Is it too early to start thinking about Christmas?
It’s not if you hope to have a smooth December and enjoy a stress-free Christmas season. That can be tough to do if you’re not organized.
Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy. A time for us to reflect on our Savior who came as a baby in a manger and soon took upon Himself the sins of the world.
Instead, we get caught up in all the “stuff” of Christmas: the lights, the decorations, the shopping. And in a world of Facebook, Pinterest, and HGTV, the expectation to transform our homes into a Christmas wonderland can feel overwhelming.
Is it any wonder we put off decorating and shopping until the last minute? The trouble is, procrastination only puts us under more pressure as Christmas Day approaches. That’s why we’ll be discussing how to get ahead of the curve on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Getting Organized for Christmas,” with popular guest Kathi Lipp.
Kathi offers four easy steps to kick off the Christmas season in the right way:
- Find out what’s important to your family. Sometimes we commit to long-held traditions that no longer have meaning to our kids or to other family members. Save your energy and resources for activities everyone will enjoy.
- Figure out what’s important to you. Maybe there’s a Christmas Eve service at church you’d like to attend. Maybe it’s driving around to look at Christmas lights with your kids along with some hot chocolate. Or maybe cooking a special meal or dessert really means a lot to you.
- Gather your Christmas stash. Most of us have wrapping paper and bows that we’ve accumulated through the years. You forget what you have, so gather it all together and take an inventory. It’s a simple step that’ll save you money and time because you won’t buy extra things or get stuck hustling from store to store to find it.
- Make a list of how other people can help you. Ask your spouse to do the Christmas lights. If your children are old enough, assign them to prepare food items for the holiday meal. Tell other people who come for dinner how they can be helpful when they ask, “What can I bring?” Don’t say, “Oh, nothing.” You’re setting yourself up for needless stress.
That’s just the tip of the holiday ivy. You’ll hear even more great ideas that are simple and effective and that will help this truly become “the most wonderful time of the year.”
Join us for “Getting Organized for Christmas” on your local radio station, online, on Apple Podcasts, via Google Podcasts, or take us with you on our free phone app. We’ll help you find more time with your family and with the One the holiday is meant to honor.
After all, that’s what the season is really all about.
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