I absolutely love the holidays, but boy oh boy can they be stressful!
While I still haven't mastered the perfect, relaxing holiday season I have figured out a few things that work well for me to make things a little easier.
Decorating
We typically decorate our entire house and trees during the first couple of weekends in November.
Mic and I started doing this in 2011 when I was pregnant with Xavier.
I was due December 3rd, but I had no idea if he would come early or late so we wanted to be prepared.
And it was wonderful!
We were able to enjoy our trees, the twinkling lights, and such for almost 2 months!
We don't ever have anyone over for Thanksgiving so that helps too.
Plus, as a kid I loved having the tree up and house decorated for my December birthday.
Well now, X likes it too!
Shopping
This one honestly depends on how busy our work schedule is.
Some years Mic and I have been able to take a weekend in October and get quite a bit of our shopping done.
In recent years not so much :(
The one time of year I enjoy going to the stores and shopping is at the holidays.
I actually like chaos! lol!
I really enjoy hearing the Christmas music playing, kids visiting and having their picture taken with Santa, all the stores have trees decorated.
It is just magical!
But over the last couple of years we have ordered more things online.
That really is a lifesaver when you can't get away from work (or your child).
I do ask all of the people I am giving gifts to for ideas, but I also keep a running list in my phone or my planner to help out.
Mic and I started doing this in 2011 when I was pregnant with Xavier.
I was due December 3rd, but I had no idea if he would come early or late so we wanted to be prepared.
And it was wonderful!
We were able to enjoy our trees, the twinkling lights, and such for almost 2 months!
We don't ever have anyone over for Thanksgiving so that helps too.
Plus, as a kid I loved having the tree up and house decorated for my December birthday.
Well now, X likes it too!
Shopping
Some years Mic and I have been able to take a weekend in October and get quite a bit of our shopping done.
In recent years not so much :(
The one time of year I enjoy going to the stores and shopping is at the holidays.
I actually like chaos! lol!
I really enjoy hearing the Christmas music playing, kids visiting and having their picture taken with Santa, all the stores have trees decorated.
It is just magical!
But over the last couple of years we have ordered more things online.
That really is a lifesaver when you can't get away from work (or your child).
I do ask all of the people I am giving gifts to for ideas, but I also keep a running list in my phone or my planner to help out.
Time spent with family and friends
The hardest part of the holidays for me is figuring out when we are going where!
I am a sucker for tradition.
Specifically, my traditions.
Add in the fact that my family lives about an hour and half away, and my parents are divorced.
And that Mic is an only child.
Oh, and ever since X was born Mic wants us to wake up in our own home on Christmas morning.
Every year I want to cry when it gets close.
At the end of the day we end up doing almost the same thing every year since X was born.
Depending on what days Christmas Eve/Christmas Day fall we do the following...
This year we will spend Saturday the 23rd with my mom and step dad for late lunch/dinner,
spend the night at my dad's house and then celebrate Christmas on the 24th and have breakfast/lunch,
drive home and go to church,
wake up Christmas morning in our house,
head to my in-laws house for a late lunch/dinner.
If have the day after Christmas off instead of days before we flip flop the days we head north.
Thankfully getting together with friends around the holidays is a little easier, but we still have to schedule around multiple birthdays and such.
How do you prepare for the holidays?
Any tips for me on making it less stressful?
The hardest part of the holidays for me is figuring out when we are going where!
I am a sucker for tradition.
Specifically, my traditions.
Add in the fact that my family lives about an hour and half away, and my parents are divorced.
And that Mic is an only child.
Oh, and ever since X was born Mic wants us to wake up in our own home on Christmas morning.
Every year I want to cry when it gets close.
At the end of the day we end up doing almost the same thing every year since X was born.
Depending on what days Christmas Eve/Christmas Day fall we do the following...
This year we will spend Saturday the 23rd with my mom and step dad for late lunch/dinner,
spend the night at my dad's house and then celebrate Christmas on the 24th and have breakfast/lunch,
drive home and go to church,
wake up Christmas morning in our house,
If have the day after Christmas off instead of days before we flip flop the days we head north.
Thankfully getting together with friends around the holidays is a little easier, but we still have to schedule around multiple birthdays and such.
How do you prepare for the holidays?
Any tips for me on making it less stressful?
No comments:
Post a Comment