How many times have you wished you’d set up a Christmas savings fund? Or at least started your holiday gift shopping earlier in the year?
We all know it’s a good idea to do most of the work early, but a rare few of us actually do it.
If you haven’t started planning yet, the good news is — there’s still time. There are 12 weeks left until Christmas, which means time to save some extra money and definitely get a head start on your gift giving and event planning.
Start With the Big Picture
This year, we’d also like to challenge you to spend a few minutes thinking about what typically makes the holidays magical and inspiring for you.
Whatever makes you feel the most content, make a conscious decision (and a plan) to spend more time doing that.
The same goes for recognizing what stresses you out this time of year. Stop those bad elves before they have a chance to put a lump of coal in your stocking.
Maybe it’s…
…the stressed out argument with your significant other that ends in, “She’s your Impossible-to-Please mother, why can’t you be in charge of her gift?”
…the Day of Reckoning, “How many $200 grocery trips have we made this week?”
…or the question my husband and I ask each other while evaluating the holiday haul on Christmas Eve, “I know we don’t want our kids to be super consumers, but is this enough to get excited about?”
How to Plan for a Simpler Holiday
- Take the hardest person to shop for on your list, and get his or her gift NOW. Just by taking the pressure of timing off, you might end up finding the perfect gift.
- If you always find yourself wondering if you’re giving too much (or too little) to your kids, try a simple solution like the Want, Need, Wear, Read approach to gift giving. Too many toys leave a child not knowing where to focus. Give your child a few meaningful gifts, and you’ll see they truly value quality and thoughtfulness over quantity.
- Prepare your budget now. Here on the Green Child team, we increasingly appreciate the value of spreadsheets. The grids and numbers satisfy our analytical side, and one crafted to tell a story through numbers is like heaven to both sides of our brain. That’s why we’re happy to share our Holiday Budget & Planning spreadsheet with you.
These free printable worksheets break down your planning into manageable sections:
- Gift giving
- Decor & food
- Holiday cards
- Events (& travel)
- Charity & giving back
These printable sets each include four sheets for gift planning, a budget worksheet, address sheet, and agenda. We’d love to hear your feedback on the worksheets. Our team celebrates Christmas, but if you have something to add that makes it more specific to your holidays, we’re happy to include it!
This planner can be easily printed at home. Print more than one copy if you have more events, etc. We recommend using recycled printer paper and pens that write like a dream.
Download the Ultimate Holiday Planner { free! }
{ click the image to download, or right click the link and “save link as” }
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