Christmas Checklist

Does the hustle and bustle of Christmas get your down? Are you always on the go in the month of December, without a minute to call your own? Do you always spend Christmas Eve wrapping presents and doing last minute chores? If you’ve answered yes to one or all of these questions, you need to be a little more organized. Use this Christmas checklist to help you have a stress free Christmas.

June

Start your Christmas shopping now. Look for bargains and when you make purchases, take them home and wrap them. I’m sure you have a little Christmas wrapping paper left over from last year.
Update your Christmas list now. Be sure you have names spelled correctly and addresses and zip or postal codes correct.

October

Purchase your Christmas cards now.
If you’re planning on hosting a Christmas party or having the family for Christmas dinner, start planning now, instead of leaving everything until December.
Address Christmas cards that have to be mailed out of country. When the time comes, all you’ll have to do is drop them into the mailbox.

Week of December 1st

Hang your advent calendar on December 1st
Mail out of country Christmas cards.
Address the rest of your Christmas cards, adding a personal note to each.
If you’re hosting a Christmas party or having family over for Christmas dinner, send out the invitations now.
Plan the menu for your Christmas party or Christmas dinner. Never leave it until the last minute.
If you’re having trouble thinking of a Christmas theme or color scheme, look through your favorite magazines and search online for great decorating and menu suggestions.

Week of December 8th

Finish all of your Christmas shopping.
Have your kids’ photo taken with Santa.
Choose the space where you plan to put your Christmas tree. Measure it for height and width to ensure the tree you choose will fit.
Take the entire family and drive into the country to purchase a freshly cut tree, or cut your own. Many Christmas tree farms offer both services.
Purchase your tree, put it up, and spend a weekend decorating it with your family.
If you don’t have kids or grandkids, invite a child you know to help with the tree.
If you buy a pre-cut tree, check it carefully for falling leaves. Dry trees are a fire hazard.
Water your tree daily to keep it fresh.
Shut off all Christmas lights when leaving the house.
If you have an artificial tree, read the safety instructions to find out if lights can be used to decorate it.
Let children make cranberry or popcorns strings to add to your tree or to use as streamers.
Decorate your home inside and out this week. Hang wreaths, string lights, place candles on the mantle etc.
Accompany children on an outing to gather natural items for your tree, such as pinecones and nuts. Allow children to help make the decorations.

Week of December 15th

Begin placing wrapped gifts beneath the tree.
If you haven’t done so, it’s the last minute to mail Christmas cards and letters.
Deliver or mail gifts to those who can’t be with you over the holiday.
Set up your nativity or Christmas village.
Make or purchase carol sheets. Check to see if anyone in your area hands out free carol songbooks. Often newspapers provide this service.
Rent or buy Christmas videos that the entire family will enjoy from now until Christmas.
Purchase a Christmas book for everyone in the family. Read Christmas stories aloud to children.
Dust off or purchase Christmas CDs.
Begin your Christmas baking if you haven’t already done so.
Make a gingerbread house or some bread dough ornaments with the kids.
Buy Poinsettias and other potted plants to spruce up your home during the holidays.
If you have fireplace, decorate the mantel with candles and greenery and check your fire-log supply. Replenish if needed.
Check online with your kids to find out if Santa or his elves have been sighted.

December 23rd

Finish last minute baking and household chores.
Make and chill beverages that you plan to serve on Christmas Day.
Select Christmas CDs for listening on the 24th and 25th.
Finish you last minute gift wrapping so you won’t end up doing it at 3 A.M. Christmas morning.

December 24th

During the day, run last minute errands and purchase all food supplies needed for the holdidays.
Have a simple dinner so you will have leisure time to spend with your family in the evening.
After dinner, hang the stockings, attend a Christmas Eve church service, check online to find out where Santa is delivering gifts, set out milk and cookies for Santa and reindeer food for his reindeer.
Read the Christmas story or other book to your children.
Tuck the kids in bed, stuff stockings, put Santa gifts under the tree, do any last minute food preparation, and make Santa footprints around the tree, using a pair of men’s boots and some baby powder.
Sit back, relax and eat Santa’s cookies and drink his milk. Remember to take a few bites out of the carrots so the kids will think that the reindeer enjoyed them.

Christmas Day

Get up early and stuff the turkey and get it into the oven.
Gather with your family around the tree and open your gifts.
Enjoy a traditional meal with family and friends.
Put dishes into the dishwasher and turn the dial.
Call family and friends who can’t be with you over the holidays to wish them a Merry Christmas.
Play board and computer games with the kids, or help them with some other item they received for Christmas.
Tuck kids in bed and sit back, relax and enjoy a Christmas special, movie or a Christmas carol CD.

After Christmas

Take down the decorations and the tree.
If you had a live tree, make suet and peanut butter bird food and spread it over the branches after you’ve taken it into the backyard. Stick peanuts, birdseed, peanuts and berries into the suet to make a unique birdfeeder.
Take down other Christmas decorations.
Write thank you notes for the gifts you received.
Update your Christmas card list based on the cards you received.
Shop for post Christmas bargains. Buy next year’s wrapping paper, decorations and other Christmas related items for a great deal.

December 31st