Is it too early to start thinking about Christmas?
Well, it’s not if you hope to get yourself organized, so you can have a smooth December and enjoy a stress-free Christmas season.
A lot of you can relate. Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy, a time when we 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 we may feel to transform our homes into a Christmas wonderland can be overwhelming.
Is it any wonder many of us put off decorating and shopping until the last minute? Of course, procrastinating only increases the pressure we feel as Christmas Day approaches.
So how do we get ahead of the curve?
That’s what we’ll be discussing on our program today, “Getting Organized for Christmas,” with popular guest, Kathi Lipp.
Her first suggestion is to distinguish between perfection and joy. Don’t get stuck in the trap of portraying your family as picture perfect. The first gift you should give this season is grace to yourself.
The next step is to get yourself organized. That’s naturally easier for some people than it is for others, but Kathi offers four easy steps to kick off the Christmas season in the right way:
First, find out what’s important to your family. Sometimes we’re committed to long-held traditions that really have no meaning to our kids or to other family members anymore. Save your energy and resources for activities everyone will enjoy.
Second, 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.
Third, gather your Christmas stash. Most of us have wrapping paper and bows that we’ve bought throughout the year or have left over from last year. You forget from year to year 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 be hustling from store to store to find it.
Fourth, make a list of how other people can help you. If your spouse loves to do the Christmas lights, put that on the list. If one of your kids decides they want to help cook, then assign them to prepare a couple of food items. If you have people over for dinner, and they ask, “What can I bring?” don’t say, “Oh, nothing.” You’re setting yourself up for needless stress. Let other people help you.
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 you ease the stress from what is supposed to be “the most wonderful time of the year.”
So join us on your local radio station, anytime online, or on the go via our free, downloadable mobile 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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