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The Christmas holiday is around the corner, and you don't want to be caught off guard with all of the preparations that need to be made. It is time to take action, and in this post, I will share twenty ways to prepare for the holiday season.

black and white picture of woman cleaning windows on a stool, retro around 1950

#1. Clean the house

If you have a lot of visitors coming to your home for the holidays, it is important to make sure that your house is clean. This will make them feel comfortable in your space and help create a sense of familiarity.

Clean the carpets and vacuum regularly.
Clean the windows and mirrors as well as all other surfaces throughout the house.
Dust all decorative items such as vases, candles, and picture frames.
Clean out drawers and closets so there is plenty of space available for storage during this busy time of year.

#2. Make a Christmas budget

Making a Christmas budget is one of the first things you should do when preparing for the holiday season. Get all of your bills, expenses, and income in order so that you can see what you have to work with. This will help you determine how much money you will have available for gifts, decorations, food, etc.

#3. Decorating

Decorating for Christmas is one of the most fun parts of the holiday season. You can add a little bit of personality and flare to your Christmas decorations by choosing decorations that are unique and interesting. Here are some ideas on how you can decorate for the holidays:

Use pine cones as Christmas ornaments. You can hang them on your tree, or use them as place settings at dinner with other decorations such as pine cones and holly leaves.

You can even make a centerpiece out of them by placing them in a glass bowl with a candle inside it. This will give off an elegant look while still being festive.

Use lights in unexpected places such as on plants or even wrapped around chairs or tables. This will give off an interesting effect when people walk into your home because it will be much more than just plain old lights hanging from the ceiling.

a spread of christmas foods on a wooden table. from roasted beef to cranberries to trwisted bread to a Bundt chocolate charismas cake with with icing

#4. Plan your Christmas meal

The holidays are a time to celebrate, but they can also be stressful if you don't plan ahead. If the thought of creating an amazing Christmas dinner has you feeling overwhelmed, take a deep breath and relax. We have some tips to help you get started with planning your meal.

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Figure out who will be attending and how many people will be there. You may have more or less than expected, so make sure that you have enough food for everyone. If you do not know how many people will attend your party, then make sure that you have enough food for two additional people just in case someone else shows up unexpectedly.
Find out if there are any dietary restrictions or allergies among your guests so that you can plan accordingly by making sure everyone gets something they can enjoy without having any issues with their health or allergies being compromised by what is served at the table during dinner time.
Plan your menu well in advance so that you can have everything ready before the holiday arrives; this will help make sure that you do not have any last-minute preparation issues and also helps prevent any mistakes from being made in regard to preparing meals for your guests.

a mockup of a Christmas planner on a tablet

#5. Make a list of Christmas gifts

One of the most important things you can do for yourself before the holiday season is to make a list of all of your Christmas gifts. This will help you stay on track and avoid forgetting anything, especially when you have so much else going on.

The best way to do this is by creating categories and then adding items under each category. You can include family members, coworkers, friends, and even yourself in these categories. For example, if your dad loves books, then you might want to get him a book or two as part of his Christmas gift.

Make sure that you add any special details about what they would like in each category so that when it comes time to purchase them, it's not too difficult or frustrating trying to figure out what exactly they want from their list.

a woman giving a package with candy canes in a brown paper bag wrapping paper with a real candy cane on top with red and white twine, the woman has on overalls

#6. Shopping

Shopping for the Christmas holiday can be a lot of fun, but it can also be stressful and time-consuming. You want to make sure that you are able to find everything on your list, and that you get everything at a reasonable price. Here are some tips for making this process easier and less stressful:

Plan out your shopping trip ahead of time. Make a list of what needs to be purchased, and then make sure that these items are available at every store that you visit. This will help ensure that you don't forget anything, or waste time trying to find something that is already in stock.
Set a budget before going shopping so that you don't overspend on things that aren't necessary (or things that could have been purchased at a cheaper price somewhere else).
Keep track of all receipts so that they can be filed away correctly after your shopping trip is over; this will ensure that nothing gets lost or misplaced when trying to return items later on down the road if needed.
Don't buy too much junk food while out shopping because it will end up costing more than just buying healthy foods instead.

a plethora of Christmas wrapping paper and ribbons all over the floor

#7. Wrapping Gifts

Wrapping gifts is a fun way to get into the holiday spirit. It can also be a time-consuming process. You can reduce the stress of wrapping gifts by following these easy steps:

Gather your supplies: Wrapping paper, tape, scissors, and markers or crayons.
Choose a theme for your wrapping paper. You don't have to use the same theme throughout your gift-wrapping; instead, choose a different theme for each type of gift you wrap (e.g., Christmas tree design for presents from Santa).

and man and a woman in santa hats in front of a christmas tree with plaid shirts on holding the ribbon on a package, pretending to open up the gifts

#8. Decide the best time for your family to open gifts

It is important to decide which day will be the best day for your family to open gifts. Some families like to open gifts on Christmas Eve, while others prefer to wait until Christmas morning. The choice is yours, but you will want to make sure that everyone knows what time they should arrive at your home.

a man and woman dressed in holiday clothes throwing cookiie batter at each other, and lauthing.

