5 Tips to Strategically Simplify Your Holiday Season!

Do you tend to get a wee bit frantic as November and December arrive each year?

Marcia Ramsland wants to help you UPGRADE your holidays and relieve some stress with some positive strategies.

“If you do anything more than once in life, organize it and simplify it," Marcia wrote in Simplify Your Holiday Season. "That’s especially true for the holidays that come year after year like clockwork.“   

Two years ago, I finally understood what Marcia meant as I felt the weeks snowballing toward Christmas. Last year, I took her wise advice.

She continues ...

There is one date that signals we’re only 8 weeks away Christmas every year – November 1^st! Knowing that, you can be ready and sail through the holidays by planning well.

Here are Five Tips to Get Ready Early and make it the peaceful Thanksgiving and Christmas season you’ve always dreamed of.

1. Mark Your Holiday Dates for November and December. 

Thanksgiving is “late” this year on November 28, which means Christmas is only 3 ½ weeks after Thanksgiving. It might seem that Christmas comes early this year. It will! That’s why we have to accelerate things before Thanksgiving.

2. Write A Master Gift List.

List the names of people that you are planning to give gifts to. Better yet, find your list from last year and follow that same order early in November.

Can’t find last year’s list? Download a 2013 Free Master Gift List and Holiday Calendar.

3. Organize Your Gift Wrap Center.

Right now you don’t have to wrap any gifts. Just organize these seven items in an under-the-bed box or drawer: holiday wrapping paper, gift bags, gift tags, fresh tissue paper, bows & ribbons, scotch tape, and a dedicated pen. Get it organized and ready to use.

4. Plan Ahead by Writing Things Down

Mark your calendar with family coming to town, favorite concerts, kids' school vacation dates and business vacation days. This forms the structure for your holiday season.

5. Sort Your Holiday Decorations Early

The best weekend to put up Christmas decorations this year will be Thanksgiving weekend, but not turning on lights until December 1. That way you can enjoy them for five weeks before taking them down on New Year’s weekend.

Donate what you don’t use early in December. Why?

• Someone else can enjoy your excess decorations this Christmas.
• Charities won't take them after Christmas because they don't have room to store them for 11 months.

Free up space by donating this year!

Planning is powerful! And with a good plan and your eye on the calendar, you can simplify your holiday season. Instead of playing “catch-up” and feeling stressed, you will experience freedom and calm.

And this year, you can say like the angelic heavenly host who praised God appeared to the shepherds and said, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests” (Luke 2:13-14).

Dear God, today as I work on preparing my heart and home for Christmas, may I reflect on the events of the first Christmas and find strength in knowing you have a special plan for my holidays this year.” Amen.

What do you do to start planning for the holiday season?

Marcia Ramsland, the author of two holiday books: Simplify Your Holiday Season: Turn Seasonal Stress into Holiday Success and Simply December Devotions, was a recent spokesperson for Sam’s Club Holiday Entertaining.

Download a free 2013 Holiday Calendar and Master Gift List at OrganizingPro.com.