How to Schedule Your Holiday Season

The big fall and winter holidays arrive in quick succession; planning for them reduces stress and maximizes enjoyment.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Party Supplies
• Party Planners
• Electronic Personal Organizers
• Holiday Decorations
• Party Decorations
• Calendars

1. Buy a large calendar with at least three months' worth of pages and lots of writing space.

2. Write down all the holidays your family celebrates between mid-October and New Year's Eve.

3. Add other occasions that call for celebrations, such as birthdays and anniversaries.

4. Mark any events you've already scheduled, such as weddings; birthday, anniversary or holiday parties; out-of-town trips (whether business or pleasure); important meetings and school functions.

5. Call the family together and decide how, where and with whom you want to spend each holiday.

6. Include kids in the decision-making process as soon as they're old enough to make clear choices.

7. Plan celebrations that please you and your family this year; don't stick to stale customs and rituals simply because "it's the way we've always done it."

8. Make your decisions based on your current circumstances, including work schedules, budget constraints and the state of everyone's health. If staging a major celebration would entail more time, money or energy than you care to devote to it, scale back this year.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember that you don't have to say yes to every invitation that floats through the mail slot. If it's only October and already the calendar seems to have more full days than empty ones, add a good, firm "no" to your vocabulary and use it any time you feel the pressure mounting.
• As soon as you've scheduled a trip or event, book all the services and reservations you'll need, including plane, train, rental car and hotel reservations, as well as florists, caterers, entertainers and pet sitters.
• Holiday time is everyone's busiest season, and the earlier you get your request in, the better your chances of getting what you want.

on 11/22/2005 Keeping a "journal" of holiday events is my best friend during the holidays. I keep track of parties, dates, menus, guest lists, gifts purchased, money spent and even a photo of the table for each entertaining event. It keeps things new and memorable.