We all have that list of things to get for Christmas, but are you getting ready ahead of time? With a few more weeks until the big holiday, these tips are perfect for helping you get ready for the big day in advance. Take a look at our tips for what things to get for Christmas early!
What Things To Get For Christmas Early
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Send Christmas cards to friends and family. Christmas cards usually only take a few days to arrive at their destination, but starting early is a must. With hand-addressed and signed cards, you want to give yourself a week or so to finish before you need to mail them. My favorite places to order customized Christmas cards are Shutterfly and Tiny Prints. Many start mailing holiday greetings as early as Thanksgiving. This is one of those things to get for Christmas you should start on early in the season.
Shop for stocking stuffers and prepare stockings. Stocking stuffers are often inexpensive items you can shop for year round. Things like stickers, games, small toys, pens, pencils, and even candy can all be picked up on sale or at your local dollar stores throughout the year and tucked away just for Christmas.
Mail packages to friends and family out of state. Packages take a bit longer to arrive than cards. At the very least, you want to give most destinations in the US a 7-10 day arrival window. That means, for most, you need those packages in the mail no later than December 15th, but preferably earlier. The post office is incredibly busy during the holidays, but Amazon Prime makes it easy to ship gifts directly to out of town friends and family. Some items can be gift wrapped too!
Do your holiday baking in advance. This is probably my favorite way to get for Christmas early. I gather up all of my baking supplies and really work hard on preparing for the various holiday events. Choose a weekend in late November or early December, gather your supplies, and bake the day away. You can make all manner of holiday cookies, fudge, cakes, pies, and you could even prepare side dishes for the big meal in advance! Get tips for holiday baking in batches here.
Clean guest rooms for overnight family guests. This is one of those things to do ahead of time so you aren’t rushed at the last minute. If your guest room doubles as an office or den, you can begin early by rearranging items or cleaning a little at a time. If you have a designated guest room, prepare fresh linens, restock toiletries, and spruce things up so the last minute preparations are easier to manage.
I love adding a candle, some potpourri, and a fun book to read to a guest room to make things feel more like home. You could even go the extra mile and add a small oil diffuser, an assortment of essential oils, and a book on oil blends to the bedside table!
Assembling presents. Any gift that you plan to put together and have under the tree on Christmas morning should be assembled before Christmas Eve. Every parent has stayed up all night at least one time in their life putting together a bike or doll house. (I don’t think my husband ever wants to assemble a dollhouse on Christmas Eve again!) This year, plan ahead to have things assembled and hidden to pull out for the kids on Christmas morning.
From the last minute shopping and baking to the cleaning you will need to do, there are many things to get for Christmas ahead of time. Whether it is doing the cleaning or grabbing supplies, being ready ahead of the holiday will ease a ton of your stress so you can simply stop and enjoy time with your children.
Dee
Sunday 11th of December 2016
I always leave the stocking stuffers for the last minute, but I know I shouldn't! Thanks for sharing these tips at Merry Monday! :)
Darcy Zalewski
Tuesday 13th of December 2016
It's easy to focus on the bigger gifts first, but stocking stuffers are easier to hide! Thanks for stopping by, Dee. :)