Top Things to Know This Holiday Season

We all look forward to the holidays, but so much goes into making this season as beautiful and engaging as possible. From dressing up your outdoor living spaces for the season to finding the perfect gifts, these are the top things to know before the holiday season begins!

Set Your Holidays Up for Success With These Simple Tips

With these fun and festive hacks, you can make the most of the holidays for you and your loved ones.

Make a List and Check it Twice

The key to a successful and low-stress holiday season has always been and will always be planning. Make a plan to enjoy all the best parts of this season, whether it is sipping cocoa on a porch swing while watching the first snow come in or scheduling where different celebrations will be. Just don’t forget the presents!

Avoid Last-Minute Scrambling for Gifts

Gift buying is a chance to show love and bring a smile to someone’s face, but it can be a major source of stress around the holidays—especially if you leave it off until the last minute. Plan out your gifts and how you will get them in advance during mid-to-late fall so you don’t have to face the masses while you shop for gifts.

One way to help sort this out is to create a list for each of your loved ones listing by four categories:

• Something they want: Maybe you’ve noted something they’ve mentioned before?
• Something they need: We all have those friends who don’t buy themselves anything…
• Something-to-wear: PJs are a great one for this!
• Something to read: Is there a book you think would interest them?

Plan and Send Out Your Holiday Card Early

Cards are a lovely way to connect with loved ones no matter how far away they live, and they can be a fun family bonding activity too. Pick a theme, plan your family outfits, and find the perfect location for a photoshoot. 

Get in the Holiday Spirit With Free and Cheap Activities

Spending goes up around the holidays, and many of us feel that shift. Although we may spend more during this time of year, it doesn’t mean we have to spend extra money on everything. There are plenty of exciting free and cheap activities to get in the holiday spirit, including:

• Driving around to visit lights
• Putting up your own holiday lights

• Decorating your home and outdoor living area for the new season

• Attending local festivals
• Gathering for a holiday movie night with friends and family
• Building snow snowmen and forts with loved ones
• Having a snowball fight

Start or Grow Your List of Holiday Hacks

The real trick to having holidays that get less stressful every year is to make a clear list of holiday hacks. These are the tips and tricks you will rely on to simplify the holidays every year.

You can work with this starter list, but be sure to add options specific to you and your loved ones!

Take Some Time to Relax and Decompress

They may be filled with love, laughter, and joy—but the holidays can also be a stressful time. All the planning, care, and shopping can certainly take it out of you. Many of us feel an increased level of pressure around the holidays at work, too.

The best way to survive the holidays with a smile, so you can really enjoy how wonderful they can be, is to take time to rest and decompress. Spend time reading holiday books, relaxing by the fire, or lounging on your porch with your drink of choice!

Make the Most of the Holiday Season This Year!

The season and our hearts change as the days grow shorter and the snow begins to fall. After you have prepared your home and outdoor living spaces for cold weather, you can start planning to make this the best holiday season yet!

What is your top holiday season tip? We want to hear about it in the comments below!