Guest Blog by Louise Barson of Silver Concierge
Christmas is a huge event and, more often than not, eagerly anticipated by everyone but the chief organiser. In order to lower your stress levels and increase your own levels of enjoyment, start planning early. I hate to say it but the earlier you begin the process, the less daunting the task will seem.
An easy way to start is to put the following 3 essential tools in place:
* a check list
* a timetable for the week(s) leading up to Christmas day and over to the
New Year
New Year
* a note book exclusively for Christmas
Checklists
Try to turn the task into a pleasurable event: set time aside to write your Christmas cards in peace and quiet, with a glass of wine and some music; take the children to a Christmas market to buy presents for specific members of the family.
By doing this, completion of the task will become a family Christmas tradition and form part of the count-down to the big day. If you have lots of entertaining planned see what food can be prepared or bought ahead and put it in your freezer /store cupboard.
Christmas Book / timetable
Trust me, this little tome will become a life-saver! Keep it exclusively for Christmas; include Christmas card and present lists and the check lists you have created this year. Keep the addresses of all the people who you send cards to in the back of the notebook. Everything will be to hand and you can check back to see what you bought / sent the previous year.
By compiling a timetable you set time markers and instead of sliding rapidly into a muddle of frenetic Christmas activity you can quickly see who needs to be where, when and with what and magically you will feel more in control.
Make sure your timetable has room to make notes and make sure other people’s names appear by the tasks as well as your own! Christmas is a family affair not just your responsibility so rope them in and you’ll all have a good time if people know what is expected of them. There are lots of activities in December so this applies to the time leading up to Christmas as well as the holidays themselves.
A note about Presents
Set a budget and keep to it. Everyone enjoys receiving presents but ones that you actually want often seem few and far between, and how much more satisfying to give a gift that someone actually uses and enjoys. Tune in to what people say they like or need.
Presents for children
As soon as the Christmas ads hit the TV start making notes in your Christmas notebook about the toys and games the kids seem interested in. Alternatively, get them to make a cut out of a Christmas stocking and stick pictures or write the names of the toys they would like; you then have a great shopping list, and no, I’m not suggesting to buy everything! Hang the paper stockings up on the wall and then the children can add to them, or delete things as Christmas approaches. Take them down when you have discussed what presents you and relatives are buying.
Do you actually need to buy everyone a present ?
One family I know decided only those under 16 get Christmas presents and no they aren’t mean! Instead they buy a bigger present for birthdays and find something that the person really wants; giving so much more pleasure to the giver and the receiver and spreads the family’s spending over the year instead of it being concentrated into one month,. This policy really cuts down their shopping required at Christmas; saving all the family time and stress and everyone enjoys the festive season more. Maybe you can chat this idea through with your family?
Very brief note on Budgeting
Let’s talk money. Christmas is expensive so get your finances in order; as soon as Christmas is finished start preparing for the next one!
Do your shopping or at least your research online. You can search around for the best price and check availability and also reserve items that every child must have and which consequently go out of stock. Consider various cash back sites such as Quidco http://www.quidco.com/ , Top Cash Back http://www.topcashback.co.uk/ or look for voucher offer sites such as Groupon and Living Social. There are cashback cards and flash sales. But look for any clauses, interest rates and conditions and keep to your budget.
- Decide upon your budget; if you can’t fund Christmas from your current earnings, try to identify other ways of raising some cash – ebay, car boot sales etc
- Put money aside each month to cover the cost of presents and Christmas necessities; start in January!
- Save Supermarket loyalty vouchers (ie Sainsbury’s or Tesco points) to pay for your Christmas food shop
- If you didn’t put money aside for Christmas this year put all your purchases on a credit card; take out an interest free card and then move the balance across but remind yourself that you still have a budget and don’t exceed it
Mum’s Christmas mantra
It’s never too early to start planning. Have a flexible plan that will make any disasters easier to cope with. Check lists, timetable, Christmas notebook Delegate – it’s a family affair so get the family to help
Enjoy! Your mission, if you accept it, is to create the environment for a great Christmas. Don’t strive for perfection it will affect your mood and everyone else’s. It’s up to everyone to make sure they enjoy the Christmas season, you included! So remember YOU don’t have to do everything ..... use your lists, communicate and delegate whenever possible making it fun and part of your Christmas tradition
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