Planning a Matheson Christmas Post #1 Let's Get Started

       

 It's back! Year 5 of my Christmas planning blog. If this is your very first time ever seeing this series, welcome. I will be sharing how my family is preparing for Christmas right here. I'll start with weekly posts and it will ramp up as we get closer to the big day. Today marks 101 days until Christmas. This sentence can trigger several reactions, some quite negative. People equate Christmas with stress mainly. Feeling yourself over spending and spread too thin. I would feel the same if I didn't firmly believe I starting early, is spreads the financial burden and helps you tackle the important stuff early. 

           This brings me to what I have been upto in my preparations, identifying the important stuff. When I started the series 5 years ago, it was just Cale and I, there was less urgency and I went for a little more let's say structure. We now have 2 kids and one who really knows what's going on this year, so times have changed, but my methods haven't. I am a list maker, this is what keeps me on task, the first one I do is the Master list. This is a list of everything you prioritize over the holidays. For me, looking at lights, watching parades, making cookies are high on the list because Jake will love them. I also have dinners and cards, wrapping,  decorating. This list also reminds me of our traditions, in we have the festive special when we decorate the house, or hot chocolate when we look at lights. 

          This takes me to my next list, menus. We have these little traditions, but i think most stick with a similar menu year to year when it comes to Christmas. I map out Christmas eve, Christmas and boxing day.  This list results in another list, the grocery list. I make the dauntingly long grocery list, this is where I spread out some cost.

           Once I have my grocery list I sort everything into Non perishables, frozen and fresh. This is also the point where I start shopping for non perishable food and put them away. I budget out roughly $10 a week and pick up items on sale. I got some soups I need for fifty cents already. 

          This typically an excellent starting point for me. I should also mention 3 other things (because this post hasn't been long enough). #1 I "organize" my lists in my notebook. I live out of that thing and it's how I keep everything sorted. 

#2 I start this post 101 days before as a tip of the hat to an actual daily planning site that inspired me. If you're looking for a more in depth approach, be sure to check them out 101daystochristmas.com. It's American too, so it's time line is different. 

#3 With Covid this year, we have no idea what Christmas will look like. Some Major events in my area have been canceled. I think this year, more than ever it will be important to be on top of all of this nice and early.

         K, Luv Ya, Bye

         Nancy, Cale, Jake, Brock & Alice