Methods to Help Keep Your Christmas Sane

We celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas since both of us come from families that are both Jewish and Christian. During the holidays we celebrate Hanukkah with our team, Christmas with our kids, with our team, with my cousin's family and then on our own. We also celebrate my husband's birthday, which is near Christmas.

We send off packages to soldiers, last year in Iraq, this year in Afghanistan, a package to an orphanage in Mississippi and packages to friends and family around the country, in Europe and India. We also give away baked goods to the neighbors. Sometimes, I'm also skidding in from a trip or getting ready to go out one right
after Christmas. That requires a lot of planning, a lot of lists.

1-Master List:

I start in October or early November, since we need to have some of the packages in the mail by early December. I take out a piece of binder paper and make a general list, noting down all of the things that need to be done by Christmas and all of those who're on the gift list, card list and baked goods list. Our list usually has around 150-200 gift recipients on it, plus the cards and baked goods.

Specifics on the Master List.

I try to list the items in order of need and/or the amount of time needed to finish the specific task. Although it often ends up being a stream-of-consciousness thing where I write down as I think of it. Although I do get the holidays in order:

A-List of Holidays

B-List of planned activities during the holidays

C-Gift lists to be requested from recipients

D-Gifts already acquired and gifts still needed to be tracked down

E-Christmas card list

F-List of those who get newsletters and those who don't

G-List of those who get photos

H-Gift baking list

I-List of home baked goodies recipients

J-List of gift recipients

2-Specialized Lists:

Out of this master list I make several specialized lists for each of the separate things that needs to be done:

A-I look up the holidays in my holiday recipe file, pull out the cookbooks and note down all available ingredients and what's still needed. Then I count out how many weeks I have before I need all of the different items and divide them up among the weeks and note them down in weekly allotments on my shopping pad.

B-I make out menu lists of all planned meals

C-I get gift request lists from gift recipients and also list what I already have from those who have a standard list of preferences. I meet with my cousin so we can plan our shopping trips for the supplies needed for the soldiers and the orphanage.

D-I make a complete list of all gift recipients, what we already have for them and what we still need to get.

E-I note the planned activities on the calendar on the days planned and with whom and when.

F-I get out my Christmas card list, count everyone who gets a card. I go through my Christmas cards to see what we need. Then I put the cards on my shopping list.

G-I note how many are getting newsletters and check on my paper and ink supply. I put those items on the shopping list.

H-I check to see if I need film and put it on the list if I need it. When I get the film I keep the camera loaded since I don't know when we'll be taking our family photos and we photograph most events during the holiday period.

3-Location of Lists:

When my lists are made out, I locate them in the area of where they need to be to keep my memory straight and where I'm going to working on the specific activities:

A-The master list, the baking list and the baking gift lists are usually on my bedside table. The card list is usually with the cards on a chair in my bedroom, so I can work on them while I watch TV at night.

B-The other gift lists usually are either on my bedside table or in my purse.

C-The baking lists and menu lists are put in clippies that hang from a key hanger in our kitchen.

D-The newsletter list is put in our office on the printer, where I can see it.

4-Checking off Lists:

As I finish an item, I check it off. I consult the lists often to see how I'm doing, to remind myself of what needs to be done. I add to the shopping lists as I see other options, the same is true of the activity lists. I revise the lists
when the original plans are changed or the original items are unavailable.

I check off the lists as the gifts are acquired and allocated, to keep track of what still needs to be done and which gifts are still in need of being taken care of. There's nothing worse than misplacing a gift. My lists help me keep track of the gifts.

5-Making Lists of Delivery, Notification and Action:

When we've finished the preparations, I make lists of who needs to be notified, is to receive a delivery and when. I also list the actions or activities involved with the delivery.

A-All packages are wrapped and allocated in different places in my studio for the differing deliveries, such as shipped, locally delivered and for hand presentation or to be put under the tree. The baked goodies are packaged and in the freezer until delivered.

B-As the packages are shipped we notify those whom we're able to, of impending deliveries.

C-The baked goodies are delivered just before Christmas. Sometimes we deliver meat instead baked goodies, if I don't have time to bake.

D-As we participate in the various activities we deliver the gifts allocated for those occasions.

This is something that has been developed since I first started giving in a purposeful fashion in the 1970's. Giving is the core of our ministry, so yes, this does look a little like we're preparing to launch an army. But there're a lot of things in this article that you may find helpful.

You most likely wouldn't do all that I do. But I listed what I do, so that you can see a lot of options to choose from. I've found that if I make detailed lists of everything I plan to do, there's more likelihood that I don't miss anything and everything actually gets done and is available on time. I'm the kind of person who leaves her memory in the room she just left, even though I do remember what I see and do. That's why I make lists. They're both visual and physical. Perhaps you need to record your lists if you're more verbal.