So How Is Your December Plan Working?

Do you have one? Christmas Day is three weeks (!) from tomorrow. You may already have attended events this weekend that prove the magical season is in full swing. Just last Saturday, four out of the five of us attended three different Christmas-related events.

Personally, thanks to the coaching of Aby at Simplify101, I try to start my plan at the beginning of the last seven weeks of the year. This means my preparation should be halfway done. How about you? Do you feel that your holiday preparation is about halfway over? No, me neither.

Here’s my plan to help you think through yours. No one’s can look the same, of course, but maybe it will help clarify where you are in your process.

Week 1 (November 10-17) Make plan. Decided to not send Christmas cards this year, but choose another holiday instead. (In real life family and friends, take note). Made Inspiration Statement: I will choose simple joys with others over my independent ideals. Not totally sure this is working, it’s a tough habit to break. Deadlines: none.

Week 2 (November 18-24) Choose when to host in-home events and which Christmas Eve service to attend. Make gift lists. Organize what we will wear. Order what I need online for hosting Mom’s Night Out Christmas Dinner and card-making event. Deadline: Thanksgiving at Mom’s–minimal prep needed.

Week 3 (November 25-December 2) Finish online shopping. Gather wrapping supplies. Decorate outside. Clean inside. Decorate downstairs. Deadline: Mom’s Night Out–medium prep needed.

Week 4 (December 3-December 9) Plan menus. Plan birthdays. Prep for carpet install. Deadline: Grandpa’s Birthday–minimal prep. The Learning Center Open House–medium prep.

Did you catch it? Yes, after four and a half years of living with white carpet, red dirt, and three children, my deep pine-green carpets will be installed. My first time getting to choose my own. Lousy timing, but beautiful for the holidays. It WILL be worth the work, won’t it?

Week 5 (December 10-December 16) Finish purchasing gifts. Wrap gifts. Plan son’s birthday day. I think we’ll conquer their tradition desires on that day, like the gingerbread house one that will not die, since his celebration will be a different day. Deadlines: Plays with Fire’s Birthday–Medium Prep. Nutcracker field trip to city–Medium Prep. Carpets installed–Maximum Prep. This will be a crazy week. I need to think now how to keep it manageable.

Week 6 (December 17-December 23) Grocery Shopping and Food Prep. Deadlines: Son’s Birthday–Medium Prep. Family Party #1–Maximum Prep. Am I crazy to plan a party that weekend with family friends? Between the five of us we came up with eight families we would love to celebrate with and about that many families we feel we should invite. Mayday, mayday, beware! Idealistic manic hostess potential resulting in breakdown alert!!

Week 7 (December 24-December 30) Celebrate, relax, and celebrate a bit more. Go to tea at newest well-recommended local tearoom . Deadlines: Christmas Eve and Day–Medium Prep. Friends’ Party #2–Maximum Prep in honor of recently engaged, never married, dear friend who is 37. Much reason to celebrate. Close-knit guest list only.

Writing my plan out again for you shows me the weak spots. The invites for Friends’ Party #1 haven’t been sent out and I need to rethink that one. I think it will have to be like the Christmas cards, why does it need to be THIS month, THAT weekend? I love to host events in my home, and experience has taught me what I can handle. And I always struggle with inviting too many. I need to wrestle with this one a little more.

So how about you? Are you set on what you’re hosting over the next month? Who you’re inviting? Anything need to be thought-through more or is everything in motion? Are you steering the ship or will the waves overtake you? How is your December plan working? Feel free to leave a comment.

And if you hosted an event this last weekend, how did it go? We’d love to hear.

Entry Filed under: Hosting the Party