The 1 thing I do before I plan the holidays…
Hey friends!
Listen, the holidays are officially UPON US. And after trying to figure out the best way to plan the holidays so that I get to enjoy them too, I’ve learned one important thing:
The biggest stress of the holidays isn’t actually DOING all the things.
It’s trying to REMEMBER all the things.
- Buy the teacher gifts.
- Figure out Thanksgiving.
- Order Christmas cards.
- Find something for the school party.
- Book the hotel.
- Did we decide we’re doing family pictures?
- Wait… did I already send that package?!
😵💫
When all of those little reminders are floating around in my brain, everything feels urgent – even when it isn’t.
So before I really start planning the holidays, I’ve learned to do one thing first:
Get it ALL out of my head!
I make one giant list of everything I can possibly think of for the next couple of months. Not because I’m committing to doing all of it – just because I need to SEE it before I can make decisions about it.
Then I go through my list and ask three questions:
1. What actually needs to happen?
Travel plans. Gifts were definitely buying. Events already on the calendar. Things with actual deadlines. These get planned first.
2. What would be nice?
These are the things I’d like to do if we have the time + energy.
Christmas lights. A special baking day. That adorable craft I saved six months ago and will probably never actually make. 😂
They can stay on the list – but they’re not requirements.
3. What can I let go of?
This one is actually the most important.
Just because we’ve done something before doesn’t mean we have to do it this year. And just because something sounds lovely doesn’t mean it belongs in this season. Sometimes the most peaceful holiday planning decision is simply saying: We’re not doing that this year.
Want to try this for yourself? I’ve got something to help you!
I put together a FREE Holiday Planning Checklist Pack to help you get all those details out of your head and into one place.
You’ll get a master pre-filled checklist for October, November + December, PLUS blank checklists you can customizefor your own months, holidays, traditions, events – whatever your family needs!
If you want to get everything out of YOUR head, too, just download these checklists, and…
- Use mine as a starting point.
- Cross off anything you don’t care about.
- Add the things that matter to your family.
- And then give yourself permission to leave some things undone!
The goal isn’t a perfectly executed holiday season. It’s creating enough margin to actually enjoy the people + moments that matter most.
That’s the kind of holiday I’m hoping for this year. 💛
Grab your free Holiday Planning Checklist Pack right here! ⬇️
P.S. Want even more help with planning? You’ll love our Plan Your Year Live Event! We plan your entire year together – walking you through finding a focus, setting goals, and establishing routines that support those goals. Get all the details here! >>>
Kayse Pratt serves Christian women as a writer + designer, creating home + life management resources that help those women plan their days around what matters most. She’s created the most unique planner on the market, helped over 400 women create custom home management plans, and works with hundreds of women each month inside her membership, teaching them how to plan their days around what matters most. When she’s not designing printables or writing essays, you’ll find Kayse homeschooling her kids, reading a cheesy novel with a giant cup of tea in hand, or watching an old show from the 90’s with her husband, who is her very best friend.
