This question came from Pamela on our Merry Little Christmas Project Facebook page today:

My family had a wonderful, unexpected week long visit by a family member from out if state. Now I’m scrambling to tie up loose ends and it feels overwhelming. Any suggestions on how to complete my decorating , shopping and errands while keeping the spirit of Christmas? I feel like all of my planning was just not good enough and I’m trying not to feel discouraged.

As soon as I read it, I knew I had to write this post that’s been brewing in me over the past few days anyway.

You see, as much as I’ve planned and prepped and strategized over the past few months and focused on Doing Christmas Well with our MLC community, I still have quite a few items that haven’t been crossed off my To Do list. As Pamela shared, sometimes life pops up with unexpected (and even welcome) surprises and all the planning in the world doesn’t accomodate for the interruptions to our Christmas prep.

For me, I have to admit that Christmas is the very busiest season of the year for me. I put in long hours as someone whose blog focuses on saving money on your Christmas shopping. And while I LOVE helping others stretch their dollars, it can make for a hectic Christmas season no matter how much I plan ahead. I am not complaining about this – it’s just the reality of my life!

So, as a result, this is what met me this past week as I went to tackle my wrapping that hasn’t been done yet:

Confession: I still have some Christmas prep ahead of me. 

So, here is the choice I have to face:

Let my last minute Christmas stresses take the joy out of Christmas. 

or

Find a way to be Okay with the fact that I’m not as prepared for Christmas as I hoped to be. 

This is important, friends.

All of your planning will only sabotage your joy if your expectations for yourself are too lofty. 

Please don’t let that happen. 

Life is full and messy and imperfect – and so Christmas is too. Embrace it. It’s likely that not everything will go according to your timeline. Pat yourself on the back for what you have accomplished and move on.

And so, after thinking through my options, I am committing to choose JOY in the chaos. Want to join me? Here are a few tips on how you can do the same:

1. Write it ALL down.

Get out a piece of paper and a pen and write down everything that still needs to done before 12/25. Then go ahead and cross off anything on your list that is unnecessary. Go ahead. I’ll wait.

2. Make it a party.

Have wrapping to do? Pop in a movie, make yourself a cup of cocoa and enjoy the process. Have friends who’d like to join the party? Even better.

A couple of my friends and I had a little Christmas To Do List party last week. It’s way more fun that way. 

3. Take Shortcuts.

Wrap those gifts in dollar store gift bags, or even better, pillowcases! Have a 2 Hour Christmas Cookie baking party. Have breakfast for dinner (it’s easy!). Find ways to cut corners. You have my permission.

4. Delegate. 

You don’t have to be Super _____ (Mom, Grandma, Dad, Sister, Aunt, fill in the blank.) If there’s something on your list that someone else can do, ask them! (In all honesty, my husband is a better shopper than I am, so I’ve been asking him to be in charge of some of the shopping!)

5. PAUSE to enjoy.

When Christmas is all over, it won’t be the lack of beautiful wrapping that you regret. It will be NOT taking time to savor the moment. Put away the To Do list and read that Christmas book with your kids, watch that favorite Christmas movie, sing Christmas carols, play in the snow, light a candle for Advent, take a ride to look at Christmas lights.  Do it – you won’t regret it.

Hot Cocoa and a Christmas book are always a good idea. 

5. Take note for next year.

Don’t let this year’s stress be in vain. Take note of the things that you want to do differently next year. Like the year I cried on Christmas, let this year make next year better. (There is a section for this in the planner!)

6. Most of all, give yourself grace.

Enough said.

Now pardon me – I have some wrapping to do. Bring it on!

How about you? Do you have any tips to help with last minute Christmas stress?