Preparing for Christmas Early

If you've read my other articles, you know that not only am I a planner but I absolutely love Christmas. I've never seen this time of year as stressful, but that may be due to the fact that I am a total overplanner. It's good to a point but admittedly it can be a bit neurotic too. I know that I'm a nut but I just get so excited for everything this time of year holds. I am very organized, call it one of my talents. I know that the stress of this holiday can really get to people so I thought that sharing some of my tips would help to take the stress out of things for others.

I must say that preparation is key. Sure it sounds cliche but it really works here, and very well. I'm a big list maker and my husband makes fun of me because I have a list for everything. I have found if you make a list of all the people you have to buy for and the price limit that will help you tremendously with your shopping. If you do this well before Thanksgiving you will give yourself at least a month of shopping time and you can slowly chip away at your gift buying. Whether you shop online or go to the stores, you can pick something up everytime you have an idea or happen to be at the appropriate store. Crossing off people on the list one at a time can make the last minute running much less stressful.

We're all feeling the effects of this economy and this Christmas will be a struggle for many of us. We've found that with some friends it makes more sense to go out to a good dinner rather than buying gifts for everyone. In my family we pick names so that you're not buying for nine different people. In some circles we only buy for the kids and set a price limit at that. You can get creative and still get some great gifts without being super cheap. It also helps to search high and low for sales online and at the stores. There are many sales to be had and if you can brave it as I do, Black Friday (the day after Thankgiving) is amazing for all the sale items you can find. I get a lot of my Christmas shopping done that day and come home exhausted but so relieved.

If you are entertaining start buying staple items ahead of time. You know you'll need things like crackers, paper plates, and plastic cups. You are sure to find some great sales at the grocery store or a store like Target, they have things like this on sale all the time. To take some of the sting out of the spending and to stock up so you're not running to the store at the last minute, buy along the way. I stock up on wine every year and am glad for it later on! I also do this with my baking so I am not freaking out because I don't have enough flour in the house. It pays to be proactive!

Use the dollar store for items that are seasonal. You can already find items like gift bags, cards, and paper plates at many stores. I get all my gift bags and wrapping paper at the dollar store. Not only do you save a ton of money but they have cute options and it's so worth it for the use it has. So dedicate a corner of your basement to stock up on these goodies.

Christmas can be stressful without a bit of planning. If you make a list and check it twice you may just be able to enjoy the fun that this season has in store for you.