It is never too early to get ahead of your Christmas planning. Although you may think it’s too soon to think about next Christmas, it can actually save you a lot of money, stress and time by thinking ahead. Here are some of our top tips get ahead of Christmas planning for next year.
Pack Christmas lights away with care
It is never fun to get you Christmas decorations out and have to spend hours painfully trying to untangle your Christmas lights. When you remove them from your tree take the time to lay them out carefully. You can buy specific tree light reel holders for your lights. Alternatively, you can simply use a piece of thick cardboard to wrap them around. You will be extremely grateful that you have done this when next Christmas comes around.
Update your address book
People often use Christmas cards as a great way of sharing their new address. Make a note of any of these changes and ensure you update your address book. If you want to be even more organised, you can always have a Christmas card list ready in your address book, on your phone or on a spreadsheet. Writing Christmas cards can sometimes be tedious, so this can help reduce the time it takes for you to complete the card-writing session.
Recycle Christmas cards
Wherever possible, recycle your Christmas cards. Check to see if you can recycle them first. Even better, you can cut out the front of any cards that have a lovely design on them and turn them into Christmas tags for next year.
Take stock of your decorations
When you’re packing away your decorations make a list of what you have. Get rid of any broken decorations and baubles and use the list to keep track of your decorations, leftover wrapping, Christmas crackers, Christmas cards and more. This will ensure you don’t buy any replicas during the year because you simply couldn’t remember what you already had. Consider storing the decorations in clear boxes so that you can easily locate everything next year.
Book Christmas plans early
Wanting to go away next Christmas? Many people do not like to plan too far ahead but when it comes to Christmas you should as the earlier you book, the more likely you are to get the hotel/holiday home that you are after. Although you can often get some amazing last-minute deals for smaller properties, if you are after something larger or in a specific popular location you may end up disappointed.
Plan your crafts
Crafting your own presents can save you a bit of money and are often much more thoughtful and personal. The reason why a lot of people do not opt for homemade options is that they don’t think they have enough time. If you plan in advance throughout the year this will not be a problem. Decide early on in the year any ideas that you have. Then ensure you dedicate a certain amount of time each month to these projects. Not only will you benefit from this organisation when Christmas comes along, but you also will not be stressed about what to buy for people and crafting is a great pastime that can be calming and a lot of fun.
Start saving
Christmas can come round extremely quickly which can be a financial strain for many. Saving from the beginning of the year is a great way to help spread the cost of Christmas without going into debt or relying on credit cards. Set yourself a budget each month and ideally transfer this amount into a separate savings account.
Make the most of January and Summer sales
The January sales are a great chance to grab some great deals on festive items so use this as an opportunity to stock up on wrapping paper, decorations and more. Also, make the most out of the sales throughout the year. By planning a bit in advance, you can make the most out of the great deals. Just make sure you have a rough plan of what you want to buy, otherwise, you could end up wasting a lot of money on items you do not need.
Plan Christmas meals
Bored with the standard turkey you have every year? Try searching for new meal ideas throughout the year. Doing this in advance gives you plenty of time to search for interesting new dishes and also gives you enough time to practice and perfect the recipes before the day itself. Use this time to also ensure you have enough tableware, cutlery and serving dishes for all the recipes you want to make.
Create a Christmas planner
The key to organising Christmas in advance is to stay on track. Using a Christmas planner can help you keep everything in one place. From Christmas card lists, recipes, Christmas gift lists, budget and more.
Christmas planning can be stressful but it doesn’t have to be. These are just a few ways to get ahead of Christmas planning. Making the most of sales throughout the year can help you grab some bargains, save some money, allow you to be creative and avoid any last-minute rush.
