Hello Lovely People !
There's no denying that Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year but it can also be pretty stressful. There's money to find, gifts to buy, arguments to ... well, argue hehe . In avoiding all of these stressful things I've found that organisation is key. So I've compiled a list of five essential tips that can help you make the most of your ( Stress free ) Christmas !
The Early Bird Catches The Worm
Prepare ! Organize yourself. Do not, I repeat DO NOT leave your shopping until the last minute. Get shopping as early as possible to make sure you get the gifts that your friends and family will be sure to love. If you're struggling for ideas, for the next four days of Blogmass I've got gift guides for Secret Santa, Women, Men, and Kids. There's something for everyone so be sure to check back over the next few days for lots of ideas.
Always Take A Tote Bag
Talking of shopping ... If there's one thing that I've learned in years of Christmas shopping it's to always take a tote bag ! They are so incredibly useful. Too many times I've finished up my shopping and am walking back to the car exhausted from a day of Christmas shopping when in the middle of York city center all of the plastic bags simultaneously fall through. So this year I'm taking tote bags so I don't have to worry about them and for the added bonus I won't have to pay 5p for a bag , Yay !
Budget EVERYTHING
The last thing that you need at Christmas is to be stressing about money problems. So to avoid this, make sure you budget everything and know both what you have to spend and what you've already spent. For a step by step guide on how to budget your Christmas then check out yesterday's post here.
Post Those Christmas Cards
In the Uk Cards need to be sent by the 20th December second class or the 21st December first class to get your cards to their destination in time for Christmas. However the earlier you send them the longer they can be up so get writing!
Buying Wrapping Paper
We've all been there on Christmas eve when we've run out of wrapping paper with no time to buy any more. I also remember pulling a present out of my Santa sack as a kid while my mum mumbled something about the elves running out of wrapping paper hehe. Make sure you stock up on plenty of wrapping paper and buy tags. Last year I didn't buy any tags and handed everyone their presents with a post-it note with their names on ... not a good look.
What are your favorite tips to stay organized at Christmas ? Have you ever had any funny Christmas organization disasters ? I'd love to hear from you in the comments !
Don't forget to check back tomorrow for the first of four posts in my new mini series of gift guides.
Stay Strong <3 Stay Smiley :)
Lots of love, Marianne xxx
P.s. M<y blog now has a facebook page and i'd really appreciate you took a look and maybe gave it a like for regular updates on when I post!
This was such a useful post, and I agree buying presents as early as possible definitely helps make everything stress free :)
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I'm so glad ! It's so much easier if you've got everything sorted so that you can lie back and enjoy the holiday !
Deletelots of love, Marianne xxx
Amazing post! It was really helpful and I will definitely follow your advice! Thanks for sharing these tips with us :) x
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I'm happy to help :) Have a great week !
Deletelots of love, Marianne xxx
You're totally right about the early bird catching the worm - it's SO worthwhile having everything prepared in advance for Christmas, especially the shopping (both presents and food)! :)
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It's so much nicer to enjoy the festive season than to run around trying to buy pressies last minute !
Deletelots of love, Marianne xxx
I definitely agree on preparing early making life a lot easier! I'm pretty much all done now so I feel like I can really enjoy all the festivities instead of running around busy shopping centres! And a good point on bringing a bag with you! The amount of times I've forgotten one and been so frustrated at myself! Damn that 5p charge!
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That's amazing, I wish I was as organised as you hehe :) It's so much easier to take a toke bag, they won't snap and you wont be charged an extra 5p at every counter :)
Deletelots of love, Marianne xxx
Thanks for all your amazing tips darling. For me right now I am like Jesus the food I am always thinking in food in this month
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No problem honey ! Food is definitely one of the best parts of Christmas !
Deletelots of love,Marianne xxx
Brilliant tips. I must remember my tote bags especially as I have one too many! Really enjoying your blogmas so far! Monica xx
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Tote bags are one of the most useful things :) Thank you so much, that means the world and I'm loving writing it !
DeleteLots of love, Marianne xxx
Thank you honey !
ReplyDeletelots of love, Marianne xxx
Definitely some great advice for staying stress free at Christmas. I know too well what it is like to be in a mad panic about buying presents so being organised is a very good tip! I find that if you're organised as well you can enjoy the whole Christmas experience more. I'm currently in the process of writing a similar post about activities for being mindful over the Christmas period - I will be posting it soon so please keep a look out :) Gemma xx
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