Is it too early to be talking about Christmas? Probably. But I’m a bit of a Christmas nut, so I can’t help myself. If you’re like me and you want to start planning for the big day now, then this post is for you. I’ll be sharing some tips on how to make Christmas planning easier, so you can relax and enjoy the holiday season 🙂

For me Christmas and Planning go hand in hand. I could never get through the holiday season without having a dozen lists for everything. There are so many things to think about and co-ordinate I would be a real stress ball if I didn’t start my Christmas planning early. The most important thing to remember is that the best thing about Christmas is being with your family!! Read on to learn how to plan for a stress free Christmas

I have included a check list at the end of this post to assist you in planning your own stress free Christmas.

Choosing your Christmas Colour Scheme – How to plan for a stress free Christmas

Before I start any of my Christmas preparation I like to choose a colour scheme. If I’m lucky I have an idea the previous Christmas so I can take advantage of the after Christmas sales.

In the middle to end of November I will start getting my head into Christmas mode. There’s nothing like the feeling of getting your home ready for Christmas. For me, it’s all about creating a warm and inviting space that reflects the joy and happiness of the season. I start with my colour theme, this year I’m going for a white snowy theme. Then, I start to pull out all of my favourite decorations that suit my scheme and any I think can get a makeover to suit my current theme. It’s always so satisfying to see the transformation from drab to festive – it gets me into the Christmas spirit every time!

I do love the decorating but the most important thing for my family at Christmas is food!!!! I usually do a large variety of food (we have leftovers for a week – this is my holiday!!) My serious planning for Christmas starts at the beginning of December. I will buy up all the Christmas magazines I can find. Dig out all my old ones and of course look at Pinterest. This helps me narrow down my food choices. I will also come up with some new recipes where I can.

The all important Lists – How to plan for a stress free Christmas

The holidays are a busy time for everyone, and it can be difficult to keep track of everything that needs to be done. Fortunately, a little bit of planning can go a long way towards making the holidays stress-free. One of the best ways to plan for the holidays is to make lists. List everything you need to buy, including food, gifts, and any other items you might need. Make a timetable of when you need to do each task, and then refer back to your lists as you’re ticking things off. By staying organised and keeping track of everything you need to do, you can ensure that the holidays are a joyous and festive time for all.

Download the lists at the end of the post to assist you in getting organised.

The food!!! – How to plan for a stress free Christmas

Christmas is a time for family, friends and, of course, food! When it comes to preparing a holiday feast, there are many delicious options to choose from. For the main course, you could opt for a traditional roasted turkey or ham. If you’re wanting to go completely non-traditional, there are plenty of amazing seafood options as well. As for sides, there are so many delicious vegetables that go great with Christmas meals like roasted potatoes, carrots, green beans and Brussels sprouts. And don’t forget about the desserts! There are many amazing desserts to choose from. Our Christmas is never complete without a trifle! No matter what you make, Christmas is sure to be a delicious day!

How do I decide on the perfect menu for Christmas Lunch? To start, I search through old and new magazines, my own recipes and online sources to compile an extensive list of 5-10 recipes for each category – meat/seafood dishes, sides and desserts. From there comes the hard part – whittling down each section until only 4 or 5 recipes remain! Ease of preparation is key when considering my final selections; ensuring all dishes can be cooked at once without overloading the oven ensures everyone enjoys their meal on time. I will usually have my covered bbq and pizza ovens working to reheat things as well. Timing is everything!!

Each year I do what I call a goodie bag. This bag contains the following:-

• Chocolate balls
• Slices
• Cookies
• Rocky Road

I will choose 3-5 from each category (depending on the size of my guest list). To make things easier on myself come crunch time, I take advantage of my freezer: pop in chocolate balls and cookie doughs weeks before—then bake them off a day or two prior to Christmas Day.

The Christmas table – How to plan for a stress free Christmas

Creating an inviting atmosphere for my guests is a priority when entertaining and even more so at Christmas. One of the simplest ways I like to do this starts with setting a beautiful table. White has become my go-to choice for a tablecloth – its versatile, fits any colour scheme effortlessly and helps me stick within budget season after season! Liven things up by playing around with different colours using placemats, chargers and other table decor; unexpected pops of color bring instant charm that shows your friends you truly appreciate their presence.

