parent calmly planning the holiday season at a table with a planner, coffee, and pen

Tackling the Holidays Early: Your November Plan

TL;DR: If the holidays stress you out every year, this blog breaks down practical steps you can take in November to make December as easy as possible. Tackling your calendar, planning your gift-giving, prepping your photos and cards, and mapping out your hosting and meal duties are all explained in this blog.

Tackling the Holidays Early: Your November Plan

infographic of 4 November steps to tackle the holidays early: calendar, gift planning, photos and cards, and hosting and meals

If you feel overwhelmed every holiday season, you are not alone. December 25th sneaks up faster than any of us realize, and now that it is November, now is your chance to start planning to make your holiday season stress-free. If you're sick of the rush, the stress, and the last-minute-ness of it all, this blog is for you. Keep reading for four simple steps you can do this month in November to make your holiday season easy breezy, including some great gift ideas for the kiddos in your life.

Step 1: Grab Your Calendar

First things first: Grab your calendar and add in all the important dates. If you have children in school, be mindful of any performances, spirit days, or holiday events they may have. Give yourself a buffer of a day or two before each event so that you can grab anything you may have forgotten.

Tackling your calendar also means planning out travel days, hotels, appointments for haircuts, or scheduling babysitting ahead of time. Not ready to book these things yet? Add in the calendar reminders now for the future so that you're not scrambling to remember.

Step 2: Plan Your Gift Giving

Now is the time to start planning your gift-giving. Here are some easy steps to follow, rather than keeping it all in your head:

Spike bubble wand set arranged as holiday stocking stuffer gifts next to wrapping supplies
  • Start a spreadsheet. Mom, dad, brothers, sisters, cousins, children, nieces, nephews, friends to buy for? Put them all in a spreadsheet with statuses, such as IDEAS, TO BUY, PURCHASED, WRAPPED so that you know where you stand with everyone.
  • Buy children's toys early. If you have lots of children to purchase gifts for, getting general toys now will help save you a lot of headache later. Things like toddler-friendly bubble wands and Soap Dough are great to stock up on so that if you forgot to get someone something, you have a gift in stock.
  • Get wrapping supplies now. Stock up on wrapping paper, gift boxes, bows, and more now before the stores are out and you realize you're fresh out of tape on Christmas Eve.
  • Draw Secret Santa names now. If you are doing a Secret Santa with a group of family or friends, suggest drawing names now so that there is plenty of time to shop for your gift.

Step 3: Prep Your Photos and Cards

holiday card template samples spread on a table with a pen and address book for planning

If you are a family that takes yearly holiday photos, now is the time to start planning those. Reach out to your photographer friends to schedule your shoot, or chat with your partner about scheduling a day to set up your iPhone tripod with the family.

Next, head to your favorite stationery template website and choose which layout you want for your holiday cards. Also, plan out what you want written inside so that it is easy to copy and paste when it's time to order.

You will also want to make sure that your address book is fully up-to-date. Check in with friends and family who have moved, or finally put in their new address now before you're scrambling in December.

Getting these photos out of the way in November saves you all of the rush and extra fees you may have to pay for expedited shipping in December, and frees up tons of brain space for other fun stuff!

Step 4: Planning Treats, Hosting, and Meals

labeled freezer meal prep containers stacked neatly for the busy holiday season ahead

Now is the time to simplify your holiday hosting and meal planning. If your home is the one everyone gathers to, it is time to start that spreadsheet with all your holiday meal planning. Drop in recipes, cooking times, and grocery lists to not only make life easier this year, but for future years.

You will also want to make an account of everything you have. Do you need to order more placemats? New plates with Christmas designs? Give your centerpiece a refresh? Make a list and drop in some links of your favorite things so that you have some inspo and can grab it during a Black Friday or Cyber Monday sale in a few weeks.

Also, the holidays can make us very busy with school events, work events, social events, and so much more. Staying out late to see Santa and neighborhood Christmas lights can leave us struggling to make our daily meals and have us reaching for frozen chicken nuggets more times than we'd like to admit.

If you want to really plan ahead, start making extra food during dinner time now to freeze for the busy holiday season ahead. You can also make a list of some easy crock pot recipes, air fryer recipes, and sheet pan bakes that make dinner time easy during the hustle and bustle of the holidays.

Older articles Back to Blog

FAQs

How can I get ahead of the holiday season this year?

Tackling your calendar, planning your gift-giving, prepping your photos and cards, and planning your meals are the four best ways to get ahead of the holiday season this year.
What are great generic gifts that all children will love?

Great generic gifts that all children will love include bubble wands that are toddler-friendly, as well as soap dough where they can create their own bars of great-smelling soap that looks and feels just like traditional dough play.
How can I lower my stress when hosting for the holidays?

Plan your holiday party now by making a spreadsheet with recipes as well as links to decorations and mealware ready to go that you can get on sale later in the month.

© For image copyright license use, please visit https://www.canva.com/policies/content-license-agreement