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Plan Ahead
Plan ahead this holiday season and start thinking ahead on the things you need this year and the things you forgot about the previous year. There’s nothing worse than forgetting something the day of and needing to run to the store because it's likely that 1. stores are closed and 2. stores run out of things, so plan ahead. I love our Thanksgiving and Christmas Forever Planners for helping plan for the holidays because they have to-do lists, recipes, holiday planning, guest lists, and so much more. They make it a lot more organized than having random pieces of paper everywhere.
Shop Early
Growing up I use to think it was weird to hear people say that they were holiday shopping throughout the year, but this is genius! Yes, there are AMAZING sales that go on around the holidays, but sales are year-round for a lot of businesses and there’s a smaller chance of something being out of stock versus waiting until Black Friday or Cyber Monday. I’m all about saving money where I can so if there’s a good sale for something you already planned on getting anyways…just do it! That way you get your Christmas shopping out of the way and can worry about other things during the season.
Make A Plan
I’m a planner, so this one may be easier for some than others but create a plan. Write down what you need and what stores you want to shop at. That way you go bam, bam, bam to each store and you’re finished before you know it! Just be careful ESPECIALLY during the holidays for people who may be waiting for their chance to become the Grinch and take your purchases. Stay aware of your surroundings and just have fun! That’s what the holidays are all about, FUN!
Cook In Advance
I don’t mean this as cook a bunch of food months in advance and freeze it but cook something 2-3 days before Thanksgiving/Christmas that you know will stay fresh for at least a little over a week and forget about it until it's time to eat! It's very similar to meal prepping, but with yummy holiday food. This also eliminates the need to keep going back to the store because you forgot something and again the last thing you want is for the store to be out of something you really need! When I use to work in retail, we’d get customers coming in looking for milk or cheese just to be let down because we were all out or just didn’t sell what they were looking for.
Write Everything Down
I can’t stress this enough. Have ONE dedicated place for all of your holiday recipes, décor, gifts, etc. because you want to enjoy your family and friends during the holidays and not rushing to and from a store to purchase milk for grandma’s mac and cheese (haha!) Also, it’s a known fact that if you write something down in color you’re more likely to remember.
Start Browsing For Gifts Throughout The Year
I mentioned to shop early, but this is more for YOU getting gifts rather than giving them. I like to browse for things that I may want for a special occasion or the holidays and make my list that way! Not only that, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked to write a list of things I’d like as a gift just to draw a blank face because you don’t know what you want unless you know what’s out there. So, start early and be proactive because nobody wants socks for Christmas every year!