Christmas is one of the most wonderful times of the year. It is meant to be one filled with family gatherings, time spent together, and most importantly, remembering the true meaning of the season. But often times Christmas can be an overwhelming season for many of us. It’s not that we don’t try! But our calendars are overflowing, our houses are busting at the seems, and our budgets are just a bit too small for our Christmas lists this year. No wonder we are all stressed when all we want is to simplify Christmas.
Unfortunately, the reality is that WE are the only ones who can simplify our Christmas season. By planning ahead NOW, we can make December less stressful and more enjoyable for everyone in our family.
How to Simplify Christmas
There are a few things I like to do in November to make December less overwhelming and more enjoyable. I much prefer to slow down and savor this season rather than rush through feeling overwhelmed and stressed. How about you?!
If you’re anything like me, try these tips to help you plan ahead for a slow, wonderful, and magical Christmas season.
1. Declutter NOW!
Adding more to an already cluttered home can make the idea of receiving gifts even more stressful. It doesn’t take as long as we often think it will to do a little strategic decluttering.
If you have kids, you will likely know at least some of the gifts they will be receiving. Plan ahead and create open spaces where their toys are stored. Get your kids involved with decluttering! Take any toys they no longer play with to a homeless shelter or find another donation center in your community where toys are accepted for children who wouldn’t otherwise receive any.
Similar:Clearing Out Toy Clutter Before Christmas
2. Discuss Gifts
Gifts can be a very stressful part of Christmas. Feeling like you have to buy for everyone or having a smaller budget can make gift-giving overwhelming.
Keep the lines of communication open with family and friends. Opt out of gift exchanges where you can. Instead of buying for everyone in your family, bring up the idea of a “secret Santa exchange” where everyone draws a name and only buys a gift for one person. Don’t feel bad about giving gift cards. They can be a wonderful gift to both give and receive!
Set limits on spending and stay within the budget you’ve already planned. If you haven’t set a budget yet, now is the time to do so. Don’t feel like you have to spend more than your budget allows.
Similar: 5 Ways to Save for Christmas on a Tight Budget
3. Schedule Events
If you’re anything like me, your December calendar can become full very quickly! It can turn what should be a joyous season into an overwhelming experience to say the least. While we will all have some obligations this season and some things we really want to do, now is the time to start scheduling your calendar for slower life experiences.
I like to add “night at home” to my calendar at least once a week. We can easily tell others we already have plans that night. No parties, no concerts, no Christmas parades. The evening is treasured because it’s a family night at home. Whether we watch a Christmas movie and drink hot chocolate or play board games as a family, it doesn’t matter. We are at home eating dinner around the table and spending time as a family.
We also try to only say YES to the really important stuff. If it’s not something we are excited about (or our kids are excited about), then it doesn’t need to take up space on our calendar. We only pick our favorites and then leave the rest. I feel like this could be my life mantra…”pick your favorites and leave the rest!” 😉
4. Start Making Lists
I’m a list lover at heart. Lists are a great way for me to get everything out of my brain and onto paper. And the Christmas season is a perfect time to utilize your lists. There are tons of options for Christmas planners, binders, organizers, etc. However, I’m a little old-fashioned and prefer a simple notebook and pen.
This year I actually grabbed a small notebook from The Dollar Tree. I taped two cheap envelopes inside. One is for cash we can use to buy Christmas gifts and the other is where I store all of the receipts from any gifts I buy. I’ve begun making lists inside for our Christmas budget, activities we plan to do with our kids, movies we want to watch, Christmas treats we plan to fix, and gifts we plan to buy. This allows me to mark things off as I go.
Similar: 3 Budget-Friendly Tips to Stay Organized This Christmas
Planning ahead in this way always gives me so much peace of mind come December 1st. I know what we plan to do, what needs to get done when, and how much we have spent or plan to spend. While December is still a very full month in our household, we have given ourselves permission to slow down and savor this season with our family. I hope you can do the same this year.
Love this! It reminds me of what Dave Ramsey says about budgeting for Christmas—we shouldn’t be surprised by it because it comes every year, so plan ahead!
YES, exactly! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Yes to all of this!! I really appreciate your point of view! Yes a clean house is nice, yes we can prepare and declutter. Yes it’s ok if everything doesn’t get checked off the list because spending time with family is THE most important thing!
YES, yes, yes! So glad my point of view came across in this post! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
My family found it overwhelming once the number of family members at Christmas increased to almost 30. So, I agree with the Secret Santa gift exchange, or even doing a White Elephant gift swap can be fun and cost-effective. Great suggestions for planning ahead. I hope you have a great holiday season this year!
What a great idea! Yes, 30 people would be a LOT to buy for! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, Laura.