Countdown To Christmas Planning

Vintage Homeschool Moms

Countdown to Christmas Planning Episode 310

The countdown to Christmas can be a wonderful and blessed time, especially if we make a plan that this year will be different. The stress and harried approach is now in the past and we are going to do this with prayer and the grace that comes only from God! In this episode Felice shares some of her secrets to getting it down with plenty of time to spare.

Our sponsor — NOW Programs.

Friends, it is time to take charge of our lives and get ready for the best Christmas ever with the focus on what really matters. I have about three steps to this plan so it is easy to implement and so simple!

One thing I would recommend is that you begin each day with prayer and end each day with prayers. We use an advent wreath. I have a special countdown to Christmas activity you can do with your children and I’ve podcasted about this as well – the link for that podcast is on this episode 310

First is make a list and cross off anything you do not want to do. I’m serious!

Here is what a typical Christmas countdown list looks like:

1. Decorate the house / buy or put up the tree
2. Take a Christmas picture for a card/write and send cards
3. Buy or make presents for ____ people.
4. Wrap Presents
5. Bake cookies or gifts to give or keep to eat.
6. Shop for Christmas dinner
7. Prepare ahead for Christmas dinner
8. Set Up for Christmas day
9. Finish last minute prep – presents or wrapping
10. Make Christmas Dinner

What is on this list that you can avoid? The two that stand out for me are the Christmas cards and the baking. Everything else you have to do… whether you buy presents or make them. You still have to wrap them.

Second is put your list in order of deadlines

Print out a month at a glance calendar – I have one on the show notes of VintageHomeschoolMoms.com if you don’t have one. You will need to add the dates to the calendar as it is blank. Use a pencil and list your deadline dates.

Try to get your shopping done one week ahead of time.

Third: Implement your list!

Helpful Christmas Countdown Hints:

1. Decorate in one day if at all possible. This includes setting up the tree (in our case we buy a fresh tree). It also means getting help to watch the little ones and enlisting the help of the entire family!
2. Shop online whenever possible. I’ve enclosed a link to a helpful article on Moolah.com about 5 best apps. The one I use is Honey. It does a great job online in telling me if there is a coupon I can use and it automatically https://www.joinmoolah.com/blog/5-best-apps-for-receiving-a-price-drop-alert/
3. When you are shopping check your phone and compare – I know you do this anyway, but many times it is just as cheap to buy it now in the store. Stores have become very good at price comparing themselves.
4. Use gift bags… this is a huge time saver. One of my friends has 11 children and she uses one large gift bag to keep all the children’s gifts in. They love the idea of getting to their gifts quicker (her words) and she says they take turns watching each child open their gifts.
5. Christmas baking – one friend doesn’t bake at all it stresses her. For me the stress in not in baking – it is my destresser! It is in sending out 100+ Christmas cards with a Christmas letter. Now, I only send out cards to immediate family and if we can get a picture taken at Thanksgiving, then great! If not – the card goes out without the photo.
6. Making vs. buying gifts. If you have time, I love the idea of personally created gifts. You can make gift mixes (my December printable will have some of my mix ideas for muffins). Otherwise, start this in the summer. It is so much easier that way!

Thank you to Heirloom Audios. Lasting value and spiritual benefits — Christian history – audio adventures Movies for the Minds CD Sets GiveTheAdventure.com and NOW Progams for sponsoring this podcast episode.

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