December and Christmas can be both a merry time, as well as a super stressful time, filled up with so many extras. All of the prepping and decorating, different events and dinners you need to attend, shopping and baking can really take a toll on a person. But there is a simple way to reduce all of the stress, just a little bit, by planning in advance. There’s a variety of things you can plan in advance and segment by priority, to make your merry December slightly less stressful and a little more merry.
Let’s dive in and make some Christmas to-dos!
Christmas Gifts To-Do List - from Planning to Wrapping
1. Planning our Christmas Gifts
There are two types of people when it comes to gift shopping - people who have talent when it comes to gift giving and people who don’t and absolutely dread the shopping and planning part of it - if it’s a birthday gift, a Christmas gift. The especially tricky part of gift giving for Christmas is coming up with ideas for so many different people.
We need to give gifts to our family and closest friends. Some workplaces organize a Secret Santa, then you have to also think about the people you’ll be seeing around Christmas and think of some gifts you want to give to them. Here are some tips on how to handle the different groups of people we need to gift.
Gifts for our family and close friends:
Even though we love and know them the most, our close ones can be a tough nut to crack, when it comes to gift giving. For their gifts we should consider everything from hobbies, wishes, and interests.
A simple formula, of what makes a gift the perfect gift includes 3 elements:
- Something that unites the two of you. Example: That can be a hobby you share, for example tennis.
- Something they want, but wouldn’t buy it themselves. Example: You know they want a fancy new tennis racket, but it isn't on their shopping priority list right now.
- Something they will get to use often.
A great gift should contain at least two of the mentioned elements, but the perfect gift, which isn’t the easiest to come by, will contain all three.
To execute the formula you need to know your person pretty well, and it’s also not an idea you can come up with on the spot. That’s why we suggest you sit down and try to think of a gift for your closest ones using our formula before going out and shopping for it. This will make the shopping process a lot less overwhelming, and if you do it before December even rolls in, you can even shop online and guarantee that the gifts will come in time! That way you can also buy yourself time, and ask your friends about the recent hobbies they’ve developed and think about what you both enjoy doing together.
Gifts for a wider circle of friends and extended family:
For the wider group of friends and extended family, it is completely reasonable for gifts to be less personal, so it is up to you how personal you want your gifts to get for this group of people. Here’s a few levels to which you can go:
- Small and useful gifts: Think reusable straws or go-to cups. Things like this are useful in day-to-day life, so I’m sure it will be appreciated. More ideas are aprons, small stationery sets, bath salts, hair scalp massagers, essential oils etc.
- Home-made goodies: If you’re someone who loves baking and sharing your home-made goodies with other’s, this might be a great option for you. You can pack your goodies in cellophane bags, cookie boxes or whatever is appropriate and just give it as it is.
- Funny and cute small gifts: If your gift as it is feels too empty, try to incorporate something fun or cute into the gift. This can be a stress ball, a mini travel game or a puzzle, a small plushie, etc.
The only thing you need to know in advance is how many gifts you need to mix and match, and buy elements for the gifts you will curate later on.
For example, this year you’ve decided you want to give reusable straws, stress balls, a mini travel game, and home-baked cookies. You’ll be gifting 12 people in your extended circle. You want everyone to get the cookies, and then 2 more small gifts, so you plan to shop for 12 packs of reusable straws, 8 mini travel games and 4 stress balls. That way every one will get a perfectly curated gift.
Gift-Wrapping and What You’ll Need
One of the elements that you should add to your to-do is wrapping the gift - or at least think about it in advance. Shop for wrapping paper when you’re shopping for gifts, or if wrapping isn’t your strong suit, plan to shop for Christmas gift bags. Here’s a few more things you’ll need for a pretty and picturesque pile of gifts under your Christmas tree, depending on what you’re gifting.
- Ribbons
- Tags
- Cellophane bags
- Boxes
- Hot glue gun or adhesive tape
- Scissors
- Decorative elements to make your gifts stand out
- Glitter
- Pot-pouri to glue onto your gifts (and to smell super nice!)
- Artificial Flowers
- …
A To-Do List for Writing Christmas Cards:
Even though writing Christmas Cards isn’t as widespread as it used to be, it is still an appreciated gesture. Here’s what we should think of before writing the Christmas cards.
- Make a list of people you want to write to. Think of the people who have sent you a card last year and make sure to include them in your list.
- Find their addresses, if you have the access to those. If you don’t have their home address, you can also let them know you’ll be sending them a Christmas card this year and ask them for their address.
- Plan out the stationery you’ll need for your Christmas cards and make a few test ones to see if you need to shop for anything else before you start making them.
- Plan what your Christmas cards are going to say
- Write the cards & send them out in time!
Christmas Decorating To-Do List
The best time for shopping isn’t December, which is why planning your Christmas to-do’s in advance is so important, especially for the bigger gifts.
Before making a to-do for your Christmas Decorations, you need to clear up a few things first:
- Do you want brand new decor or will you be reusing the things that you have?
- Will you be following a theme?
- How much decorating are we talking about?
We have segmented the things you can use to decorate by how important they are to set the scene and get ready for Christmas:
Must Have Christmas Decoration List, To Set The Mood
- A Christmas Tree
- Christmas Tree Ornaments
- Indoor Fairy Lights
- The Advent Calendar
- A Nativity Scene (we love this one, but it is optional to your preferences!)
Nice-To-Have Christmas Decoration List
- Christmas Door Wreath
- Tree Topper
- Figurines to decorate shelves and other surfaces
- Christmas Stockings
- Poinsettia Flower
- Window Decorations
- Advent Wreath
- Outdoor String Lights
- Christmas Scented Candles
- Christmas Mugs, Aprons and Napkins
- Christmas Pillows and Blankets
- Christmas Door Mat
How much you want to decorate is, of course, up to you, as even just the small details can set the mood and get you into the Christmas spirit.
After Christmas is over, make sure to store all of your Christmas decorations in a smart and efficient way, to make it a little easier for you to unpack next year.
Organize a Party Like No Other: The Ultimate Christmas Party To-Do List
Since December is such a merry month, spending time with our friends is an absolute must! There are always a bunch of parties happening in December, but why not organize one yourself for your closest ones. Party organizing can be a big deal, but having a plan and a structure behind planning the event can be helpful. Here’s a Christmas party to-do list to help you organize your own party.
Christmas Eve To-Do list
The day before Christmas is a big day that ends in an even bigger evening. Since there are a lot of Christmas Eve family traditions we are planning on doing every year. Since we know what a rush it can be, here are a few things you shouldn’t forget about when planning the perfect evening. Here’s our short Christmas Eve To-Do List.
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night
25 Things To-Do of Throughout December
If you love performing Christmas traditions advent calendar style, this one's for you. We prepared a list of 25 things to do throughout December for families. As we know December is a stressful month, and a simple to-do list can guide us through everything we need to have a fulfilling, holiday spirited December.
We can’t imagine a successful Christmas without planning in advance, and what better way to do that than with some to do lists. We hope this guide will help you throughout your December in a way that will be enjoyable for everyone, even you.