The lists are long, the day's commitments even longer and somewhere in the back of your mind you remember what it's all about. Or do you?
For too many, the holidays become so hectic there's little time left to reflect on the meaning of the season.
Local parenting author Alana Morales, who wrote "Domestically Challenged," is offering four tips to take some of the stress out of the holidays.
1. Create a Holiday NotebookThis is the single most important way to organize and simplify your holiday season.
Having a Holiday Notebook will enable you to keep all your materials for the holiday season in one, easy to find place.
Items you will need:3-ring binder
page protectors
notebook paper
decorations
3-hole pencil pouch
Create a section for any topic you may need. Some examples are:Calendar
Thanksgiving meal
Christmas Meal
Gift lists
Christmas Cards
Receipts (you can also keep these in a pencil pouch in the binder)
Feel free to add or delete sections to fit your need.
The goal is for you to have everything you need for your holidays at your fingertips. You can even decorate it and leave it on your counter.
Know a mom who could use a notebook?
Make a second notebook and give it as a gift.
Things to write in your binder:Your cleaning schedule (schedule one room a day and plan to finish a week before Thanksgiving if possible)
Gift ideas for family members
Christmas card lists
Ingredients for meals and special dishes
Recipes for holiday treats
Make sure to keep notebooks so you can use information from one year to the next.
