How to Get Through the Holidays Without Losing the Holiday Spirit!
The holiday season is here and there are a million things to do! It’s easy to let the seeming endless to-dos get you out of the holiday spirit. Don’t get down and lose that holiday spirit. We’ve got some tips to help you to have a Merry Holiday season!
Make a list and really check it twice.
Think about all you have to do when planning for the holidays. Make a list and really check it. Instead of trying to do everything all at one time, do a little everyday. Prepare a little at a time and it will reduce the stress. Cross off each finished to-do item. Pretty soon everything will be marked off.
Be creative this holiday season.
Start at Thanksgiving by decorating your table with the colors of fall then swap it out at Christmas with red and green. It doesn’t have to break the bank. Use what you have and shop the dollar stores for the extras you need.
In the living room, string up some garland. Add some Christmas tree ornaments and hang your Christmas cards on it. Decorate the living room with bowls of pine cones that you picked up on your walk through the woods. Make a door hanger out of small pine boughs.
Set up small entertaining areas in your house.
It can get overwhelming if everyone comes in the kitchen to get appetizers and drinks while you are trying to prepare the meal. Set up small areas with food and drinks outside of the kitchen area. Keep the appetizers simple. Don’t add to your stress by trying to make a complicated recipe. Create beautiful cheese and meat platters that your guests can serve themselves from. Set up a drink area where your guests can get their own drinks.
Make it easy on yourself and enjoy the day with your friends and family.
You’ve put a lot of planning into the big meal. You don’t want to miss out on visiting with family and friends by having to do a lot of clean-up. Think about what you are going to use to serve your meal on. Have the dishwasher empty and ready to load if you are using your plates and glasses. If you pull out the good china, check to make sure it is “dishwasher safe” before washing it up in the dishwasher.
Think about using disposable tableware. You can find a variety of different options that will fit your tablescape. There are brands of disposable tableware that are no longer flimsy and break the first time you use them. This is what we do at our house. This way all we have to do it throw it away during clean-up.
Have a couple of extra extra garbage cans on hand with empty garbage bags already in them. This way all you have to do is throw the trash in it. Depending on the amount of clean-up, sometimes we even skip the garbage can and use only the bag to take around the house picking up gift wrapping paper, empty cups and plates, and to clear off the disposable plates from the table.
Make the clean-up easy for you. You’ve worked hard to make the holidays extra special! Take the time to enjoy it!
We hope these tips will help take away some of the stress of planning for the holidays and help you have a Merry Holiday season. Which tip do you think will help you most? We’d love to hear from you. Leave us a comment and let us know.
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