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How to start prepping for the holiday season in October

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The year is almost over and some people have already started prepping for the holiday season. Though October is known all over as the month of Halloween, it can also be the perfect time to start planning for your holiday season.

Although some people might say that October is way too early- planning your holiday season in at this time actually makes sense for a number of reasons. For instance, if your family is going away on vacation, you want to start planning and organizing yourself as early as possible to ensure that everything goes smoothly.

Doing a little prepping for the holidays early has a host of other benefits besides making it a lot easier for you to navigate the holiday chaos. The weeks between October and November fly by very quickly and if you do not want to get caught out, there are some things that you ought to do to start prepping for the holiday season.

Why are the holidays so stressful?

The holidays are stressful. Although they are meant to give you time away to relax, the extra pressure to make things special can cause your stress levels to soar. Although there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to make the holidays special, we often stretch ourselves too thin, which can cause us to feel overwhelmed and overbooked, when everyone else is feeling cheerful and content.

What can you can do right now to start prepping for the holiday season?

While it is still too early to bring out your Christmas decorations, here are some things that you can do right now to start preparing:

Start planning early

To start planning, simply sit down with your calendar and start mapping out all the things that you usually do or need to have done by the holiday season. Be sure to comprise everything that you need to do on the list including family traditions, church events, family events that you need to participate in, the gifts that you have to buy and the people to buy them for, the meals you want to make, the parties that you want to host/attend etc.

After completing your list, analyse it and ask yourself these questions:

  • Keeping in mind that I have daily commitments, how realistic is this list?
  • Are there things that you need to cut down from the list?
  • What kind of holiday season do you want to have? Easy and relaxed or luxurious and opulent?
  • What can you do to ensure that you set yourself up for success? Do you need to free up your workload? Or save more money?

Create a budget

After you create your list, you will then have to think about how much money you want to dedicate to the holidays. Write down your budget and break down your spending so that you can resist the urge to overspend. If you do not have enough money to put aside yet, note down some of the things that you can do now to cut down your spending.

Shop ahead

If you are into giving gifts during the holiday, consider shopping ahead to save money. As the holiday season approaches, you should be on the lookout for sales that can allow you to purchase gifts at subsidized prices.

Plan fun events to keep the kids occupied

If you have kids, now is a great time to start investigating your options for keeping the young ones entertained. What activities can be found around your neighbourhood? Does your church host special holiday activities or outings for kids? Are there any fun festivals or concerts planned? When planning events for the children, remember to be intentional about prioritizing and think about what is important to your family and what will help to make a memorable season.

Sit down with your family

If you are finding it difficult to plan, why not sit down with your family and talk about what you liked about the holiday season the year before and what you did not like? If there is something you have always historically done such as take a trip, but for one reason or another you cannot do it this year, talk about it together. It is always better to talk it out and manage expectations rather than stress yourself out.

Wait in anticipation

The holidays are all about being jolly. So, to prepare, the best thing that you can do is be happy and wait for the holidays in anticipation. At the end of the day, the holiday season is not about the amount of money that you spend but rather, it’s about the coming together of family and friends to celebrate all the good that life has to offer. It is the one time of the year where happiness is all around- so take advantage of it.

Need to start ordering your gifts from Amazon early? Contact us today to see how we can ensure that your holiday season is a cheerful one.