She’s Making a List, Checking it Twice…

Are you tired of running around, feeling like you don’t know if you’re coming or going during the Holidays? Christmas is so full of activities and it can get overwhelming trying to get everything done on time. Plan ahead to save yourself the hassle this year, here’s a Christmas checklist to help keep you on track:

- Set a budget. Know exactly how much money you can spend and stick to your budget. Don’t spend one penny more. Once you have a budget in place, you will know exactly how to plan for your spending. If money is tight this can reduce a lot of stress.

- Decorate your home. If your family likes to decorate both indoor and out, plan a day and have everyone in the family pitch in to decorate.

- Find a bargain. Don’t wait until the last minute to do your gift shopping. Get started early. Watch your newspaper and television for special sales.

- Plan the meal. Be prepared for your family dinner by planning every dish. If you are going to request that every family member bring something to the dinner, make those phone calls early in December.

- Mail packages. If you have family out of town that you won’t be able to visit, be sure to mail their packages in late November to early December. It’s best to mail them as early as possible, to ensure they will receive them before Christmas. The post office can also be a nightmare close to Christmas so be warned and go early!

- Do Your Baking Early. Cook and bake whatever food items you can early in the month. Some pies, candies and casseroles can be prepared ahead and frozen. Then all you have to do is defrost and warm it up for dinner.

The most important thing you can do to be prepared is to create your own Christmas checklist. Some list ideas you might need are:

* Christmas gifts (don’t forget friends, bosses and teachers!)
* Menus
* Holiday errands
* Christmas card list
* Guest list for Christmas dinner

Make your list and check things off as you go along, this will give you a great sense of accomplishment and will help keep you on track, it’s much too easy to forget things during the holidays.