5 Quick Tips For a Successful Christmas (that you can enjoy, too!)
With Christmas less than a week away, we're all doing our last minute mad dashes to finish preparing for the big day in hopes that once the day comes, we can simply enjoy ourselves and our families. Here are a few tips I've learned to do ahead of time to make the day that much more enjoyable for parents, especially if you're a bit of a control freak like me.
Don't forget the batteries! Lord knows not much amps up that good ole' anxiety quite like kids opening gifts but not being able to play with them, and the ensuing mad dash around the house searching remotes and other toys for AA batteries. Take a note out of my mother's book: gift wrap the batteries as a gag gift. Problem solved!
Prep what you can beforehand. If you can prep food ahead of time without risking a group trip to the ER, do it! And better yet, enlist the help of family members. Charge camera batteries. Set the timer on the coffee maker. Set out the scissors and a screwdriver for opening the space-age plastic that kids' toys come in. Set yourself up in such a way that you're able to relax while things are taken care of.
Set out a trash bag for wrapping paper, bows, ribbon, and packaging. Eliminate a floor full of clutter and the inevitable loss of a toy piece.
Take turns opening gifts. Spread the excitement evenly amongst everyone and let everyone savor their new gift. Who knew the kids could learn such a valuable lesson during such an exciting time!
And lastly, pace the gift opening. I know how much anticipation we feel when we know there are gifts to be opened, but if you struggle with all the excitement being over almost immediately, try pacing it. Wrap the stocking stuffers, open those, then take a break for breakfast and/or getting showered and dressed before getting back to it. That way, the anticipation and excitement continue to build, and all the fun isn't over before 8am.
I hope these quick tips help add a little more enjoyment to your holiday! Take pleasure in this time with your loved ones. Make those lifelong memories. HAVE FUN!