Ber Months Mean Christmas: Are You Ready?
The sound of the voice of Jose Mari Chan fills the air waves, the sight of colorful lights and decorations, and the smell of freshly-baked bibingka and puto bumbong at the sidewalk– truly, it’s the most wonderful time of the year…again!
But the most wonderful time of the year can get pretty hectic and stressful when not managed well. It can get overwhelming just thinking about all the things that need to be done before the special day: all the decorating, shopping, gift wrapping, sending out christmas cards for everyone, and countless get-togethers here and there. All of these add to the busyness that the season may bring.
But hey, don’t be pressured, there’s still 115 days to plan and prepare everything just in time for the holidays. Here are a few tips that could help ease the stress and spruce up the excitement:
1. Make a Christmas TO DO list
Write all of the things you need and want to do like setting up your tree, buying gifts, baking Christmas cookies, preparing the Noche Buena menu, booking flight tickets, and “save the date” list of all social gatherings — it doesn’t matter how trivial or grand it is. The important thing is to list them down.
Once you’re done, assign each one a deadline, this is so you can manage your time better. It’s essential to know which should be done earlier and which can be done just in time for Christmas. Tick off the ones that are done so you can track your progress. A simple yet effective way to have a hassle-free preparation.
2. Start early
September, they say, is when Christmas stars, so prepare this early. And one thing you can work on as early as now are gifts and greeting cards for your loved ones. You can even shop online! It saves you from the stress of the holiday mall rush and you can save a lot of money, too, as you’ll refrain from impulse purchases.
3. Prioritize well
Traditions are good but when you’re just doing it for the sake of doing it, it becomes nerve-wracking and toxic. Choose your activities wisely. Before you spend hours on something, decide if it will really make a huge difference in your celebration. If not, just eliminate it and move on.
4. Help is a MUST
Don’t ever think that you need to do it ALL – you don’t! It’s okay to ask for help. You can delegate assignments to other family members. Working together is more fun and satisfying than killing yourself trying to finish everything on time. The more people working on your list, the less burdened you’ll be.
5. Remember the reason for the season
However simple or grand Christmas chore is, always remember why you’re doing it in the first place. Because above all the planning and prepping, Christmas is truly a time for celebrating not only of material things and good food, but a celebration of family, of blessings, and of love.
You see, getting ready for the holiday season isn’t that maddening! Just set your priorities, prepare early, and never forget the real reason why you’re a hundred percent dedicated to celebrating the season. It’s more important to be prepared, but it’s more important to be happy while you’re at it.
Ready, set, go! Happy prepping, everyone!
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