I believe the best way to avoid holiday stress is by starting your planning now. It doesn’t need to be complicated, either. This is the first week devoted to putting your thoughts and details down on the various forms provided or make your own. Details follow.
Week #1: Items to Do (excerpted from the 12 Week Holiday Planner for Christian Families.
Holiday Self-Evaluation! Complete the Holiday Self-Evaluation form
provided. Now is the time to really evaluate what your family’s goals are for
the holidays. Sit down together as a family and discuss what the Lord
would want your family to do as far as activities, traditions, etc. this holiday season. Keep this form in a place where you will frequently see it and be reminded of your goals for the holiday season.
Make your lists of gift recipients – Using the Christmas Gift Shopping
List and Gift Making Checklist provided, jot down people you will want to
buy gifts for and/or make gifts for. Don’t worry about specific gift ideas
now…you will work on that next week. For now, just jot down names!
Once completed, file this list in your Christmas Gifts Checklists section
in the back.
Christmas Card List– Using the Christmas Card Checklist provided, fill
in the names and addresses of family and friends you want to send cards to.
Once the names and addresses are completed, slide into a sheet protector
and file in the Christmas Card Checklists section in the back. (Use a
washable marker to fill out the checklist, marking on the sheet protector if
you want to include a picture and when the card is mailed, so that you can
wash off and reuse this list year after year!)
Plan out menus for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s – Fill out
the Menu forms and Recipe Cards provided for each of these holidays and
file them in the Holiday Menus & Recipes section for later use! (See Our
Favorite Holiday Recipes section for some ideas!)
List of baked goodies to share or to give away – Using the form provided,
jot down a list of people you would like to bake for this holiday season! Use
the Holiday Baking Recipe Cards to fill in recipes you may want to use for
these gifts. File this under the Holiday Baking & Recipes section when
your list is completed. (See Our Favorite Holiday Recipes section for some ideas!)
List of favorite meals to freeze for later – Using the form provided, make a
list of some of your family’s favorite meals that you can make and freeze
ahead of time! You can also use the Freezer Meal Recipe Cards to fill in
some recipes you want to use. Having some meals in the freezer during the
busy holiday season will be such a blessing! Just make a list for now, the
actual preparation of these meals will be done later. Once you have
compiled a list of meals, file this form under the Holiday Menus & Recipes
section. (See Our Favorite Holiday Recipes section for some ideas!)
Holiday Wardrobe Planner – Using the form provided, make a list of the
holiday clothes each family member currently has. Note any clothing items
that need to be purchased and plan on getting those things soon. It is very
handy to have this thought through ahead of time. When it comes time for
your family picture, or a formal holiday dinner, you can quickly turn to this
list and see what clothing items each family member should wear (so you
can all match if you wish!). Print out more than one page of this planner, if
needed, to include every family member.
You can download the entire 14 – page Holiday Planner Sampler for FREE.
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