Even if Christmas comes just once a year, it doesn’t mean you should only prepare for it the day before. As a matter of fact, it’s quite the opposite and there are plenty of things to be done once October comes. No matter if you’re a pre-planner and can’t wait for Christmas to come or you’re not hyped on Christmas, but still want to nail it, there are some tips to keep in mind when planning the most wonderful moment of the year.
From thinking about a budget in October to all the mandatory things you need to do on Christmas Eve, scroll down for some useful things to remember when getting ready for Christmas.
Is it ok to start in October?
Even if in October there is going to be a lot of Halloween decorations pretty much everywhere you’re looking, October is in fact a good time to begin your Christmas preparations.
Here are some things to start in October:
Think about the Christmas décor
You should give a thought about your Christmas decorations. take a look at the latest trends and get some fresh ideas too. Some think that leopard-print is going to be a big hit this year so you should go with it if the Wilderness trend fancies you. Want to go traditional? Nothing says “Christmas” better than some red&green decorations so make sure you know what you’re aiming for this year.
If you’re going with the animal theme, the Kurt Adler 5 Assorted Buri Woodland Animal Fox, Skunk, Raccoon, Squirrel and Porcupine Christmas Ornaments is going to look so lovely in any Christmas tree. The set includes 5 animals (a fox, a skunk, a squirrel, a raccoon and a porcupine) and their straw and rattan design give your Christmas tree a warm and rustic feel. The ornaments are made with natfiber and look so nice.
If you want to go with the classic and traditional vibe this year, the Valery Madelyn 50ct Classic Traditional Shatterproof Christmas Ball Ornaments Decoration Red Green White is going to make a lovely option. The set includes traditional theme Christmas, but with a fun and attractive shapes and patterns that create a lovely and happy feel in any Christmas tree. The flower and leaves patterns look great and the 50 decorative balls are going to help you get creative when decorating.
Make some travel arrangements (if needed)
If you’re thinking about going away for Christmas this year, you should make the required travel arrangements. Take a look at the plain/train tickets until they’re all booked up.
Put together the family plans
Are you going to host the Christmas party this year? If so, even if Christmas is 2 months away, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to create some plans about the Christmas dinner and party.
Start making those lists
Even if we all want to be healthy and safe for Christmas, some nice gifts aren’t going to harm anyone. You should have a chat with your family and write down everyone’s special wishes. Not only that you’re going to be able to know their needs and wants, but you’re also going to be able to make an idea about how much money you’re going to spend this year.
If you have no idea whatsoever, a Christmas gift basket is a great option to keep in mind. For instance, the Christmas Morning Breakfast Gift Basket includes so many tasty and breakfast foods that everyone would like. the foods are professionally shrink wrapped with a nice ribbon so the basket looks impressive and nice too. Wild Maine blueberries, country ham slices, gourmet coffees, some blueberry jam and country ham slices are only some of the goodies that you’re going to find inside the gift basket.
Set the budget
Once you know what everyone wants, if you’re going to go away or you’re going to host, it’s going to be clear how much money you’re about to spend for this Christmas. Don’t try to overdo it.
Does November sound closer?
If you didn’t start any of your planning in October, you’re definitely going to speed up once November comes.
Here are some things that you should address in November:
Start baking
This is the right time to begin your baking. Gingerbread, some un-iced cakes and cookies are definitely easier to bake in November when you’re not swamped with all of your Christmas duties.
If you’re not big on baking, you can definitely buy some Christmas cookies online. The David’s Cookies Happy Holidays Cookies & Brownie Bites Bucket is the perfect chocolaty detail for your Christmas this year. The bucket is loaded with cookies and brownies that aren’t just nice looking, but also taste delicious. They’re made with the freshest ingredients (pure chocolate and pure butter) and the bucket looks nice on any table.
Create a clutter-free home
All those gifts, decorations and items you need to pack/unpack for the winter festive holiday are sure easily going to turn into a big pile of things when you’re not keeping them well organized. You should always make sure for decluttering the most important areas in your home. The 6 months’ rule is essential: if you didn’t use it or paying attention to it in the last 6 months, you don’t actually need it.
Write down and send the Christmas cards
No matter how tempting this may sound, you should never wish your loved ones a Happy Christmas on social media. Make time for some letter writing which still is a lovely surprise for everyone.
Not everyone has the time or the will to create their very own Christmas cards in which case the Woodland Animals Holiday Card Pack – Set of 36 cards are going to come to the rescue.
The set includes 36 holiday cards with 6 different cute animal designs. They have a matte finish and are made in USA. They’re scored for easier folding and come with matching envelopes.
Begin the Christmas shopping
Many people sure take their time until they start shopping for Christmas. After all, we all like a big Black Friday. No matter how busy you may be, don’t forget to make time for Black Friday as you want not to empty your wallet for gifts. Everybody wins this way.
If you’re going to have turkey for the Christmas dinner, it’s not a bad idea to order it to the supplier.
Is it December already?
You’re probably going to start feeling the emotions right about now. You don’t want to be overcome with all of your jobs so it’s better that you make time and plan everything this month.
Decorate the garden and your home
If you’ve decided for a theme back in October, November may be just the right time for actually start the decoration.
