Let’s Start Christmas!

It’s almost that time of year again—Christmas!! There’s no secret that it’s my very favorite holiday and I start thinking about it and making plans pretty early on. Of course, that doesn’t mean those plans don’t fall through or I don’t forget something. Also, there is always some level of shopping that goes on last minute. That generally falls under the “forgot something” category!!

Starting early may not be for you and that’s perfectly okay!! There are lots of people who do everything just before Christmas and still manage to have it done. But just in case you are more like me and can’t quite go at that pace, this is the perfect time to start Christmas.

Now is the point where we ask ourselves how to get started. I have a couple of recommendations that I think will help you out!

How To “Start” Christmas:

1. Make your lists and check them twice! Seriously, make lists. For. Everything. Some examples of lists to make are Menu ideas, grocery list, gift list (with sizes), stocking stuffers, parties/events, décor ideas, bucket list, and to-do lists. There are many more lists you can make, but it’s easiest to just start broad and narrow it down as you go. And if you need some inspiration, check out these free Christmas List printables!
2. Decide when you want to start decorating and what you will be doing. Minimalists may not need as much time for this and can easily put up a tree in an afternoon. However, I’m not a minimalist. This takes me a solid month!! I enjoy it though, so it’s not a chore. What you want to decorate and how long it will take you is definitely personal preference. Please don’t exhaust yourself trying to put up massive decorations if you don’t love it. That just defeats the whole purpose!
3. Get deep cleaning and home improvement projects out of the way now! A lot of you will be hosting Thanksgiving celebrations in your homes as well, so it’s just easier to have all that mess over and done before the family starts rolling in.
4. Start looking for gifts. It would be awesome if we could get our shopping finished early, but that’s not always possible. For a lot of us, it’s a matter of money and time. For me personally, I fluctuate between being really prepared and/or last-minute shopping on December 23^rd. Don’t stress out about it but go ahead and get some ideas—even if you can’t buy them yet! And if you do buy gifts, wrap them as you get them. I’ve started doing that more and more and it makes a huge difference for someone like me who likes everything about Christmas except wrapping presents!!
5. Get yourself in the mood. Listen to some Christmas music. Scroll through Pinterest for the perfect Christmas decorations. Eat something peppermint-y. Whatever it takes to get you in that ol’ Christmas Spirit!

These are just a few ideas, but hopefully, they will help you “start” your Christmas season. There will definitely be more to come, so keep an eye out for new recipes, crafts, gift ideas, printables, and a Christmas Home Tour. In the meantime, check out How To Make Christmas More Magical and My Best Tips & Tricks for Christmas Holiday Prep!