One of the best ways to get the holidays off to a good start is by envisioning what a successful holiday would look like to you and your family. Maybe that means taking a family ski trip, hosting an annual party or simply staying home to enjoy the holiday with family and friends. By working together to discuss traditions and expectations as well as eliminating any unnecessary extras, you can streamline and simplify the rush of the season. Here are a few tips:
- While it can be difficult to get and stay organized when you’ve got kids in your household, the effort to do so will result in less stress and headaches, especially around the holidays. Make use of all the fantastic free printables that can be found online to help you to stay focused on your holiday priorities and deadlines.
- Compile a complete gift list so no one gets left out. Homemade gifts are always a personal and tangible way to show that you care. Online shopping, meanwhile, can be a huge time saver, and there are often sales, coupons, and free shipping codes that can be found while shopping online.
- Once you have started to purchase your gifts, start wrapping right away. Gather scissors, tape, gift labels, ribbon, markers or pens and wrapping paper and store them together in a basket before you even start your shopping. That way you won’t need to search the house for all your tools once you are ready to wrap.
- You may be planning for visiting guests during the holiday season, which mean you’ll need to prepare your home to welcome them. We love this fantastic guide for getting your home ready for holiday guests. Whether you prefer to do a little bit of cleaning and straightening each day or would rather dedicate one weekend to getting it all done, this checklist will help you leave a good impression on your guests.
- The most important thing about hosting a holiday party is spending quality time with your friends and loved ones. Keep everything else simple. Here are some ideas for planning the food, games and decorations for your next Yuletide soirée. While people may be impressed with the hors d’oeuvres and the party decor, they’ll most appreciate the good times and the laughter. Place minimal stress on yourself so you’ll be relaxed and ready for your guests arrive.
When you’re planning for the holidays, the last thing you need is to worry about paying for extraneous expenses like an unexpected breakdown of an appliance or home system. Don’t let expensive repairs sink your holiday budget. Keep your plans with a Home Warranty from American Home Shield.
Happy holidays!
