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Getting ready for Christmas. If those words fill you with a sense of panic, you’re not alone!
Whether you’re super-organised and have it all planned and prepped already, or always end up doing everything last-minute, there’s no denying that preparing for Christmas takes a lot of time and effort. Add in the usual demands of a busy family home, and it’s no wonder we can quickly feel frazzled!
Easy ways to make Christmas less stressful
If you’d like to make Christmas less stressful and more enjoyable, the key is to save time where you can. Doing this means you’ll have more time to tackle all those extra jobs that Christmas demands – and it will help you feel more relaxed and ready to enjoy yourself too.
Here are some ideas for simple ways you can save time and make Christmas less stressful.
Do your big food shop online
If you don’t already shop for your groceries online, now’s the time to consider doing it. You can definitely save a considerable chunk of time here; I’ve spent hours in the supermarket doing the main Christmas food shop in the past! Doing the big shop online is also a good way to stick to your Christmas budget and stop wasting money on food.
Keep an eye on the dates when delivery slots are released, and book yours as soon as you can. Once this is done, you can add to your order whenever it’s convenient for you.
Use an online pharmacy
Prescriptions are another great option for making the switch to online. Trips to the GP or the local chemist aren’t exactly easy right now, and using an online pharmacy is a convenient alternative. Using a UK regulated online pharmacy such as Oxford Online Pharmacy allows you to request prescription medication, and have it sent directly to your home. You can access medication for pets and general health supplies such as pain relief and vitamins too – perfect for stocking up ready for the holidays.
Have a pre-Christmas clearout
Clearing out unwanted clothes, books and toys might not seem like an obvious way to save time at Christmas, but making space in your home is a great way to help things run smoothly.
Decluttering will make it quicker and easier to keep your home clean and tidy. Making space also allows you to find homes for new toys and gifts without spending ages clearing up first – and it will also mean you have room for the Christmas tree!
It’s also a good idea to take a little time to re-organise and re-stack your kitchen cupboards. It’s the same principle here: knowing where everything is, and having space for extra supplies will save you time when the kitchen goes into full-on Christmas mode. It will also help you identify things you need to add to the shopping list, so you don’t have to make a last-minute dash to the shops.
Cook in advance
Food preparation can represent a large proportion of the extra time we need to find at Christmas. Aim to cook as much as you can in advance, and make full use of your freezer. Don’t just think about the main days of Christmas either; having some of your usual family meals ready to go in the run-up to the big day is another great way to save time.
Get the whole family to help out
It’s all too easy to take on every last bit of Christmas prep yourself. Perhaps you think it’s easier or quicker to do it yourself, or secretly believe you’re the only one who can ‘do it properly’. This is not the time of year for this type of thinking!
Get the whole family involved wherever you can. Cleaning, cooking, gift shopping, present wrapping and card writing will all benefit from extra pairs of hands, and save you lots of time. Even very small children can help with things like dusting and tidying up. And of course, decorating the house for Christmas is an ideal job for everyone to tackle, and a lovely way to spend time together.
An added bonus of getting everyone to help out is that you have more time for some family fun. My free printable Christmas nature scavenger hunt is a lovely, low-effort way to get everyone outside, or you could have a giggle with my Christmas jokes for kids.
Prepare a Christmas morning kit
If there’s any chance of the Christmas gifts involving batteries or fiddly setup, this tip can be a real lifesaver. Take five minutes on Christmas Eve to gather together batteries, scissors and screwdrivers, and you’ll be ready to tackle tricky packaging and get those presents working much more quickly.
If you’re gifting toys that are very securely attached to their packaging, you might even want to consider freeing them up and installing batteries before you wrap them, to save even more time. We did this a lot when our kids were smaller and it definitely helped with the stress levels.
Finally, have a notepad and pen handy too, so you can keep track of all those presents for the thankyou cards. Nobody wants to spend ages hunting down stationery on Christmas morning!
How do you save time at Christmas? Tell me your number one way to make Christmas less stressful 🙂
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