De-Stressing your Holidays

I love this time of year, it’s a time for sharing well-loved recipes that tie one generation to the next. It’s a time for sharing stories of past holidays and creating new stories for the future. It can also be a time of great anxiety and stress for some who struggle to figure out how to live up to all the expectations in the magazines and Pinterest. It can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be.

I love big family gatherings and I adore being in the kitchen but I also want to be part of the festivities. With an early well planned schedule you can have a wonderful holiday and have your events run smoothly. There is so much to do and so little time to do it in. The key is to start early and break everything down into small manageable tasks, this will de-stress your holidays and put joy back in you season. As a young navy wife, money was tight, as a stay at home mom I learned early that if I wanted to have a Christmas like I enjoyed as a child planning was essential . Armed with a calendar, notebook, paper and pen, I will share the time management skills I learned with you.

We are going to create a series of lists:

1. Gift List A. Store List B Maintenance

2. Event menu C. Shopping D. Serve ware

3. House guest E. Household F. Maintenance

4. Decoration G. Shopping

5. Cooking schedule

First you need to decide what events you will attend, be selective, don’t spread yourself thin. Schedule some “down time’ for yourself to recharge and relax. You are so much more productive when you’re not exhausted, go look at lights, see a movie, or how about a massage? Mark all events on your calendar.

Create your gift list,( I purchase a lot of gifts online) make a list by store location to avoid having to return to the same store multiple times, mark shopping days on your calendar. Starting early allows you time to make personalized gifts. Out of town gifts should be mailed early with Christmas cards, shoot for thanksgiving ( put it on the calendar). Check your holiday decoration early, make a list of what you need to buy and schedule a day in November after thanksgiving to decorate ( you can spread it over a few days).

Planning a holiday dinner, a cookie party or cocktail party, it’s important to decide how many guests there will be what food will be served, what day the event will take place. If you are going to cook plan your menu early and make a and shopping list. Keep all recipes organized Buy non-perishables items early. Many foods like cookies can be made ahead frozen, and then decorated when thawed. I always check prep and cooking times and create a schedule of what time each dish needs to be started so I can easily get everything done and just enjoy my day.

If you are having out of town guests coming this year, take a walk thru your home as early as possible and decide what needs to be done, I touch up paint to freshen up the house. I check linens, pillows and towels for guests, making a list of needed items. I like to include a small basket in my guest room with fuzzy sox and lotions powders and chocolates, adding these items to your list. In the kitchen check your dish towels, wash cloths, and table cloths, what do you need to replace? Put needed items on your household list.

Now check dishes, glasses, cups and flatware, do you need to replace or will you use disposable, there are many nice plastic options at low prices. Using your menu do you have enough serving platters, and bowls, ( I have found some beautiful serving platters at second hand shops ) don’t forget serving spoon and forks, tongs and salad forks. I know the list may be starting to get a bit long, but since you are starting early you can check things off as you pick them up. Watch for sales, home goods and discount stores have a lot of bargains. Add all needed items on your household list.

Make ahead meals for the holiday week: chili and corn bread, shepherd’s pie, chili mac, spaghetti and meatballs, minestrone soup, Chicken curry. With dinners frozen ahead you will have plenty of time to work on getting things ready for your holiday. Schedule a day to cook freezer meals.

Now you have all your gifts bought the house is decorated and you have purchased all your non- perishables. You will need to steam clean all carpets a few weeks prior. I create a schedule of “to do’s” . 2 weeks before I cook all things that can be frozen including meals for the week before the event. 3 days prior I go shopping for perishables and defrost the turkey.2 days before I am busy defrosting, cranberry sauce can be made now, prep veggies which are put into plastic bags for quicker cooking time. Day before cook desserts, cornbread for stuffing, and many of your side dishes can be prepared, prep appetizers like poppers, boil the eggs for deviled eggs and peel, dips get better overnight, meat balls, that way they just go into the oven on event day . Day of event I start cooking early because everything is now done. You don’t have to do it all on your own, if your budget allows hire a service to get the house cleaned, you can have gifts wrapped and mailed to the recipient if purchased online and save a trip to the post office. Many jobs can be delegated, Husbands and kids make great soux chefs. Out of town guest will almost always enjoy helping and work always goes quicker with many hands.

Remember, no one will know if a dish didn’t get made, or the decorations aren’t completed the way you wanted them to be, I miss something every year. Guests will only remember how much enjoyed the day and how much fun you were. I hope this helps to make your holiday season the best ever.