The only way to have a nice & relaxing Christmas this year (short of hiring a maid), is to prepare well ahead of time.
Use this helpful list, to ensure you have a merry & jolly holiday (this list will also work for other holidays - New Years, Thanks Giving, Easter etc...).
1) Finish gift purchases 3 weeks prior to the holiday (that way you don't need to be running around, & can avoid the holiday rush - those that weren't prepared). If you haven't already shopped, you should do the remainder of your shopping online - the shops are already crowded!
2) Get all of your frozen foods 3 weeks prior to the holidays.
Get all of your fresh foods 2 days (some fruit (such as strawberries that don't keep) are only able to be purchased 1 day before) prior to the holiday.
If you do need to buy produce, or meat the day before - know what you need to buy, get up early, and go as soon as the shop opens. Go to a food place, that is not in a group of shops, but is by itself - people will be out shopping for clothes, & gifts - you don't want to be caught up in this.
3) Get the tree up & decorated 3 weeks prior to the Christmas holiday (if it's a fake one - and for relaxation purposes - get a fake one). If you have kids, get them to help you & make it a "family" occasion. Choose a date - e.g. 3rd December - and put the tree up on this date every year - that way, you create a new "special day", and you don't stress about it. If it is a real tree, you won't be able to get this until the week before Christmas (at the earliest) - you should get this as close as possible to Xmas - otherwise you will end up with very dry & flammable timber (which is not good as it is a fire hazard).
4) Wrap the gifts 2 weeks prior to the holiday. Make sure you place them well under the tree, and tell the little ones they are "off bounds". If the little ones are too tempted, place them in a cupboard (wrapped), and then place them under the tree when the children have gone to bed on Christmas Eve.
5) Allocate a "party room", and get it ready the day before the holiday. Hang balloons & streamers up, get placemats on the table, lay the cutlery out etc. Short of placing the food on the table, get as much ready the day before. If possible, close the room off & make it "out of bounds" once ready.
6) Prepare all of the food you can the day before - put the drinks in the fridge, make trifle & put it back in the fridge, put the cranberry jelly in a bowl (and... back in the fridge).
Even food that needs cooking can be prepared - for example - get the right number of potatoes out, & wash them (so all you need to do is cook them).
Look at the food you have bought, think "what can I do today, that I don't have to do tomorrow"?
If you are having a cold ham - slice it the day before, and place it back in the fridge.
A good idea for this day, is to hire a fridge - (this should be done 3 weeks in advance) - that way you can ensure you have plenty of room.
7) Wake up early on the day of the holiday - before the children (if possible). Place the meat in the oven to start cooking (this is only true if it is a big bird - such as a turkey). Look at the instructions for all of your food (before the day of the holiday), and know how long they are going to take to cook - don't forget to allow for preparation.
So if you are going to eat at midday, and your chicken takes two hours - give 1/2 hour for preparation, and start getting the bird ready at 9:30 - if you have lots of meat - write a list, so you know what you need to be doing and when (once again - write the list at least the day before, if not 2 days before the holiday).
8) Wake the kids up, & enjoy your holiday.
Sure... it's a lot of hard work, preparing for the Christmas holiday (and indeed any), but if you do just that - PREPARE, you will find that you have a hard, but relaxing holiday - which you, and your kids will appreciate.
Merry Xmas,
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