As I write this, the outside temperature is 92°; the end of summer is nowhere in sight. Yet now is a great time to start considering (in my case, longing for) cooler weather and create a plan for the holidays.
Unless you’re five years old, it’ll be here before you know it
Most of us remember being children who thought Christmas would never get here. It seemed the time from Thanksgiving until Christmas lasted forever. When I was young, even the night before Christmas seemed to drag. My brothers and I would try to sneak down the hall in the middle of the night, only to be met by the warden (my mother) ordering us back to bed.
As you age, time moves faster; before you know it, December will be here and you’ll wonder how you’re going to get everything done. Planning now removes some of that panic and can provide you a roadmap for a more relaxed holiday season.
Determine how much you want to spend
It’s easy during the December rush to spend on gifts without any thought as to how much you’re spending or how you’re going to pay off the credit cards come January. One way to overcome this is to determine ahead of time how much you want to spend on the holidays, then break it down by costs per person or event. Look at what you spent last year and the results of that spending. Were people amazed at their gift or was it simply another present? Did you spend too much trying to travel to your relatives’ homes – both in money and time? Not only can setting the budget help you with costs, it can also inspire you to set expectations around travel now. Letting your parents or relatives know that you will be changing the ritual will give them a chance to get used to the idea. Plus, you can search for deals on flights earlier if you’re able to settle on a schedule for holiday visits.
Use mid-year bonuses or unused gift cards
If your company hands out mid-year bonuses, consider designating the money for a holiday fund. However, keep an eye on the budget so you don’t just think of this as extra money you can spend this year for Christmas.
Search your drawers and wallet for unused gift cards. I often receive gift cards to stores that I hardly ever enter. Just because I don’t regularly shop there doesn’t mean I can’t find the perfect gift there for someone else.
This is a great time to investigate your credit card rewards as well. You can redeem rewards for gift cards or even purchase items using reward points. However, make sure that your points are redeemed at 1¢ per point (or more). Some card companies that allow points to be used for purchases add on a 10% penalty. Why pay more for the convenience?
Budget time now for purchasing
If you start thinking about the holidays now, you can start paying for the holidays now. Make time to start crossing names off your list. Maybe you begin with the easier presents: you have a nephew who is 7 and loves Lego sets – this should be a no-brainer. Or your sister has been hinting all year about a certain pair of jeans – if it’s in your budget, buy them and cross her off your list.
More time to find deals
Starting early also gives you a chance to buy at your pace. You can use comparison sites that will let you know when the price of that Lego set is lower than normal. If you have people who are notoriously hard to shop for, you have more time to find that perfect something just for them. Plus starting earlier provides a better selection of items that may be sold out or hard to find in December.
More time to enjoy come December
When both my kids were in high school, our December weekends were packed. School concerts, dance performances, get-togethers with friends and family… My wife and I would schedule a coffee “date” in early fall to plan for the rush. Every year it seemed that we had only one or two free weekend days between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Dealing with the pressures of the holidays earlier in the year may not magically open up your calendar, but it can make life easier during a crazy time. We found we were able to enjoy the concerts and parties more because we didn’t have a long list of to-dos circulating in our brains.
You have time this year to try something different. Consider sitting down for a cup of coffee and planning out your holidays. Perhaps you can do the majority of your shopping before Thanksgiving. While you might not have a totally stress-free holiday, accomplishing some of your to-do list early will help it be more enjoyable.
Photos by Jill Wellington