unnecessary stress.
If you need any help getting organised for the upcoming Christmas season, contact me here.
