The Ultimate Holiday Timeline

The candy is on sale and the Halloween costumes have been placed on VarageSale or are now making a regular appearance in our everyday wardrobe. Even with turkey day in our sights, we still want to make sure you are well prepared this Christmas season. Nothing sneaks up on you quite like tax season and the holidays, amirite? Every year, we know it’s coming and we have such good intentions. However, good intentions don’t translate into wrapped gifts. So, one of our favorites, Cassie Huckabay from My Fair Elle is here with us to help give you a step by step timeline to make sure your good intentions result in a less stressful, more enjoyable holiday season.

Let’s get started!

 
 

8 Weeks Out

Make your naughty/Nice list

Create a list of people you intend to buy to gifts for and another list of people you will send Christmas cards to. Keeping this list on your phone is helpful way to make sure you keep track unexpected shopping finds. If you’re like me, you’ve bought items you found on sale and they didn’t make it out of their hiding spot until the next summer.

Also, remember Santa gifts don’t look the same for every child, so it’s good to have at least one gift from Santa.

Set Holiday Budget

Whether you set a total spend limit or you have a certain amount to spend on each person, it’s always a good idea to come up with some sort of budget.

Design A Christmas Card

Even though it’s not quite time to send out holiday cards, you will be prepared for the next time you get that email about a special Christmas card offer. You can simply upload and hit checkout.

Order Handmade Gifts

If you are getting gifts made, be sure to get them ordered early, Whether it’s friend or someone on Etsy making the gift, you want to be sure they have plenty of time to create the gift. Paintings of your children (like the ones below) or pets like always make for a special gift.

Homemade-christmas-gifts
Homemade-Christmas-Gifts
Homemade-christmas-gifts

Six Weeks Out

Purchase Advent Calendar

There is no shortage of Advent calendars on the market, so finding one your family will love shouldn’t be difficult. My boys are getting this Lego Advent calendar from Downtown Book & Toy.

 
Lego-Advent-Calendar
 

Build Your Christmas Playlist

Nothing puts us in the holiday mood quite like a good Christmas playlist. Check out this awesome playlist Cassie put together!

Cassie’s Christmas Playlist

Check Your TV for Your Favorite Movies

Hallmark Christmas movies are on constantly in our home, but there are other special movies that my kids love to watch each year. Take a few minutes to see when they are on and mark it in your calendar.

Clean Out Toys that would be more loved by others & Donate

Since Santa will be on his way in a few weeks, it’s a good time to clean out the toys that don’t make it out of the toy box anymore. Many local places like The Salvation Army will take donations and those toys will find new kids to plays with them.

Check When & Where Santa Will Be

Beat the crowd and be the first to sit on Santa’s lap! Here are just a few places we know Santa will be visiting.

Busch’s Florist & Greenhouse

Capital Mall

If you are interested in having Santa make a special visit to your home or work, be sure to give Santa B Pittman a call.

 
Santa-B-Pittman
 
 
Christmas-with-Santa-B
 

Commit to Christmas Pajamas

Yeah, we heard your husband say he wasn’t doing this again, but it’s a new year. Who can say no to those Christmas Dino PJs? Find your favorite PJ’s and get them ordered!

Pencil in Your Holiday Baking Plans

Every year my cousins and I have a cookie baking day and it’s one of my favorite days of the year! However, each year it gets a little more difficult to find that perfect day that everyone can come. If you get it on the calendar early, it’s more likely everyone can make it.

P.S. If you’ve finished baking and you are headed down High St., don’t forget to drop a dozen off at Campus. 😉

 
Holiday-cookie-baking
 

Bust Out Those Holiday Decorations

This is a must debated topic. In fact, Cassie and I are in a heated batlle right now. She loves eating her turkey in front of her Christmas tree, while I like to eat my turkey with my fall candles still ablaze. Whenever the time is right for you, put that tree up. Not many things make me happier than sitting on my couch with a cup of hot cocoa and every light off except the Christmas tree lights.

Four Weeks Out

Check Mailing Deadlines for Gifts

Reflect on your list and evaluate what needs to be shipped. If you are ordering from Amazon Prime, you should be safe until December 20th. If you are ordering from a traditional online retailer, then these gifts need to be purchased not later than December 14th.

Check Your Local Church Times

Many times, Christmas services have a special time. Check it out and plan accordingly so you don’t get there at the end of the service. It has happened to the best of us, right Cassie. 😉

Confirm Your Holiday Calendar

Holiday calendars fill up quick! Make sure you have the events you enjoy the most on your calendar and don’t feel bad if you have to say no to a few things. The whole point is to enjoy!

Drop the Christmas Cards in the Mail

Luckily you had those designed weeks ago to get that awesome deal. Now that you have your Christmas cards in hand address, stamp, and send them out.

Purchase Christmas Activities

Whatever Christmas activities you and your family want to do this year, take the proactive approach and purchase the supplies early. You’re more likely to make that gingerbread house if you have it on hand.

Count Your Blessings

This is something that should be done year round, so make sure to take time to be thankful for what you have. If you are reading this blog post and preparing for the holidays, then you have been blessed beyond most.

Two Weeks Out

You’ve Made A List, Now Check It Twice

Double check that you’ve bought everything you need for everyone on your list. You don’t want to show up Christmas Day and realize you didn’t get that gift card for Aunt Susie.

Get those gifts assembled & wrapped

We’ve all been there! It’s 1:00AM Christmas morning and you are still wrapping gifts that will be torn through in just a few hours. Get it done early so you can get some rest before the 5:00AM Christmas wakeup call.

REMINDER! If your gift requires assembly, make sure you have all the necessary parts and go ahead and put it together. Don’t forget the batteries.

Finalize the Menu

Figure out every dish you are going to need to make and get your ingredients. Making something early that you can put in the freezer until you need it is always a good idea. If you are looking for something quick and easy for Christmas morning, an overnight breakfast casserole is a favorite.

One Week Out

Live in the moment.

It’s Christmas week and you likely have some time off work and your children are home from school inevitably looking for their gifts. You’ve taken the time to get ahead and be prepared, so enjoy the fruits of your labor.

 
48408489_10212987413942578_2621944557725548544_o.jpeg
 

Christmas Day

Enjoy!

Toss the casserole in the oven, brew the coffee, re-start the Christmas playlist, and take in the look on the faces of your children and family as they enjoy all the work you have put in the last few weeks.

Let’s be real. You’re not going to hit everything on this list and we aren’t either. If you do hit every item on this list, be sure to get ahold of us for next year’s blog post. 😉 The whole purpose of this post is to give you less time stressing and more time enjoying those special holiday moments. Holidays are fleeting and you never get to celebrate the same Christmas twice. Every year, your kids are older, someone gets married, someone has a baby, and things will be different. Simply do your best to make each holiday as special as you can with the people you love!

Want to print this?

If you’re like me and work best with a printed checklist, here you go!

Pin this Image:

 
 

Special thanks to our Friend of the Blog: