Holiday Checklist

Are you ready to see your holidays go smoothly? What about a holiday checklist? It is possible! Here is the idea, brain dump and then organize. Recently I spoke to a long-time homeschool mom friend, Janice Campbell. She like me homeschooled for many years and had some great ideas in our podcast. You can listen here – Holiday Checklist Organization

I’m more of a big-picture person, I like to brain dump put all the things that need to be accomplished and then, organize it by time and date. Here is an example of the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. We are going to go with the idea that you are hosting a meal – if you are going somewhere you still want to take something right. (Sorry, I’m of Italian descent – we don’t show up empty-handed!)

Food – need to decide what to eat. (or bring)
Decorations – what I am doing about this
Christmas Cards
Parties
Gifts – who am I buying for?
School – what dates are we doing school
School – what dates are our holidays?
Events – am I participating in holiday events?
Every day – when do we have time to do laundry, food, chores.

Okay, we have a big picture, we need to continue with our everyday chores, feed people, we need to decorate, and buy gifts. But, homeschoolers have so much more. We have school and events surrounding the holidays. There are plays, and pageants, and park days and ice-skating, and well, you get the picture. Are you laying down yet?

Please friends, use short cuts, ask other people who are coming to bring a meal or if you are bringing a side or dessert keep it simple and a crowd favorite. And, give yourself permission to say no. I said no to many things such as organizing homeschool field trips or parties. We visited the nursing home, made crafts at the park (kids got to play afterward), and kept it simple.

The good news is here is the help you need. I’m going to help organize this mess. Be sure to make times for the things that are really important to your family.

Holiday Checklist

Here is the same list with some sublists:

Food – need to decide what to eat. (or bring)
- Easy – Easy – Easy. Make-ahead casseroles
- Make roasts such as turkey or chicken it goes further
- Bake ahead and freeze. I have pureed sweet potato, pumpkin, mashed potatoes
- Sides – have your guests bring them or use frozen or store-bought.
- Use short cuts – I give you permission.
- Baking – are you doing this or buying ready-made?
- Use a schedule for when you are doing the different parts of the holiday meal
Decorations – what I am doing about this
- Thanksgiving – have the kids make chains with fall colors
- Use fall type decoration – kids art is great
- Make a handprint wreath -instructions in November’s printable
Christmas Cards
- Taking pictures? Buying cards? Mailing? (This is one thing I send only to immediate family.)
- When are you taking pictures or writing and mailing cards?
Parties
- Are you hosting or going?
- Put these on the calendar.
- Prep guide in this month’s printable
Gifts – who am I buying for?
- Big gifts like nature center pass, the zoo or events (plays)
- Year-long passes keep giving all years
- Little filler gifts like nice binoculars (online for less than $10), etc.
- Are you doing stockings or not
- Make gifts? When are you scheduling this?
- Gift buying – budget, when, etc.
School – what dates are we doing school/Datesforholidays
- If you know when you are taking a break it is easier to plan all the other events.
- How much more school work must you complete before the break?
- When are you starting school back up?
Events – am I participating in holiday events?
- Can I make time?
- How important is this to our family
- What dates will I need to plan for.
Every day – when do we have time to do laundry, food, chores.
- Schedule these.