Christmas Yet To Come

Planning for Christmas yet to come begins almost before Christmas that is here has gone. With the Christmas rush finally over, it is time to take a breath and . . . start getting ready for next year!

I know the decorations are still out, the leftovers are still stored in the frig, and the gifts are still piled up in the corner of the living room surrounded by discarded bows. That’s okay.

Trust me when I say that starting today to get ready for next year’s Christmas rush will be completely painless – at least mostly painless anyway. Planning now will definitely save you time and money in the long run.

This is not even going to be all that time-consuming. It might turn out to be a fun family bonding time.

Here’s all you need to start planning for the Christmas yet to come:

• 1 expandable file folder
• Colored pencil or pen for each member of the family (different for each)
• Regular file folders for each family member
• Notebook paper

Everyone gathers around the table – a pen, a file folder, and some notebook paper. Now just make a list of everyone you think you will be buying for next Christmas. Leave some spaces between names for notes and ideas.

Start listening to these people talk about what they need and want. Add their thoughts to your list. Cut out pictures of things that would be perfect for them. Add those to the list. When the shopping season rolls back around, you’ll have a template for the perfect gift for everyone on your list. Store your lists in your own file folder and keep the file folders together in the expandable file folder (this way the lists will be easier to keep up with during the year).

If you’re crafty or need to save a couple of pennies, then start making that perfect gift today. Make a clock for the grandparents with the grandkids’ pictures in place of the numbers on the face. Make a snowman wood cutout for the neighbor who just loves to decorate. Cut out ideas from magazines, or make notes from crafts shows or websites.

Whichever direction you choose to go, don’t wait until December.

You say it every year, “Next year I won’t wait until the last minute.” Make this the year you finally hold yourself to that promise. It might be so much fun that you just start doing Christmas year-round so you’ll be ready for Christmas Yet to Come.