In less than a week, it will be Christmas! Last year you were a bit last minute when it came to your Christmas prep so let us try to do things differently, shall we? With less than a week to go, you are bordering on the “last minute” line so let us make an action plan with Brad Roemer that will cause us less embarrassment and will put both yourself and your guests at ease.
What Will You Need For Christmas Preparations?
The most organized Christmas planners carry a “Christmas notebook” wherever they go. They take note of all of the good ideas found in magazines or on television (they spend countless of hours on Pinterest and Instagram), recipes, to-do shopping lists, and have a lot of tasks to remember. Why not use this approach? How about making specific lists for all your tasks, your parties, the purchases that you need to make and more? You can make lists on paper or directly on your phone (you can even share them with your entourage!). Store them all in one place so you do not lose them!
In fact, the first step in this holiday planning is to find the tool that will help you get organized! Thus, you will not forget anything and will not feel overwhelmed at any point and time.
Purchase Your Christmas Gifts In Advance!
It is said everywhere: we must start our shopping early. But as the tale of the hare and the turtle reminds us, “There is no point in running, you have to start at the right time”. You must, therefore, know what the ultimate goal actually is before know how to attain that goal. Once you have created a menu for yourself and guests then you can go into the details as to what will be required for the meals. Take note of who you want to give a gift to whiles budgeting for each person. Find suggestions from friends or family or even through online reviews whiles targeting the shops that you will be visiting. It will definitely give you a better idea as to what to look for when shopping. In the event that you do not like Christmas shopping due to the hassle, then you can do it online. Note however that if you do place an order at this time online you will not receive a response until way after new years. Shopping online is a very easy process as the supplier will bring the product right to your doorstep. No need to go through the hassle of searching for that gift and waiting in long lineups; everything gets delivered to you directly.
Double Check The Decorations Within Your Home
When you are ready to hosts your guests to make sure that all of your decors inside and outside of your home is on point. It can be a bit frustrating to notice that the lights in your Christmas tree or the lights around your windows are not working very well when you know that it could have easily been avoided by simply checking beforehand. Perform some basic tests on all of the lights around the house and the connections to make sure that they will last during your evening.
Choosing Your Holiday Menu
Finally; about the menu. This is probably one of the biggest sources of stress caused to those in the kitchen during the holiday period. You want everything to be perfect, you want to please everyone, you try to satisfy all expectations (yours and those of others) and all this could even lead you to sleepless nights! Look at the situation with realism; do not supersede your general expectations. What is absolutely necessary? What can be delegated? How can you reach a compromise?
Stock Up On Your Christmas Supplies
There are plenty of items that you can buy in advance. You can also organize a day of cooking and freeze everything that is freezable. Try to purchase everything in advance to avoid the last minute corner store shopping that will increase your bill instantaneously. Do not forget to pack napkins, paper towels, toilet papers, foil, etc. The sooner you start these purchases, the more you will save (you will have time to enjoy good sales!)! In addition, you will not end up with a salty bill in mid-December!
These steps would be the nitty-gritty of the tasks to accomplish for a successful Christmas dinner. Do not forget that you also have to fill out your Christmas cards and wrap your Christmas gifts as well. when following these steps by Brad you will get the successful evening that you desire!