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Let go of overblown standards and expectations, including at least one holiday tradition that you and your family members no longer enjoy. Not only will you save time and possibly money, you will reduce your stress level.
Greet your guests at the door and avoid leaving them for extended periods of time. They don’t expect a gourmet meal or showroom home; most are just looking forward to the time together. Let your guests help when they offer. You will not only save money and time, they will enjoy contributing. Set a theme and have everyone bring his or her specialty.
The old theory that more hands make light work is true. Try doing some of the holiday shopping, wrapping, baking and decorating as a family to create more time together as well as save time to spend together in other ways.
Create meaningful new family traditions, such as visiting a tree farm and picking out your tree as a family. Or take a trip back in time and visit a live Nativity, like Bethlehem Revisited, as a family to see what it was really like when Christ was born.
If there is an easier or cheaper way to do something, try it. From trading babysitting with a friend to finish Christmas shopping or writing and copying a group holiday letter instead of creating individual cards, those simple steps can pay dividends to your time and sanity.
Instead of exchanging gifts with your friends and their children, host a cookie decorating party. Write the invitations in the form of a recipe and include all the ingredients needed, including friends, cookies, frosting, creativity and sprinkles. Let the kids get in on the action by creating their own aprons, too. When the party is over, pack each child a box of cookies and tie it with a string and a cookie cutter in the shape of his or her initial.
At Thanksgiving, celebrate the true meaning of the holidays by cutting out leaves from construction paper and encouraging everyone to write what they are thankful for. Be sure to share the thoughts throughout the meal or before blessing the food. In a similar fashion, at Christmas, have everyone list their favorite presents on small construction paper ornaments or gift boxes.
Gift giving can be one of the best ways to express your love and affection for your friends and family. Unfortunately, so many of us spend money we don’t have to buy presents people really don’t need for people we hardly know; instead, mutually opt out of gift exchanges if you can and buy the same great inexpensive gift everyone will appreciate, from extended family to office mates.
Plan a fun family trip instead of exchanging gifts. The memories will last much longer. If you must give presents, put small items that relate to the trip in everyone’s stocking. Items like gloves for a ski trip or sunglasses for a beach trip are perfect.
If you find the perfect gift for someone, buy it right then. If you find something better, you can always save it for another time, give it to someone else or simply return it. Always save your receipts. The item may not work, parts may be missing or you may change your mind.
Purchase gift cards, pampering certificates, tickets to a play or concert, gym or museum memberships or even magazine subscriptions for those hard-to-shop-for people. Not only do you have a better shot of pleasing your family and friends, you will save countless hours fighting the crowds for that perfect gift.
Have your children go through their toys and books and donate the ones they no longer enjoy to a charity. Not only will this make room for their new presents, it will teach them a lesson about giving, too.
Think about others. For example, adopt an angel tree child or a needy family. Pick them out at as a family and shop together—it will really help all of you to realize how blessed you are. Instead of cooking a huge meal and sitting around watching football this Thanksgiving, serve lunch at a homeless shelter. Nothing gets you in the holiday spirit more and relieves stress better than giving to others less fortunate or to those who are unable to be with their own families.