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Festive Season Survival Guide: Planning Ahead

Festive Season Survival Guide: Planning Ahead
Festive Season Survival Guide: Planning Ahead

There is no getting away from it, we all have so much to do during the festive season, from shopping for gifts, to ensuring that the food we prepare is up to scratch. Planning ahead will relieve so much stress so it is worth all the effort!

 

Befriend your to-do list during the festive season

There is no getting away from it, we all have so much to do, from shopping for gifts, to ensuring that the food we prepare is up to scratch. Planning ahead will relieve so much stress so it is worth all the effort!

 

Save your pennies

We always tend to spend more than we should during the festive season and almost always regret it afterwards. Make this festive season the one where you break the cycle.

Set a holiday budget which will not only need to include the presents you need to buy or the actual Christmas meal, but will also include outings, week-ends away, impromptu social events with friends, and all the entertainment your kids might need. If it is going to cost money then write it down.

 

Gifts & Wrapping

Once the initial planning has been done, you have to dive right in to getting things ticked off the list. When you start buying gifts, don’t think that the more you pay for a gift, the more you love a person. To help you stay within your budget, use any creativity you have to make homemade presents, such as:

  • biscuits/fudge/chocolates in a tin with a gorgeous ribbon and handmade card;
  • your prize-winning jam in a glass jar that you paint a design onto;
  • a bag/outfit that you sew; or
  • a birdhouse or house-plant pot that you make from leftover wood in your garage.

 

But if you don’t have a creative bone in your body, all is not lost, you could always give a person your ‘time’ in the form of babysitting services for a weekend, or a voucher for services you offer.

For those gifts that you do have to buy, don’t leave these until the day before Christmas when there is nothing left in the shop and everyone else is there jostling for the teller’s attention. Rather start early so that you can really relax before Christmas Day.

 

TOP TIP:

Shop throughout the year for Christmas. If you see something on special that you know a loved one will like, why not get it in June! However, if you really do not have time to get to the shops, there are many online stores that you could visit (including our fab UCAN online shop). 

Online shopping has become very safe and is a great way to get things done without physically having to go out, saving you time and money on buying unnecessary things! Many online shops even offer gift-wrapping.

 

Entertainment & Food

Possibly the most stressful part of the festive season is trying to decide what to feed your guests. But considering that not everyone loves to cook, and hats off to those that do, planning ahead is so necessary. In order to do so properly, consider the following:

  • Are you going fancy or casual this festive season? Braai or gourmet?
  • Can you buy already prepared foods or do I need to consult the recipe book?
  • Can you delegate and maybe ask others to bring something to add to the feast?
  • What ingredients do you need?
  • Can you cook anything ahead of time and freeze it?
  • Do you have enough dishes/plates/ cutlery/glasses for everyone and if not, who can bring some for you?

 

Festive Season Decor

Setting up the Christmas décor is (generally) so much fun. Start with unpacking the Christmas tree and decorations, giving them a good clean before putting them up. Get the kids to help and try not to control their tree décor – remember to relax and think like a kid!

If you have a large collection of decorations and any of them are broken or seriously out-dated, use the opportunity to toss what you don’t need. Then make sure that you have a suitable container available to store your decorations once you have finished with them (more ideas on this later).

Your Christmas décor items will include:

  • Crockery and cutlery (enough for everyone that is coming to visit).
  • Serving dishes and spoons.
  • Scented/unscented candles.
  • Serviettes and other table linen.
  • Wreaths and table setting favours.
  • Christmas lights, tree and Christmas ornaments and decorations.
  • Tree ‘skirt’ and stockings.

 

Next week, we'll give you all the festive season travel tips you need. Watch this space.