The past few years I’ve been working towards simplifying Christmas allowing for more time and energy on what truly matters. In approaching Christmas with a more simple approach it has also been helping lessen the Christmas stress I used to feel. There’s a lot that goes into Christmas… on top of normal daily responsibilities it’s the added shopping, baking, cooking, wrapping, cleaning as well as all the festive events and gatherings! It’s a lot and can easily lead moms to feeling completely overwhelmed and thus not truly enjoying this magical season.
One of the biggest ways I’ve been able to simplify and lessen the Christmas stress is getting organized! I’ll also admit I’m an organization nerd, but in all honesty when I have a plan and things are figured out I stress less because I know what I need to do and when. You know what I even sleep better because I’m not running through my mental checklist instead of sleeping at night.
🍃 Today I’m going to share …..ways busy moms can prioritize tasks during Christmas to stay organized, reduce stress, and enjoy the holiday season:
1. Create a Master Christmas Checklist
Take a moment to think about what you need to do to prepare for Christmas. Brainstorm the important things to YOU… I want you to think about what you feel is necessary to prepare for Christmas. Don’t tell yourself you have to do holiday cards because your best friend Karen does and because she does you have to. Nope you do what you feel is important and that goes on the list and drop everything else!
So start by writing down everything that needs to be done, from shopping to decorating. Break it into categories like gifts, meals, baking and events.
I personally am old fashioned and I write my lists out in a notebook for Christmas so I can see it all laid out in front of me. But, I will say I have used digital tools like Trello, Notion, or the notes app in my phone for other things and they are a great option if you like the paperless option.
2. Determine priorities
Once I have my master list of everything I need to do I figure out what’s top priority, things that are time sensitive. Typically things like ordering online gifts, holiday cards, decorating for Christmas are my top priorities.
Then go down the master list and continue to prioritize things. Knowing what’s most important to do is so helpful in staying on top of things and reducing stress.
3.Plan a Weekly Schedule
Set weekly goals… you can separate things out by doing one of your categories per week .. such as Week 1: decorations; Week 2: shopping; Week 3: wrapping gifts; Week 4: baking
I like to grab my calendar and write out my plan for the month. Typically I focus on getting the decorations all done the first week and I like to bake the cut out cookies and then freeze them.
Week 2 is shopping but in all honesty that tends to get spread out over a few week span
Wrapping and finalizing meals/ cooking things I can ahead and freezing them, and some baking is my week 3
Week 4 is finishing baking, wrapping, doing meal prep and any final touches, I like to have most things done by this week so it’s just doing the food related things that I couldn’t do earlier. I also save cleaning to the last week because we all know its impossible to keep the house clean when you have kiddos so I don’t even waste my time doing it sooner 🤣
4.Delegate Tasks
I know this is hard if your personality is like mine .. I’m a perfectionist and like to do things myself so it’s done the way I’m picturing. But over the years I’ve learned I can’t do it all and have to let go and lower my expectations and just be happy the task is completed . As the girls have gotten older it’s easier to have them help me. So definitely let your kids be involved they love Christmas and want to be a part of the magic. So I encourage you to Assign age-appropriate tasks to kids (ex. wrapping simple gifts, helping decorate, helping with the baking, cleaning, and even the planning; kids love to share their thoughts and ideas!)
Involve your spouse or other family members as well to share responsibilities like cooking and shopping.
5.Embrace Minimalism
This was a more recent thing for me and honestly since approaching Christmas this way I love this concept!
Christmas doesn’t have to mean excess. 🎄Simplify where you can:
*Opt for fewer but meaningful gifts and wrap them with little effort. They don’t have to be Pinterest perfect packages!
*Focus on family traditions rather than extravagant parties.
*Stick to a manageable menu for holiday meals.
*Pick your favorite holiday events and gatherings and pass on the ones you don’t enjoy as much.
*Decorate the main rooms you spend time in and leave the rest of the house the way it normally is.
*Bake a few family favorite treats and skip the rest
6. Use Technology to Save Time
I have a love/ hate relationship with technology but there is a place and a time when I love it and busy holiday times are when I’m grateful for it!
*Shop online to avoid the crowds.
*Do grocery pickup to save on time.
*Use apps like Cozi or Google Calendar to sync family schedules and keep track of events.
*Take advantage of meal planning apps for streamlined grocery shopping.
*Use your phone to set alarms/or reminders
🍃When you are organized and know what needs to be done then you can let go of that mental checklist, take a breath and let go of the holiday stress. Doing this will allow you to be more present and deeply enjoy all the moments this season brings.
🍃Remember: Progress Over Perfection
Christmas isn’t about being the perfect host or having the best-decorated house. It’s about love, connection, and the joy of the season. By simplifying your approach and focusing on what truly matters, you’ll create a holiday to remember—for your family and for yourself.
🍃I have to add one last reminder; planning and coming up with a schedule is super helpful but I wanted to mention, you don’t need to fill up every day on your calendar, blank days are good for you to slow down and let God guide your day!
What are your favorite ways to stay stress-free during the holidays? Share in the comments below!