The Holidays Are Here.... Stay Calm!

Walking through Walmart in October... I found myself irritated that I hadn't even taken my bats and ghosts down yet, and they were making room for Christmas decorations! The clock had started. Ready, Set, Go! How does starting the Holidays so early affect us and our children, and how can we get organized, squeeze all of that Holiday "Joy" in and keep our families in tact in the process?

First, keep in mind that the earlier we "get started" on holiday preparations, the longer we increase the "wait time" for our children. Do what you must do early, but try to keep it "under the radar" if possible, and if anything, don't torture the kids by displaying presents weeks before opening.

Keep a Holiday Planner - Take a careful look at your time Just like money, time in the future looks like it will cover more than it actually will. be sure to mark down EVERYTHING: school events, houseguests, service projects, work parties, cookie exchanges, shopping, presents, church events, and school breaks. Preparations such as; baking, cards, pictures, and decorating. Deadlines for mailing cards and presents. Recognize when the calendar is full - then stop. Be sure to leave some down time and family time. And remember- more activities mean more mess, so leave extra time for cleaning. If you find there is not enough time for it all, decide what is REALLY necessary and prioritize. You can best manage your time by recognizing your limitations and learn to say no. Quit stressing yourself out!

As the big day approaches, children get anxious, excited and even hyper and need help coping. We are working so hard to make the Holiday's perfect, that children are often lacking companionship and attention. With the lack of attention, and all of the excitement it is inevitable that it seems as if they are going behind you "undoing" all of your hard work! Instead of threats that "Santa won't come" look for ways to let them be part of the preparation. Let children seal envelopes, help decorate the tree, help bake, crack nuts, and learn songs. Be prepared with a few craft projects, let them string popcorn, make place mats or gift tags, make homemade wrapping paper with potato stamps. Remember those? Also, be sure to pick a compassionate service project to participate in during the school break to avoid boredom, reduce the "what am *I* getting?" obsession, and help them to experience and enjoy the fun of giving.

Stay calm. Accidents will happen, someone will get sick, kids and adults get overtired and there is a good chance on the big day, your child may say "Is this all?" If so, take heart in knowing that this is all normal, and just like the house next down the street. Give yourself a gift this holiday and lower your expectations. Some problems can be avoided with some time management planning and great organizational tools, and others by simplifying our lives, paying attention to stress and anxiety we are creating for ourselves and our children during the holidays and lastly, in accepting imperfections.

For some Holiday organization tips - and other organization ideas and thoughts, check out my blog simplyorganizedbysandy.blogspot.com

Have a Happy and Peaceful Holiday - Sandy