How to Build a Christmas To-Do List that Serves You

I know, it’s only September. But did you know that Christmas is only 100 days away? Yikes!

And while the weather is still hotter than blazes out there and we’re all still getting into that back to school groove, time waits for no mom. The days will slip by and before you know it, there will be Christmas carols playing in the shops and the hustle and bustle of the holidays may bowl you over.

Consider this the calm before the storm. Time to be honest with ourselves.

How did last year feel? How do you want to feel this December 31st?

Did you feel calm and collected or were you one holiday stress mess counting the days until you could take the tree down?

Often we lose track of time and find ourselves in the middle of the festivities, scrambling to get together the kids’ clothes, get our people where they need to go, and trying to get dinner on the table.

And there’s a frozen pizza or chicken nuggets. Again.

Somewhere along the line, you heard someone mock early holiday planning or say it’s too early to think about Christmas. But, honestly, that someone was probably a hot mess herself, wrapping gifts in the wee hours of Christmas Eve or rushing out to buy the gift she forgot.

I don’t want to be her, it hurts so bad.

Let’s Do It Differently This Year

There is so much to do at the holidays. Unless you have a list and check it twice, you may find yourself scrambling in the final hour. Scrambling does not promote peace and harmony.

And while Christmas is, indeed, three months away, sometimes it serves us well to plan ahead. A little forethought now could bring you a few steps closer to a more relaxed and enjoyable holiday season.

But, can I encourage you NOT to make a huge Christmas to do list, especially not one that leaves you ragged and exhausted. Instead, let’s plan in a way that gives you back time, saves some cash, and holds boundaries that serve you.

Plan Ahead with the Merry Map

You have a lot to do in a regular day, so adding all the holiday prep into a mere four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas will lead to some overload. Let’s spread out the work instead!

September: Do a holiday audit. 

1. Review last year. What made you smile? What stressed you out?
2. Determine your priorities for this year. Think about what you’d like Christmas Day to feel like and work backward. Build a vision for your celebrations. It’s okay to dream big now because we’re going to build out a fall operating system that makes your dreams happen.
3. Browse your holiday supplies. The displays in Hobby Lobby are tempting, but maybe you already have enough Christmas lights, gift wrapping paper, and christmas tree ornaments. Review what you already have at home so you won’t spend too much on new stuff you don’t need.

October: Get a big picture vision of how you’ll bring these ideas to life.

1. Consult the calendar. Schedules fill up quickly and without a plan, the weeks between October and Christmas will feel like a total blur.
2. Start your lists. Who are you hosting, who are you visiting, who are you shopping for? Start jotting down gift ideas so you can be more aware of pricing and sales.
3. Bust out your Holiday Success Kit. This is a great tool for capturing all your good ideas for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Celebrations. Building it out year after year makes it so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Now is a great time to start tracking what works and what doesn’t.

November: This is when the budget starts to creep. Let’s be mindful of overspending.

1. Do the math. If you haven’t been saving money all year long, you’ll need to get creative. Maybe you skip Christmas cards this year or you borrow Christmas movies instead of buying them. Your family can enjoy a great Christmas on a budget. Check out Budget Holiday Prep for more tips on how to save.
2. Dial down your meal planning and shop the kitchen more. This will help you save some cash and make room for holiday goodies in your pantry and freezer.
3. Shop the sales. Be mindful of overbuying, but this is prime time to snag a good deal. Consult our rules for Black Friday to make sure you’re saving money.

December: Enjoy a restful holiday season; it’s possible!

1. Automate dinner. Either build a solid meal plan rotation or grab one of my Meal Plan Advent Calendars for funzies. You’ll be so glad dinner is simple!
2. Do a little every day. Do not leave holiday stuff to the end. Every time you can bake and freeze some cookies or wrap a gift that just arrived in your Amazon shipment, you are doing your future self a favor.
3. Revisit your priorities daily. The choices you make early on can have a huge impact on your holiday celebrations.

Ready to get your Christmas to-do list going so that you’ll be ahead of the crowds and the chaos? 

👉🏼Click here to download The Merry Map, a free starter timeline checklist.

or just drop your email here:

The Merry Map is free to email subscribers, so check your inbox if you haven’t already!

Now, let’s get our jingle on!