This time of year, a gal needs a little help to prepare for all the holiday cheer. Incorporate my Stay-Sane-Tips to help your Christmas run smoothly. Join me today for Stay-Mostly-Sane Tips you can’t afford to miss.<Tweet.
When festive turns to frantic, a little organization can save the day. Let’s get organized with our Christmas To-Do List.
The stay-mostly-sane to-do list tip:
This time of year my to-do list gets a little long–like a mile or two…
Use a roll of toilet paper for your list and you’ll have plenty of room to write down all those tasks that need doing.
Here’s my list as of today.
Let me just read you my list so far.
Take Christmas card photo.
Write Christmas cards…late already.
Bake 50 dozen cookies.
Shop for presents. What to get Aunt Gertrude?!
Don’t forget the paper boy this year…
Wrap presents.
Shop for groceries.
Select teacher gifts.
Attend children’s band concert.
Run down the hall to catch the chorus concert.
Sing in the church Christmas program.
Are those Christmas cards out yet?
Plan and attend all the all the kid’s classroom christmas parties–scour Pinterest for the best party ideas.
The Sunday School party.
Attend husband’s work party…do we have to go this year?
The neighborhood party.
Bake 15 dozen more cookies. Slice and bake will do!
Clean the house again.
Go to the grocery again…must they eat every night?
Give donations.
Post office. Wait in long lines. Scratch that and order from Amazon instead.
Oh goodness. It’s enough to drive you right next door to crazy!
And can we talk about the Christmas parties…
Now I love to have fun, but have you noticed that there are fifty thousand, million parties every Christmas? Hello… are there not eleven other months in the year? I’d like to go to a party some other time…like in March when I’ve recuperated from the Christmas frenzy.
What’s wrong with a white elephant exchange in May? What a great way to celebrate graduation… And on that note, can anyone tell me why stealing from your friends and re-gifting has become part of the Christmas party tradition? Just curious. I’m really not sure what any of that has to do with white elephants…
The stay-mostly-sane Christmas party tip:
Limit your family to twelve parties. Ten is too few and fifteen is too many. After all you’ve got to carve out some family time, right?
Now how about Christmas cards?
I’m pretty sure that whoever invented the idea of sending Christmas cards was secretly plotting to push mothers over the edge of reason during this blessed time of year.
First of all, no family Christmas photo is taken without blood, sweat, tears, and a good tantrum or two. Christmas-card-photo-stress is not just for the two year olds.
The stay-mostly-sane Christmas card photo tip:
Your children will never out-grow that Christmas-Card-Photo Rebellion! Just accept it and pay your dues. If you want a good family photo, you’re going to have to earn it the hard way.
The day is never going to come when you mention Christmas card photos and your children jump up and shout, “Yippee!” Nope–it’s not going to happen. It is an unwritten law between parents and children…
Last year my son turned 21 and went missing for two hours when it was time to take our family photo last year. We nearly called in a missing person’s report.
You think I’m kidding…
Two years ago my kids meekly submitted to dressing up, but secretly plotted to take over the photo shoot. I should have known something was up when they wore coordinating colors without being nagged.
Family photos gone bad.
There’s just something not right about a chainsaw in the family Christmas Photo.
What about the pressure to get your cards out before Christmas…as if you don’t already have enough to do.
“Honey, have you sent the Christmas cards yet?”
No, I’m STILL playing Candy Crush…
Another stay-mostly-sane Christmas card tip:
Send Valentine’s Day cards instead.
On the scale of holidays, Valentine’s day could stand to have a little more attention.
You can still send lot’s of heartfelt greetings–after all Valentine’s day is all about love, right? Take your family photo at Christmas–everyone will be already wearing red, and that fits perfectly with Valentine’s day.
I might suggest you don’t take the picture in front of the Christmas tree–a sure giveaway that your Valentine card is really just a late Christmas card. Avoid the Christmas decoration photo bombs and no one will be the wiser.
These are some of my best tips to simplify your life this Christmas. Cause Christmas can make you a little crazy, can’t it? What’s the craziest thing on your to-do list today?
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So glad you're here. I help busy women—gals like you— build healthy habits for living well with biblical wisdom and practical steps to deepen your faith, increase your hope, and thrive in your purpose.
Hi Ginger. Thank you for finding time in all the busy-crazy to stop by my blog today. It’s lovely to meet you and read this lol post! Your humorous take on Christmas planning really lifted my spirits. Now where did I put the sellotape and have those cards been posted yet?? Blessings for peace to reign midst the mayhem. 🙂 x
Yay, I’m thrilled to have given you the gift of laughter today. Such a wonderful privilege. I enjoyed your post today so much!
Ginger,
Your children are so funny and creative 🙂 Whew, your list is really long…you look very cute in your bunny? Christmas ears? headband? Blessings to you 🙂
Thanks, Dolly. Really have been enjoying your posts on the prodigal son! Great stuff. Thanks for stopping by.
LOL – these are some great tips, my friend! Last year – I skipped the cards all together and no one died or complained too loudly! 😉 This year, I actually WANTED to make some – so I am sending out a much smaller stack to a few friends and to people that I actually want to connect with. Most of the rest of the list can connect via social media and already know what we are up to (this eliminating the need for a family letter, too!) We are neighbors over at #TellHisStory today! So glad I stopped by! Now… on to my list! 😉 (Seriously though… it’s December 10th and that is my self-imposed deadline! I am not allowed to be crazy or stressed out after today!)
Oh, I’m choking back envy that you get it all done by the 10th. Gulp. Swallowing said envy cause Christians aren’t supposed to be envious…but it’s hard sometimes:) Handmade cards are the best! I actually made a few (very few) of those this year. Thanks for stopping by!
Ginger, I love this, and your blog, as always! Keeping the important in perspective. I shared on my FB page. This made me laugh. Merry Christmas!!
I’m so glad to have brought you a smile today, and I really appreciate the share love! Keeping it real and keeping it all going–yes–we can do it! Blessings friend!
You have me smiling this morning! I think I’m going for the Christmas in July cards. By then I should have a picture of us all together again. 🙂 I have typically done New Years cards verses Christmas ones to limit the stress of pre-Christmas to-do lists. Thanks for the great tips and for the smiles.
Blessings. xoxo
Yippee…made you smile. I love it when God gives the gift of funny. I know you’ll be thrilled when you can take a family photo all together. Merry Christmas, Beth.
This is great! I love your humor and the grace that comes with it! I also really like the Christmas card gone bad pictures. Awesome!
The kids came up with that completely on their own. I think they resigned themselves then decided might as well have a little fun in the process. Thanks for chiming in, Kori.
Oh Ginger, I laughed out loud at your Christmas card pictures! You and I are REALLY on the same wave length, it’s just that your kids are bigger than mine. Your to-do-list has me feeling tired and I can’t believe you have to make 50 dozen cookies. YIKES! Thanks for the suggestion to stop by your sweet blog. I’m following all your social media sites, now!
I’m looking forward to keeping up with you as well. And the 5o dozen cookies…a wee bit of an exaggeration… Thanks for stopping by!