The major holidays of November and December happen every year, are marked on every calendar and overly promoted months in advance. So, how do they always seem to “sneak up” on us? From decking the halls, to family traditions and joyous gift giving, the holidays can be a wonderful time of the year. And being organized can help keep you sane and embrace the season of festivities instead of stressing over them.
‘Tis the season to decorate! Reuse seasonal décor that can either serve multiple purposes or require minimal storage space. As Halloween passes, our pumpkins and gourds (both real and décor) remain on display for Thanksgiving.
To keep the outside festive until the snow flies, you can plant hardy mums in whites and burgundies. Infuse your space with seasonal greens (if you don’t have allergies) with a live tree and garlands — resulting in fewer decorations to put away — and they smell wonderful.
Decorate these greens with items that have wonderful memories and that you treasure.As we head into the New Year, I leave up white trees and greenery, along with the white lights, creating a nice backdrop for the winter’s dark nights.
Take stock
With holiday meals soon to simmer, make room in the fridge for the leftovers. Clean out old condiments and stock the pantry with staples like our for gravy, cans of soups for casseroles, stock and broth, and sugar and butter for cookies and other holiday yummies. Find and clean the beloved cookie cutters. Also, inventory your games and gather the warm sofa blankets.
Family traditions
We have a few but one that we share in common with many is making holiday cookies from a loved one’s recipe. But, who has time to make the cookie dough, roll, cut, bake, and then decorate?
To simplify things, I make the dough in advance and freeze it. I then defrost it in the morning and then, after school or on a weekend, we enjoy the fun part — cutting out, decorating, and eating them! We make extras for holiday party plates and gifts.
Gift giving
Unless you know the person well and know they have a special object on their wish list, opt for consumable gifts you make or buy. It’s a nice thought that won’t permanently add to someone’s household inventory.
Events (tickets to an upcoming show) and outings (gift certificates to support a day trip) are very thoughtful. Keep it simple for kids (a book or gift certificate) and make your gift requests known early.
One in, one old thing out
For every gift you get, donate something you have already (preferably a similar object to the one you received). It’s a simple way to stay on top of the new stuff that might be coming into your home this year and makes any future decluttering sessions just a little bit easier.
Starting early and staying focused will help your holidays and give yourself (and your family) a more joyful and meaningful experience.