Christmas is the most hectic time of year, and without a viable plan, it is easy to become overwhelmed. To keep the holidays as joyful as possible, take care of some of the more time-consuming but important chores before the holidays begin.
Plan Your Office Christmas Party Menu
Once you have begun to plan your office Christmas party, you can then start organising the specifics. One of the key things to plan perfectly is the menu, which is never as easy to plan as you think. With many people now on special diets, you can no longer depend on the usual fare. You often must plan for gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan and allergy-free food.
For small offices, this sometimes means that to please everyone, you must buy more food than you need. For a small fee, caterers will give you a sample list of dishes that will please everyone. If the budget is too small to pay for help, ask the office staff for suggestions, or make it a covered dish affair. That way anyone with special dietary needs can bring something appropriate for them and others too. Assigning everyone a dish or a necessity to bring can lighten the load on everyone.
Check Your Christmas Lights
To avoid surprises on the day you put up your tree or decorate your garden, start checking your light strings early to ensure they all work and fix or replace those that do not. By performing this yearly chore early, you can save money on parts and replacements at the pre-Christmas sales instead of having to rush out at the last moment and pay full price, or maybe find the shelves bare.
Plan Holiday Travel
If you positively know that you will be traveling during the holidays, start planning now, especially if it involves booking flights to popular destinations. Usually, the earlier you book, the cheaper the tickets. Not all airlines or hotels allow booking over a few weeks in advance, but you can set alerts on your phone or computer to remind you when that time period begins. If you are a member of a roadside assistance plan or a senior organisation, they may have free travel planning services you can take advantage of.
If you are driving, plan out your route carefully, especially if you are driving a new route. GPS or online mapping may give you a direct route, but it may not be best. Your local highway patrol may be able to give you advice on which routes are the safest and easiest to travel.
Start Shopping Sales
Everything from baking supplies to electronics will be going on sale sometime between Halloween and Christmas, so start making your lists. This is especially helpful if you are cooking Christmas dinner or having a holiday party. Make your lists and put everything into a designated box so you will have necessities assembled in one place. To keep gifts hidden from prying little eyes, wrap each one as you buy it and store it in the safest place you can find. Do not forget those less fortunate than you while stockpiling these sales items. Even a small gift of canned goods means so much to someone in need.
Getting your Christmas tasks planned and completed early leaves more time for you to spend with your loved ones during the holidays. It can also save you a bundle of money, so start planning now for a stress-free, joyful Christmas season.
