Hello Beautiful Friends! I hope everyone is enjoying this crisp cool fall weather. Although I saw this week I have some readers from all over the universe! Helllooooo out there! Is it cool weather where you are? Here in Texas it is and I’m lovin it! Total aside, I think it’s so cool having far away readers! 🙂 Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Well today is all about a subject we aren’t prepared to chat about and for some of you this will come as a shock. Christmas is almost here. Now before you roll your eyes or scream at the screen saying shut it girl, it’s not even Halloween yet, hear me out. I want you to be organized so when the season gets here you’ll enjoy it instead of pulling your hair out looking like you have a bad comb over like Scrooge or end up with a prickly hairdo like the Grinch. Total aside #2, I would so do my hair like Cindy Lou Who if I had enough of it!
Anyway, back to the subject. I’m not going to tell you it’s time to decorate for Christmas, even though it is super close for me. #bloggerstruggles I want to give you a list of some things you can do to be prepared when the big season hits! So, let’s Get Ready for Christmas in October (yes I know it’s half way over).
Get Ready for Christmas in October!
October:
- Prepare a budget
- Make a list of gift recipients (Don’t forget teachers, service workers, etc.)
- Make out your Christmas Card list
- Check Pinterest for card ideas or check places in your neighborhood you’d like to use
- Put out any Christmas lights on the house and trees (Don’t turn them on, just have it done before it gets really cold)
November:
- Start watching for sales and begin shopping for those gifts
- Or make homemade gifts!
- Take and order Christmas cards (Shutterfly and Vista Print make it easy)
- Take inventory of freezer/pantry items for any baking, parties or large family dinners. Make a list of grocery items
- Plan out a few activities you’d like to participate in (Nutcracker Ballet, parades, church musicals, Christmas light drive-thru’s) Yes please!
- Decorate inside the house – Some wait until the day after Thanksgiving but check your schedule and save the date
December:
- Use that grocery list you made and get your shopping done
- Finish gift shopping (in the first week if possible)
- Wrap gifts (Listen to Christmas Music or watch an old Christmas movie while wrapping)
- Mail out Christmas cards (within the first week)
- Give the house a deep cleaning (ovens, ceiling fans, windows, etc)
- Prepare the guest bedroom(s)
Of course I could add to this list and make it a mile long but then I think we’d all start to despise Christmas and that is no way to be! No Scrooges or Grinch’s here. If you happen to come across any of those people, just smile at them and see if there’s something you can do to help. Maybe return their cart back to the store or help by sharing your umbrella? Or what the heck, tell them about this list! Random Acts of Kindness goes along way. Just think, all that love you’re showing isn’t just to make you feel better. You are glorifying the Lord! 😉
Great list of to-do’s Cindy. Need to copy and paste and print out. Thanks so much.
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You are welcome Carol. Hope it helps.
I was just thinking this morning that it’s time to make a list and place some orders. 🙂
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Can you believe it? It’s almost here!
I have all my Christmas shopping done and safely stored in the basement. They will be brought upstairs for gift bagging and wrapping the first of Dec, when I put up my tree. I always make my pies, cakes and cookies in early Dec and they go in the freezer. I am getting excited, just thinking of Christmas.
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Wow you are amazing! You should give us a list so we can be amazing too BJ!
This is an amazing list,and i will be saving it, i like to start early too so it doesn’t make the holidays such a mess. Because i have been away and am leaving again i have bought a few things but, i love lists that i can check off to be sure. You are a sweetheart for thinking about what we all need,cause it needs to be a fun time with family and Jesus on our minds.
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Great to hear Marlene. I think with the kids not here anymore I am a little more looking forward to it than in years past. Hope the list helps and you enjoy your Christmas.
I was just thinking about this the other day. I’ve begun some pre-Christmas prep work.
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That’s great Katie! I need to take my own advice. I’ll start tomorrow. 😉
This is an awesome list! I am a list person and I feel accomplished when I can put a check mark by something I’ve done! It keeps me going! Have a great one!
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Thank you Benita. I’ve noticed when I don’t go by a list things get forgotten and I’m running around like a crazy person at the last minute. Not a good feeling and definitely not fun.
Great list. Years ago I always began early with my Christmas. Mercy, the older I get the more I can put stuff off with the best of them. LOL! I found myself last year ordering more and more on line to avoid the hustle and bustle. I love to go Christmas shopping when I really don’t need to buy anything but just browse and look. I quit mailing Christmas cards a few years ago. It seems more and more people are not mailing cards these days due to the high cost of postage. My list was large and how to cut back? So cut it out as bad as I hated it with the exception of some very dear friends and family. Enjoyed your post today and I popped over from Stacey’s to visit. Hugs and blessings, Cindy
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So glad you stopped by Cindy! I think I’d have to do the same if we had a huge card list. Our gift list is easy. Everyone wants money or gift cards so no need for an imagination. I do love window shopping though. Especially in small towns. Hope you have a great weekend!
I don’t decorate until the day after Thanksgiving – I hate rushing through any of the holidays, but that doesn’t mean I’m not in the preparation stage.
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I always decorated for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving but since blogging has taken over my life, it’s different. The kids have already told me that they are unhappy with the fact we will be decorated for Christmas on Thanksgiving day! I wonder how everyone else does it and how their families like (or dislike) it? How do you get away with not decorating early as a blogger?
Thank you so much for sharing. I am pinning it to my Christmas board as a handy reminder!
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That’s awesome Dana. Thanks and hope it helps.
This is such a great list!!! I really need to keep lists….If only I could be this organized!!
~Emily
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LOL Emily. No one, not even Martha Stewart is organized ALL the time. If we were, we’d be little robots and no one could stand to be around us! At least, that’s what I tell myself. 😉