Listen: 2013 has been a long year. Between attending school and working full time, I don’t remember the last time I slept for more than five hours, and I’m sure a lot of other people feel the same way. Even though I am so ready for a break that I broke out Christmas music and pretended I had no homework to do, I was not ready to run into a Christmas themed coffee display at Starbucks.
Turns out, it’s time to start planning for Thanksgiving dinner (I’ll bring the Jell-o, thank you very much), skimming the ads for the Black Friday, and the last minute scramble for Christmas gifts (I didn’t know what to get my brother, but the only thing left in the store was this 42 pack of women’s razors).
For those of you who know how to get through the holiday season with your dignity intact, props. The rest of us may need a few survival tips.
1. Have your menu planned and buy the food ahead of time.
Get to the store once you know your menu and start stocking up. Make sure you have all your ingredients, and maybe even extra if you have kids (or a man) in the house. The last thing you want to do the day before your big dinner is scramble to the store, only to find empty shelves. Take my advice, because if you've never had to argue over the last ham on Christmas Eve, you may not feel my pain. Thanks mom, I don’t even like ham.
If you aren't sure what you want, these websites have many great ideas:
Thanksgiving:
Christmas:
2. Don’t try to do it all.
It is impossible to keep the house clean, and prepare a holiday dinner. In most cases, grandparents, mothers, and other guests are more than happy to bring something to share. Don’t try to attempt to make everything yourself; it will cause unnecessary stress. If you have the option, ask for help. It makes life go much more smoothly. Unless you are Betty Crocker, in which case- can I come to your house for dinner?
Let Good Housekeeping and HGTV help you de-stress your holiday season.
3. Start shopping early.
Have you started shopping yet? Me neither. It would probably be a good idea, because I’ve got seven siblings and I’d like to avoid Target on Christmas Eve. Most likely, your best plan of action will be to start shopping early, and try to avoid buying every single gift you need in one shopping trip. This will cause a lot of stress and frustration for you, and probably a few tears for your bank account.
Find 15 ways to beat the holiday rush here.
4. Have a plan of attack for Black Friday.
If you have never Black Friday shopped with my aunts, you have not seen precision shopping. Those women are like drill sergeants, and I respect that. I have never been in and out of Target on Black Friday with more efficiency. Stores will be releasing their Black Friday ads soon, so get them out and get ready. Know what you want to buy so that when you get to the store, you can what you’re looking for without too much frustration. Split up as well, and have one person grab a few things and start waiting in line. They grow fast, and no one wants to spend a majority of their shopping trip waiting.
Hint: Don’t volunteer to be the designated line-waiter, though. It is exhausting and boring.
Watch for Black Friday ads here:
5. Don’t overdo it.
You do not need 18 different cookies and six different pies, or four versions of potatoes. No one needs an x-box, the new iphone, and a wardrobe’s worth of new clothes for Christmas. Don’t do it.
Parenting Squad has a few ideas they'd like to share on how to help your holidays run smoothly.
6. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
I know, I know. It’s a cliché saying, but it works. Don’t worry about the little things too much. Every year at Christmas, I am supposed to bring the Jell-O. I don’t know how Jell-O made it on the list and I am horrible in the kitchen, but for the last five years I have either forgotten it completely, or it turned out horribly. (On second thought, maybe I get Jell-O for just that reason.) No matter what happens, the people you’re celebrating with aren’t going to remember that you forgot something and that it didn’t turn out perfectly. Instead of panicking, apologize. Or lie and hope that no one notices what happened.
Notice I said small stuff. If you are in charge of the Thanksgiving turkey, please do not forget it. There may be a small uprising.
If you do happen to have a mishap, read a few of these holiday horror stories and be merry.
7. Don’t wait until the last minute.
I don’t mean just for shopping on this one. Have your menu, and a general idea of how many guests you will be feeding well in advance. Make sure to delegate, and ask for help with notice. Don’t try to shop with absolutely no idea of what gifts you will be buying. I have tried this, and I somehow end up with the majority of my purchases being gifts for myself. Lastly: please, I am begging you; do not wrap your every single gift on Christmas Eve. If you have small children in the house, I understand why it’s put off, but try to start beforehand. I have spent too many Christmas Eve’s locked in a bedroom at my mother’s house wrapping every single thing she bought for my siblings, to have someone else understand this pain.
If you need gift ideas, Gifts.com is a great help. It will let you add in who you need a gift for, an occasion, and even price range. Uncommon Goods is another great place to check.
8. Relax
Seriously. Take a night off when you can. Turn on the TV, watch a movie to get you in the spirit, and go to bed early. Rest and relaxation will help. If you can't do that, go out with your friends or family. Holidays are supposed to fun.
Check out the ABC Family 25 Days of Christmas schedule and find your holiday favorites. Use your Netflix account as well; Rolling Out lists their top 20 holiday movies on Netflix here.
If you want to go out for a fun night, look here for some of the annual Duluth events. You can also check out details for the Christmas City of the North Parade.