Ten Steps to a Stress Free Holiday Season

It is here again. My heart is pounding and my palms are sweating. The season I love has arrived again, but I already feel like I am falling behind. There are gifts to buy, cards to send, parties to throw and attend, meals to make, and a carefree holiday spirit to cultivate. If you are anything like me and love the holidays, but always end up harried and hurried, do not panic. Take a breath. There is hope for a happy holiday season. Do these ten things as quickly and efficiently as possible, and you will be able to relax, enjoy, and celebrate instead of running around in circles this year.

Empty your home. Return your library books, recycle that box of old magazines, get all the recycling and trash out, sort everything out in one fell swoop and take anything that goes to charity away, now. With the influx of stuff that comes with the holidays, you have to get the clutter out.

Clean everything. Pretend it is Spring. Dust, vacuum, scrub, mop, polish, disinfect, and freshen your whole house. You need a clean slate to get the holidays rolling.

The time is upon you, so pull out that calendar and schedule all holiday events. From photos with Santa to the big feast, write it down. Do not commit to any more activities without first consulting your calendar.

Get list happy. Make a master to-do list and post it on your refrigerator. You also need to make a Christmas card list, gift list, and shopping list (one for gifts and one for food).

You have your Christmas card list written and your addresses down, so why wait. Address and stamp all your envelopes and sign all of your cards. If you write a Christmas letter, you have two options here. You can write it now, print it out, and call it good, or you can put your cards in their envelopes fold side down, so you can slip your letter in just before sending.

Decorate now. Before the Thanksgiving rush sends you spiraling towards New Year's in a stressed out eggnog binge, put up those lights, hang the wreath and stockings, and if you have a faux tree put it up. So what if you are a little early, you don't have to turn the lights on until later. If the thought of early decorating makes you uncomfortable, do as much as you can muster without blushing and organize the rest so you can get it up quickly when the time comes.

Get the gifting done. Grab your list, and go, go, go. In one fell swoop, buy everything you need. Budget, buy it, and bring it home.

Wrap it up. Recycle all your miscellaneous wrap. You can share it or recycle it, but that two inch square of salvaged wrap is not doing you any good. Stock up on brown mailing paper, tape, and one elegant style of ribbon. Wrap all your gifts in this quick and easy style, and you will have created your own signature look. Smile to yourself when people compliment your wrap job, but don't tell them your real motives for the simple style.

Just like with the gifts, grab your list and stock up on all the non-perishable food you will need for the holidays in one big (budgeted) shopping spree. When you are done, transfer all the perishables on your list, to a new list, and tape it back to the refrigerator.

Once, you have stocked up, it is time to bake ahead. Roll out your pie crusts, make and freeze whatever you can, and make several batches of refrigerator cookies.

At this point your cards are ready to be sent, your gifts are bought and wrapped, your house is clean and organized, the pantry is stocked, your schedule is planned, what should you do now? Pop a few of those refrigerator cookies in the oven, turn on some holiday music, and sit back and enjoy the season.

Here's to a safe, happy, and stress free holiday season!