Holiday survival tips: From chaotic to calm

With Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and perhaps personal events in between, the holidays are enough to make you want to scream. There is decorating to do, social engagements to attend, corporate functions to enjoy, and of course, endless food and gift shopping. Having a list of practical holiday survival tips will have you decking the halls sooner than you may think!

Start early

It’s never too early to begin holiday shopping. As soon as the shelves start to fill, purchase little things you like. Items such as holiday candy, decorations, and small basket gifts can be bought and stored to use at a later time. By starting your shopping early, not only will you eliminate that last-minute rush, you will have first selection on the new seasonal items.

Don’t overspend

The easiest way to overspend is to shop in a hurry. Leaving everything until the last minute will put you in a “get it over with” buying mood. Good holiday survival tips include allowing yourself time to get organized and shop so you can stay on budget. Sticking to a budget will also eliminate that after-season credit card shock.

Cooking

If your holidays include a home-cooked feast, you can start by baking and freezing items such as baked goods. Practice holiday survival tips by remembering that store-bought candies and chocolates can be purchased well in advance and taken out when needed. For your main holiday meal, remember that a turkey requires one day of thaw for every five pounds.

Timing

Holiday shoppers head to their favorite stores on weekends, packing parking lots and making even simple shopping tasks a long process. Important holiday survival tips include shopping during the weekdays when malls and grocery stores are less crowded.

Don’t forget about adding shipping to your list of holiday survival tips. Check with your local postal service for suggested delivery times. Make sure you pack your gifts securely to avoid breakage and ship your packages in advance. Not only will they arrive on time, you’ll save a fortune on last minute courier fees.

Make it fun

Shopping, cooking, and cleaning are part of the holidays. Your holiday survival tips should include a way to make these things fun. Shop by yourself if you need some time away from the busy household, or grab a friend so you can shop together. Host a bake-off before the holidays where you and a handful of friends can all get your holiday baking done together. Make cleaning the house a fun activity by involving the kids. Throw on some holiday music, set out a tray of freshly baked cookies, and have fun checking everything off your to-do list.