This time of year, everyone is usually running around getting last minute shopping done at the mall, the grocery store and all around. It drives me crazy and most of the time, I find it stressful if I have to run out and get something. So, I have decided to share my top tips to avoid going absolutely crazy this holiday season. Remembering to be mindful and to slowdown and enjoy the holidays. Yes, I am an amazing procrastinator as well and always leave some things to the last minute or completely forget about others.But, the majority of my shopping and baking I have planned out in advance as best as I can.
Plan out Gifts in Advance
For me, in October I usually make a list of all the people I plan on buying gifts for that year. Yes, in October and some years I start in September. I list out who I plan on getting gifts for that year, who is just happy with a tin of my baking, and what I may get other people. It starts the creative juices flowing and gets my brain thinking about ideas. I usually change this list up and don’t have it finalized until November sometime. But at least I have an idea. This helps me to budget how I much I might be spending each year. I always try to do all my shopping in one day. Go out and get everyone their gifts in one big shopping spree. Then it’s done. (My secret is always Homesense, ssshhh.)
Plan out Baking in Advance
Same thing. However, this year proved a bit of a challenge for me. I have to bring in baking for our work event and one of our team members is vegan. So, this means I have to change up my recipes and get some vegan options in there. Also, we are hosting a family get together this year and there are 2 people with nut allergies. So, that means I might as well just do nut free, vegan baking this year. Challenge accepted.
Have a Gift Wrapping Day
I always plan my day to wrap all of my gifts. It’s the easiest way to do things especially since let’s be honest, it might take a little bit. So, pop on some Christmas music or a Christmas movie and get cracking. Some years, I leave all of this to the last minute and end up stuffing everything in bags. That’s fine too and totally works, but sometimes you have time where you can wrap or maybe you are really good at wrapping and prefer it that way. Personally, I hate wrapping and am terrible at it. I always rip the paper at that very last fold so it messes everything up and you have to start all over again. Hence, why it takes me a good portion of the afternoon to get it all done. Plus, I am also a perfectionist so it takes me way too long per gift.
Take Time to Enjoy the Holidays
Everything doesn’t need to be perfect. So what if you only have time to get a gift card for someone, or you are late to that holiday party. It’s okay. I think we get caught up in the fact that once December 1st comes, we wont have enough time to get everything done. Get the tree up, shopping, baking, holiday parties, wrap gifts, see family, open gifts, rush, rush, rush. It’s too much for me and I will forever refuse to be a part of it. I explained in my Christmas Spirit post why I put my tree up early. This is why. People go crazy at Christmas running around and IT IS NOT WORTH IT. Not worth the stress, or the anxiety. I have enough of that in my life throughout the rest of the year. So, slow down. It’s okay.
Honestly, the best way to be stress free around the holidays is to just relax and remember that the holidays aren’t supposed to be stressful, they are just meant to be a time to get together and enjoy each other’s company. Just getting together even if its just for coffee is enough.Be mindful of the simple moments and just seeing that person sometimes is just enough to remind each other that “ Hey, I appreciate you” Making the time for people is the best way of saying I value our friendship. We are all living such busy lives and always seem to get our priorities out of wack. Yes, work is important as it pays your bills, but so is staying sane. It’s important to have a work life balance, which I will talk about in another post, so just remember that December and the holidays are a time to really focus on the work life balance and remember work is temporary but relationships and family are forever and they are what are really going to get you through the tough times at work.
So, that being said, it may seem like a lot, but if you plan out to pick a day once a week starting December 1st, you can have almost everything done by the time Christmas rolls around. I usually choose Sundays, since there isn’t much Christmas festivities going on then, but pair it with my weekly Sunday blog posts and weekly Sunday meal prep, and it gets a little busy. Hence why I wake up at 7 am. So, here we are, a week from Christmas, and I still have to do my baking today, and maybe wrapping next Saturday afternoon.
Plus, tonight we are going to drive around and see the lights and hopefully enjoy the holiday season. I really wanted to get down to the Toronto Christmas Market this year as I have heard so many amazing things, but I just don’t think I will have enough time. Has anyone been?