11 things to prepare early to have a stress free Christmas
Christmas is a time for celebrating with family and friends – but it can be stressful too.
Let’s work together to be less stressed. The time we spend together at Christmas is valuable.
Follow our 11 tips to get ready for the festive season, so you can spend your time with family and friends stress-free, happy and healthy.
Write down a budget for gifts, food, drinks, travel expenses, decorations.
Money can be one of the most stressful parts of Christmas, there is no denying. Often that stress comes from the unknown - so relieve some of that pressure by brain dumping everything you can think of that you will be spending money on for the festive season, and allocating a budget for each category.
Create a gift list, as part of your budget. Don't forget to include Secret Santas!
Presents for family, friends, all those nieces and nephews and those Secret Santas. Jot down a list of names - we have a handy Christmas Gift List download for this, which will help keep you up to date with what you have budgeted for, what you have and have not purchased, what has arrived in the mail, what needs to be wrapped and so on.
Make the most of early Christmas Gift Guides for Christmas gifts.
These guides, for example, the Top Knot Girl Christmas Gift Guide, are a huge help when budgeting around gifts! Use your Christmas Gift List, and subscribe to your favourite brands email lists that you want, so that you are prepared and can grab what you want, for an amazing saving!
Decorate the tree/house.
The tree decorating or house decorating is one you can get done nice and early, and is always an enjoyable family tradition to do together. While you’re at it, sort through your decorations and donate or toss the ones you don’t need - your future self will thank you next Christmas!
Schedule all events coming up
It’s not called the silly season for nothing! Events and parties seem to pile up this time of year. Sit down with your family and try to mark down every single event you can think of that is upcoming - including those that take place after Christmas and New Years. Make sure to remember these events, and any food/outfits you may need, in the budget you have made (tip no. 1).
Plan out a menu for the day - do a big Christmas grocery shop.
Are you the host this year? Plan out the menu for the day - don’t forget to allocate types of meals for family/friends to bring if you can. Order online if you can, ready for pickup at a certain timeslot if possible.
Plan the recipes you can make ahead of time.
Now that you have planned out the menu, or food that you need to prepare, look at each one and think about how you could prepare ahead of time. Could you freeze it? Will it keep well in the fridge for a few days? The less cooking/food preparation you have to do on the day, the better!
Get the table ready to go.
Once again, if you are the host this year, check that you have all table settings/decorations you need. Put any table decorations together in a box or bag, ready to be set on the table.
What can last Christmas teach you?
Think back to the previous Christmas - what stressed you out the most? What could you do to lessen that stress this year?
Allocate jobs for everyone in your family for Christmas Day.
Delegate! Family members need to pitch in and help. This applies to cleaning, cooking, decorating, making sure little jobs around the house are done on the day, such as bringing all dirty dishes into the kitchen and washing up.
Deep cleaning
Hosting any of the holidays at your home, or having family/friends to stay over? Plan a day/few days of deep cleaning a week or two beforehand, so there is no need for those last minute scrambling. Allocate cleaning jobs to family members to spread the work.
Lastly, don’t forget this is your Christmas too! Take the time to sit back and relax and chat and enjoy the day. You have put in the work leading up to the festive season, now it is your time to savour it.
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