By: Heather Patenaude
Can you believe it’s just over seven weeks till Christmas!?! Does that thought make you panic?
Most of us find the holiday season to be stressful, hectic, overwhelming, not very fun, and down right a lot of work!
Over the next few weeks I’m going to help you get prepared for Christmas! Take my tips, apply them to your situation as you see fit (or maybe not at all), and perhaps you will find yourself less stressful in the weeks to come!
First, my suggestion is to write out a couple of list!
“Gift List” (After you figure out your budget)
- Who will you be buying for?
- What will you be buying?
- Where will you be shopping?
If you know who or what you will be buying for you can be intentional to be on the look out for gifts as you go about your weekly shopping!
“Project List”
Another list to write out is any projects you may want to get done around your house! Are there any deep cleaning projects you want to have done for a family Christmas party?
Some suggestions may be:
- Clean some of your “trouble zones”
- Clean your fridge…top to bottom…even clean off the front
- Throw out and organize that pile of magazines or junk mail
- Finish that project that was started and not completed
- Organize your DVD’s or video games
- Clean out your kids play room, throw away broken toys or toys missing pieces
- Give away some toys to make room for new toys
- Clean under your couches
- Wash your walls and trim
“Christmas Card List”
If you send out Christmas cards, pull out your list. Look it over and see if you need to track down any new addresses.
My hope is that as you do some Christmas Preparation you will find yourself calmer and enjoying the holiday more!
HEATHER PATENAUDE is passionate about living a Christ-centered life. This passion flows over to being a wife to John and a homeschool mom to: Miles 8, Luke 7, and Clark 4. Heather is “doing” motherhood right along the side of most of you and hopes that she can encourage you to look beyond your “bath time” challenges and embrace the beautiful calling of motherhood!