Some people argue that the easiest way of simplifying Christmas is by organizing all festivities into several weeks of neat checklists. Even so, life rarely falls so neatly into organized plans as you may think. In as much as you will want to have all the fun you want this festive season, you still need to be realistic besides planning ahead. Here are 12 ways of making your Christmas easier.

1. Skip the DIY Decorations

Handmade items do not necessarily have to be DIY. Simply put, you do not have to make a wreath yourself. You may see an antiquated crochet snowflake set that you love and want to send to a loved one this Christmas. Doing it yourself may take you up to one week.

On the flipside, you can purchase each crochet snowflake at Etsy for a paltry $2. Some of the gifts that you may want to buy this Christmas are handmade by artisans and can be found at fair-trade stores including Trade as One and SERRV.

2. Follow an Advent Reading Plan

One of the easiest ways to beat stress this Christmas is following an advent reading plan. You can read from a religious text of your choice or just a daily inspirational message. A Christmas countdown isn’t complete without individually-wrapped candy!

3. Encourage Realistic Expectations of Santa

Christmas is typified by Santa. To most people, this is a jolly man who hangs candy canes on their trees. Make sure your kids know that Santa can’t necessarily make dreams come true! Teach them that Santa can’t always be expected to bring everything they want; instead, teach them to appreciate the little things he brings such as treats, small toys, drawing supplies, and juice boxes.

4. Give Kids One Toy

Your extended family members will probably gift your kids more toys that they will ever need. Therefore, don’t pressure yourself too much into buying several toys for your kids. Instead, buy only one toy since your family members will certainly make up for the deficit.

5. Buy, Package, and Send Gifts Early

It is good to have a short gift list if you love sending Christmas presents. Regardless of how short your list is, you need to buy, package, and send your gifts early to avoid last-minute mishaps. Keep in mind that is typically the most time-consuming and strenuous part of your holiday plans. Shopping as early as before Thanksgiving will free up your time besides helping you save money.

6. Hide the Presents

If you are planning to make Christmas all about gifts, do not make your children look at wrapped presents all month. After wrapping the presents, consider putting them in your closet before bringing them out on Christmas.

7. Entertain Your Friends at Restaurants, Not Homes

Many people make the mistake of revamping their homes at a huge cost simply to entertain their friends during Christmas. Your real friends won’t expect you to go to such lengths just to entertain them. Simply put, you don’t have to incur huge expenses trying to entertain your friends. Go to a restaurant to hang out instead.

8. Let Other People Decide What to Do on Christmas

Each family has its own traditions. Nonetheless, this shouldn’t stop you from having fun. Ask your family members what they think should be done this year that is different from what you are used to. You don’t have to make all of the decisions yourself. Maybe instead of a huge party, they just want to do a simple gift exchange.

9. Minimize Travelling

If you are used to being in the road every Christmas, consider having a quiet one at home this year. Traveling during the holidays is expensive and cumbersome,  especially if you have kids. Staying at home this year will give you time to bond with your loved ones.

10. Make Simple Gifts

Simple cards or even Christmas baking can be memorable gifts to friends. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to make people feel loved. Simple homemade items such as cinnamon gifts will make your friends and loved ones feel appreciated this Christmas.

11. Set Aside a Cutoff Date

It will certainly get to a point whereby all the shopping, cooking, or crafting needs to stop so that you sit down on the couch and just relax. This highlights the significance of setting a cutoff date. This is the best time to rejuvenate and decompress as you prepare for the New Year.

12. Undertake Preventive Maintenance

Needless to say, the holiday season never seems to care that life must move on. In this regard, you shouldn’t spend all your money on the festivities. Instead, stock up all the essentials that you may need including basic household items such as tissue paper.

You should even undertake some basic maintenance to your car so that you don’t end up getting stranded somewhere while broke. It is good to look forward to having all the fun but nonetheless, you have to keep in mind that life must move on once the festivities are over.

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