#9. Baking Cookies

Are you looking for a way to get your family and friends together during the holiday season? Then we have the perfect solution. Bake some delicious cookies and share them with everyone. Your family will love them, and they will be sure to thank you for making them. You can also make some of these cookies as gifts for your friends and family members.

a picture of a finance and monthly budget overview tracker on a desk with a bowel of paperclips

#10. Plan ahead

If you have a small family, this may not be as much of an issue for you. However, if you are hosting friends or family members for the Christmas holiday, it is important to plan ahead. This will help ensure that there is enough food and drink available for everyone. It will also help ensure that there are enough sleeping accommodations for all of your guests.

a woman holding a lot of toliet paper rolls

#11. Buy enough food, drinks, toilet paper, batteries, and other items you might need

If you have a large family or you are hosting Christmas dinner at home, then you should start thinking about buying these items as soon as possible. You can order most of the items online without having to go to the store in person.

a man holding a passport in the airport with a line of people behind him

#12. Preparing for Travel

Traveling during the Christmas holiday season can be stressful. With so many people traveling, it is important that you are prepared with all of the necessary items before you leave. Here are some tips for preparing for travel:

Be sure to bring all of your documents with you when traveling by plane or train, including your ticket, passport or ID card, boarding pass, etc... You don't want to miss your flight because you forgot something important.
Make sure that your luggage is packed and ready to go in advance. You do not want to have to rush around last minute trying to figure out what needs to be packed.

a huge multicultural family standing on a porch at the front door that says welcome about 15 people, very happy.

#13. Preparing for Overnight Guests

If you have guests staying overnight, there are some things you need to do before they arrive. Here are some tips that will help you get ready for them.

Make sure the guest room is clean and ready for use. If it's not, then this should be your first priority when preparing for the holiday season. You don't want to be caught off guard by guests arriving at your house only to find out that their room isn't ready for them yet.
Clean any dust or dirt off of the furniture in the guest room as well as in your house overall so that everything looks well-kept and tidy when they arrive (especially if your guests are coming from out of town). If you have time, put up some holiday decorations too so that their stay feels festive.

a table of retro charismas cards scattered all over

#14. Purchase holiday cards and stamps

Holiday cards and stamps are the perfect way to create a lasting impression on your family, friends, and business associates. They are also a great way to make sure that you do not forget anyone in your life that deserves a thoughtful greeting during the holiday season.

a middle age white couple taking a chrismas photo in front of the christmas tree and fireplace. The room is lit up and very decorated. They are smiling very big and hugging.

#15. Take a family picture for the holidays

It's time to take a family photo with your loved ones. Even if it is just a simple picture, it will be something that you can look back on in the years to come and remember how much fun you had with your family and friends during this festive season.

a man holding a cellphone facetimeing a young 20is mail. we get a view of the man holding the phone looking outside into his suburbs neighborhood

#16. Call or visit loved ones who will not be with you during the holiday season

It is important to make time to call or visit loved ones who will not be with you during the holiday season. It may be tempting to focus on the people who are going to be around, but it is important to remember that those who are away from you can still feel like they are part of the festivities.

You can make this happen by being sure to talk about what you have planned for the holidays, as well as what special traditions your family has been enjoying in recent years.

a woman outside in light snowstorm cleaning off her bumper of her volvo with some sort of hand held device

#17. Get your car ready for winter driving

Check the tires for cracks and make sure you have enough tread remaining on each tire. If there are any issues, take your car to a mechanic to have them repaired before winter sets in.
Clean out the interior of your vehicle to make sure it is dust-free and ready for use during the holiday season.
If your vehicle does not have one, install a GPS tracking device in your car in case it gets stolen or lost while parked outside overnight (or even during the day). This can help law enforcement locate it quickly if it turns up missing.

Check the windshield wipers and make sure they are functioning properly so that you can see clearly while driving through snow or rain storms this winter.

a group ow woman holding wine glasses standing at a function laughing and talking

#18. Plan a holiday party or dinner

The best way to prepare for the Christmas holiday is to plan a party or get-together. Set a date, and make sure that you invite all of your friends, family members, and coworkers.

You can also ask them to bring a dish to share with everyone else. This way, you won't have to worry about cooking everything yourself—and you'll have an opportunity to try some new recipes.

a retro ringer style alarm clock with a antique feel to the picture with the color and blurred out retro accessory in the background

#19. Prepare yourself mentally and physically

Eat well. Healthy eating habits lead to healthy bodies, which can help you stay energized throughout the holiday season.

Get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation can make you feel irritable, depressed, or anxious—which are not emotions that will help you have a good time with friends and family during this special time of year.
Exercise regularly. Regular exercise helps boost your mood and energy levels! It also keeps you looking fit and trim at this time of year when everyone else seems to be gaining weight from all of their holiday meals… plus cookies… and egg nog…
Let go of your worries/stressors (at least for now). Focus on what matters most right now: spending time with friends/family who loves you unconditionally, celebrating the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ together as one unified body of believers in Him alone (Ephesians 4:3-6), remembering those who do not have adequate resources for food or shelter during these cold winter months (Matthew 25:35-40).

a hispanic man standing in front of a Salvation Army Kettle ringing the bell with a closed mouth smile on his face.

#20. Give back to your community

The holiday season is a time of giving, and one way to give back is to volunteer with your local community group. Many people have their own ideas for how they want to help their community, but it can be hard to find the time or resources to get started.

If this sounds like you, consider volunteering at a local charity or organization during the holidays. You will not only give back but also meet new people and make new friends, who may become lifelong connections.

a cabin with a christmas tree with holly in front of a fireplace with stockings and filled with wood, red and tan gifted wrapped presents under the tree with a red rocking horse. and a plaid chair with achristmas pillows

To Wrap It Up

Christmas is a time for friends, family, and fun. However, it's also a time of stress and chaos. You want to make sure you have everything you need for the holiday season so that you can relax when the day arrives.

If this is your first Christmas with a family of your own or if you're hosting Christmas at your house for the first time, then these tips will help ensure that you are more organized and prepared as you celebrate the Christmas holiday.

Here are a few of our favorites.