Now that the decor’s on sale for 70% off, and Santa is comfortably relaxing in Florida…we can safely say the madness of Christmas is over.
Here are some ideas to help you for next year…
1.) Wrap as you buy, and label everything with a post-it! Also keep a running record of what you bought, and keep all receipts together. I did a MUCH better job of this, this year.
2.) A good friend of mine keeps a Christmas account. I think I will try and sock away $20 a week toward the next holiday, as that’s what our budget usually is. We keep it pretty minimal in our family. I think I may overdraw our groceries by $20 a week, and keep it in a jar. Or have it automatically deducted.
3.) Support handmade, DIY gifts yourself, or try to buy American. Etsy has tons of amazing, high-quality toys. Not that there are a TON of American toy companies these days, but I did score quite a few toys for my family at the California based company Green Toys. Given that my husband is a union man, we try to buy American whenever possible. In the toy arena, that’s almost IMPOSSIBLE.
4.) Start early. I felt like I was cheating on Thanksgiving by thinking about Christmas in November. Not so next year. As soon as the Halloween decorations go on clearance and November 1st hits, I am starting my holiday shopping. I may be one of those people that Christmas shop all year. Probably not, but I will start the two epic holiday calendars that I make for both side of our family in AUGUST. They are so tiring to make.
I plan to have my holiday cards in the mail before Thanksgiving. Like my awesome sister-in-law.
5.) Use pinterest. Seriously. You can have a beautiful, simple holiday for next to nothing. Here’s some eye candy to save for next year. {Be sure to pin from the original site, and not here!}
Hope you aren’t sick like my boys are here! The madness always drains my kids and leaves them with fevers.
Great ideas! We really need to start a Christmas account. It would be nice to have money saved up instead of stressing over it at the end of the year. I completely agree with DIY gifts and/or Etsy! I made 4 family members monogram wreaths for Christmas– low cost, personal, and they loved them!
I can remember a few times buying gifts the day after Christmas to give the following year. I do shop all year and pick up a great gift whenever I see it (always on sale, of course).