A great solution for the outdoors is always the laser light projector. The laser lights aren’t just easy to install or cost effective, but they’re also able to cover an impressive surface and to be controlled with a remote control from the comfort of your home. The Star Shower as Seen on TV Motion Laser Lights Star Projector is quite the popular option out there and it’s not only the affordable price that seals the deal. the laser light projector comes with built-in light daylight sensor so it’s going to turn on at night and off in daylight, automatically. It gives a great show of red and green lights and its installation is a breeze. It comes with stake for outdoor use and flat base for the indoor use.
A classical wreath never goes wrong so you can add to your shopping list the Worcester Wreath 20-Inch Highland Maine Balsam Wreath. The wreath is hand made in USA with the freshest most fragrant Maine Balsam. It comes with a hand-tied bow and looks great on any door.
Wrap the presents
You should make time and wrap the gifts in the first week of December. It’s sure going to clear up your planner later on and it’s definitely going to keep any curious present-hunters at bay.
The Kraft Wrapping Paper Set – 6 Rolls – Multiple Patterns includes 6 different rolls of kraft wrapping paper and the patterns to choose from are really nice. The colors and patterns are the right choice for Christmas presents. Every roll is high-quality kraft stock with color pattern print. Green and kraft antlers, white and kraft chevron, white and kraft damask are only few of the patterns included in the set.
Organize the kitchen
If you’re going to host the Christmas, you’re definitely going to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. You should put everything in place, going over the things you need or cleaning the ones you have. Do you have enough pots and pans? Do you need a new coffee machine?
Christmas is a great time to get some new appliances and you should step up your game in the kitchen with a slow cooker. Even if its popularity speaks volumes, the Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker and Warmer is loaded with good things. It’s the no.1 multi-cooker that actually combines 7 kitchen appliances in just 1. It’s a rice cooker, slow cooker, pressure cooker, yogurt maker, steamer, warmer and sauté all in one, preparing 70% faster your dishes. It includes 14 smart programs to choose from and impresses with its 3rd generation technology. The inner cooking pot is made with healthy and stainless steel and the 3-ply bottom ensures even heat distribution. Its microprocessor is going to monitor temperature pressure, time and adjust the heating intensity and duration so that you get impressive results every time.
Do you have all the plates and cutlery you need?
If you’re going to host a big party this Christmas, you should check to see if you’re not short on plates, knives and everything you may need for serving dinner.
The Lenox Portola Stainless Steel 65-piece Flatware Set may be exactly what you need as the set includes twelve 5-piece place settings and one 5-pieces set for you as the host. Crafted of 18/10 stainless steel, the place setting is both tarnish resistant and dishwasher safe. Each place setting includes a dinner fork, dinner knife, soups spoon and salad fork and teaspoon, whereas the hostess set includes 1 butter serving knife, 1 sugar spoon, 1 cold meat fork, 1 tablespoon and 1 pierced tablespoon.
As for plates, the Gibson Studio Mauna 12 Piece Heavy Weight Melamine Dinnerware, Red are going to look so nice on your Christmas dinner table. The plates are made with heavy-weight melamine and are chip and scratch resistant. They take both the indoor and outdoor use. They’re dishwasher safe, but you may want to take better care of them and hand wash them instead.
Complete your dinner glasses with the Set of 16 Heavy Base Ribbed Durable Drinking Glasses. The set includes 8-17oz highball and 8-13oz DOF glasses. They have a straight-sided profile and feature a long lasting heavy base which is going to reduce the risk for spilling. The glasses are straight-sided from outside and ribbed from inside. They’re dishwasher safe and great for any dinner setting.
Prepare the guest rooms
If you have guests that are going to spend the night, it’s better to make sure that they have everything they need and that they feel comfy in your home overnight.
Here are some things to keep in mind while doing that:
- Change the sheets or make sure that they’re clean and fresh. If you really want to pamper your guests this Christmas, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to get some new sheets and duvet covers.
The Sonoro Kate Bed Sheet Set Super Soft Microfiber 1800 Thread Count Luxury Egyptian Sheets are made with hypoallergenic 1800 Ultra-Soft Double brushed microfiber fabric. They’re woven with great craftsmanship and are designed to stay tight and fitted to the mattress. They come in great colors and have a nice soft touch feel. Machine washable, they’re also resistant to shrinking, fading and wrinkling.
Don’t forget to place some new towels in the guest’s bathroom too. The Pinzon Egyptian Cotton 6-Piece Towel Set is made with blended heavyweight Egyptian Cotton so the towels feel soft and absorb really well. The set includes 2 bath towels, 2 washcloths and 2 hand towels. It comes in many nice colors and you may machine wash it.
- Vacuum and clean the guest room and close the doors when you’re done. Even if it’s a room that isn’t used on a regular basis, it may still gather dust, which renders it really musty. You may add a house plant so that the room feels a lot more welcoming.
- Make sure that your guests have plenty of room in drawers and wardrobe, especially if they’re going to spend more than just one night.
One final piece of advice
As much as we all love Christmas, we all know that all the preparations can get a bit hectic, especially around the big day. Plan meticulously and stick to your plan- chances are you’re not going to feel the pressure that much after all!
RESOURCES
How to Get Ready for Christmas 2018: The Ultimate Checklist
Preparing for Christmas – Tips & Tricks | Cleanipedia
