Defrazzle Your Christmas
Probably the reason we all go so haywire at Christmas time
with the endless unrestrained and often silly buying of gifts is
that we don't quite know how to put our love into words."
Harlan Miller
With holidays just around the corner, I thought I just give you
a quick list of ten ways to defrazzle your Christmas. Here goes:
1. Use a calendar. Get one that is small enough to carry in your
purse. Attach a pen to it, and keep track of everything that's
happening. Make sure you guard 2-3 evenings a week for quiet
nights at home.
2. Declutter, but don't deep clean. Start in the room you most
often visit in, and just declutter the surfaces, putting things
away. Then guard those tidy surfaces, and get your family to
help keep them tidy.
3. Shop simply and keep to your budget. Here's what we did when
budgeting was tight - I spent $20.00 on everyone's stocking, and
did my best to include at least one small gift that they would
really appreciate, and then everyone got $20.00 and we visited
the sales on Boxing Day. We had so much fun it has become a
tradition. Spend an afternoon doing "Gifts in a Jar" for friends
and family.
4. Keep decorating simple. I give you permission to not decorate
your house like a magazine. A little greenery, a table centre
with a scented candle and a tree are all you need.
5. Cook in batches. Instead of eating out too often because of
the stress of preparations, make double batches of your meals in
November and freeze them to eat in December. Saves time and
money!
6. Save your Christmas letter for Spring. Everyone gets so many
letters at Christmas that none are really written, read, or
enjoyed properly. Take time at a less stressful time of the year
to keep in touch with friends and family.
7. Call instead of sending cards. It's cheaper these days in
most cases, and much more personal and appreciated. Try calling
one person every day in December and let them know that this is
their Christmas card!
8. Listen to stories: Light the fire, get an afghan and hot
chocolate, and put on an audio book from the library. Start with
classics like "A Christmas Carol" or "The Littlest Angel"
9. Get in touch with your spiritual side: visit a local church
and sing some carols by candlelight. You don't have to ascribe
to their teachings just to visit, and it might well surprise you
how much it helps your soul.
And to really help you along, go to www.organizedchristmas.com
and learn about their Rudolph Club to get a head start on
organizing the holidays for next year!
Darlene Hull www.mom-defrazzler.com