Happy December! Since we had fun doing Thanksgiving tips for the month of November, I thought holiday tips for the month of December would be appropriate. I normally would have a lovely graphic for you at the beginning but could not find one that appealed to me and I needed to get this post up. I would love to be able to make my own graphics, banners, signs, and so on, if you have any suggestions for programs I am all ears. Everything I do, I do on a Mac, so the program would need to run on my Apple products. Moving along!

You should not be surprised that my first holiday tip to you is to plan out what you need to do and make a list! Or if you’re like me, several lists. If you are purchasing gifts for a lot of people, creating a list with all of their names and jotting down some ideas beside each one for gifts saves a lot of time when out shopping or even searching online. If the people you need to purchase for cover different areas, for example:

• Immediate family
• The In-Laws
• Co-workers
• School (perhaps you teach, or are in school)
• Neighbors
• Church (or your place of worship)

It is easier to divide everyone up by a group and then create a list for each group. Yes this can make for a lot of lists but having everything organized and mapped out can help shopping, planning, and entertaining run a lot smoother. For example, if you already know that your co-workers will be receiving baked goods, you can plot that next to their names and then set aside time in your Google Calendar (or calendar of choice) for baking, packaging up the goodies, and delivering them.  Because I know you guys already use a calendar program, right?

One thing I always do along with planning out gifts, is menu planning.  The holidays are a huge indulgence time at OHC HQ and special dishes make frequent appearances.  In order for me to fit everything in, I have to plan out meals ahead of time.  This is especially helpful if we are entertaining or are going to a party.  I can plot everything in my calendar, and seeing the plan visually helps me plan a better course of action.

When you complete each item, cross it off your list and move on. Having that sense of accomplishment can help alleviate the stress of the holidays. Sometimes we get so wrapped up and frazzled trying to get everything done, we forget about actually enjoying the holidays and each other.

Save yourself that stress this year and be organized! It will help your sanity and result in you being able to enjoy some holiday cookies yourself! And another tip? Gingerbread cookies go great with red wine. Santa told me.

Happy Holidays from OHC!