How to Prep for the Holidays Now

Labor Day has come and gone and you might be sitting back, savoring the last days of summer.

But here’s the thing: counting this month, there are only four months left in the year. When I reviewed our holidays last year, my biggest takeaway was that I needed to start earlier. Like now.

I can enjoy prepping for the holidays if I’m not feeling rushed, and I can get everything done that I want done.

So here’s a timetable of what you can do to prep for the holidays now and in the months ahead.

September to October: Prep for Halloween

Time to make Halloween decorations, especially if you want to involve the grandkids.

• Make cheesecloth ghosts to decorate tables or hang them from the ceiling.
• Craft a Halloween diorama. All you need is a shoebox, some black paint, and recycle scraps.
• Assemble some pumpkins from old socks. The soft sculpture pumpkins make beautiful table decorations that can take you through Thanksgiving; no sewing machine needed.

October to November: Prep for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving usually takes a lot of work, cooking and baking. So do what you can a month ahead.

• Plan your menu and gather the recipes; put them in a three-ring binder. Photocopy recipes from your cookbooks, too. Now you’ll have all your recipes in one place without cookbook clutter.

• Plan your Thanksgiving table setting–especially if there will be little ones for the first time.
• I always use place cards. The place cards might be folded cards cut from cardstock. But when I am more ambitious, I might bake turkey-shaped cookies and ice them with each guest’s name, or have a small treat box at each place. You can bake and freeze the cookies in advance; make treat boxes with a Cricut machine if you have one, or buy inexpensively from a dollar store.

Prep for Christmas: Now

Prep time-consuming projects now, so you can enjoy the doing, instead of rushing through.

• Stitch a felt stocking Advent calendar. When I first got the idea, it was already late. Miss T and I had a marathon sewing and decorating session to make 24. If you like the idea, start your stockings now.
• Get kids to make family Christmas gifts early. For our best DIY ideas, search gifts.

• Start your holiday card list. If you mail cards, prepare your mailing list and mailing labels. If you send e-greetings, create your electronic card using a design website like Canva. There is a free version.
• Work with the grandkids to craft gift tags and gift wrap to make more interesting, more ecological and more cost-effective gift packaging.

• Around Thanksgiving, book time with the grandkids for any holiday activities. Last year, we had the hardest time coordinating schedules for our annual cookie baking event and then our gingerbread house party.

• Complete your Christmas decorating on Thanksgiving weekend so it’s off your to-do list. Once your home is decorated, you can enjoy the festive appearance and focus on other activities.
• Take care of time-consuming Christmas projects now. Last year, I wanted to make a photo ornament for each Christmas Eve dinner guest to serve as a party favor and place card. I ran out of time.

• Another make-ahead project is Christmas crackers. You could buy them, but I like to customize them for my table decor and to personalize the gift inside.

Why Prep for the Holidays Now

You can enjoy each activity without feeling rushed if you start the prep work far in advance. When you get ahead of the prep, you can better involve the grandkids because you’ll have the time and patience to guide and supervise their projects.

You’ll also make your holidays go smoother and easier, less hectic, and more fun!

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