Another way to save money is to invest in white crockery because again it goes with everything. You can introduce your colour through napkins or even purchase pretty side plates. I did a blue and white table once and used my white crockery but found some blue and white plates at an op shop for $1 each. Its easy to add colour without spending a lot of money.

I also like to have my Christmas Crackers match the table theme. If I can’t find a good colour match I will look for a white or neutral colour and change the ribbons to match my theme.

The table centrepiece – How to plan for a stress free Christmas

Every table should have something beautiful in the centre. It doesn’t have to be huge in fact I find really big centrepieces can be an annoying because you always have to remove them from the table so people can see each other. For an effortless centrepiece, I love to use vintage glass vases of all shapes and sizes. Filled with greenery or small flowers that complement your colour theme. They add just the right touch to every table without getting in the way while you enjoy your company.

This year I will be using my tiny house collection so keep an eye out for that.

Gifts – How to plan for a stress free Christmas

Shopping for Christmas gifts can be a hectic and stressful experience, especially as the kids in our family have grown older. With this realization, I’ve decided to alleviate some of that pressure by giving them money instead of presents. Another way to alleviate the pressure is with secret Santa so you only have to buy one gift instead of many. To make things even more fun, I always plan a festive game where prizes are awarded.

The one thing I always do with Gifts is start shopping at the beginning of November because once I get into full Christmas organising I don’t need the stress of gift shopping at the same time. It also helps the budget to spread it out a bit. I have done a gift ideas series over on my Instagram account if you need some help.

When December hits – How to plan for a stress free Christmas

As Christmas gets closer stress levels can get higher. They way I avoid this is with lists and careful planning. I have to have lists for everything or my head would explode. I know I could lessen my load but I live for Christmas each year and even though it can get stressful I really love doing this for my family.

By getting gifts, decorating and meal planning out of the way early, December is all about food.

I will start out by going through each recipe and work out what I need to make it. Two shopping lists work best for me here. One list includes all the long life items like flour, sugar and anything that can be frozen. The other list is the fresh ingredients that will be needed closer to the day.

If you have more than one event in December then have a separate shopping list for the fresh ingredients for those meals as you will have get them earlier.

Getting started – First week in December

Organising my schedule is the hardest part of Christmas but using lists definitely helps to eliminate some stress. I have included printable lists at the end of this post.

• Order the items on your long life grocery list. I will normally do this for home delivery so that I don’t have to waste valuable time in my day shopping.
• Purchase alcohol and other drinks or let your guests know what to bring if they will be providing the alcohol.
• The first thing to do is start with everything that you can make that can be frozen. You would be surprised what freezes well. I can make most of the things for the goodie bags in the first week in December by choosing carefully and making ahead. This is a real time saver.
• You will also need to ensure that you have ordered your ham, turkey, seafood and whatever speciality meat items you will need. I do this at the beginning of December.
• Write and post Christmas Cards. This is also a good time to post any gifts that need to be sent.
• Make goodie bags.

Second week in December

• Make sure all your gifts are wrapped.
• Ensure you have everything you need for your tablescape. I will usually practice it at this stage and take photos so I know what to do closer to the day,
• Give the house a really thorough clean so that you can just do quick weekly cleans until after Christmas
• If you’re having any frozen desserts get them made now.
• Ensure everyone’s Christmas outfits are clean and ready.
• If you’re having guests take this week to get the guest rooms ready for them.

The week before Christmas

• If you’ve prepared well the start of this week should be fairly easy. I use this time to deliver any neighbour gifts etc. They will usually be some of the goodie bag items I’ve previously made served on a nice plate.
• I also take this chance to do a schedule of when things need to be cooked. This is so important in terms of eliminating stress. For example if I am doing a slow cooked meat I will cook it the day before, keep in the fridge and then put it back in the slow cooker early Christmas morning to reheat. Its the perfect way to avoid having to get up extra early. Try and think outside the square in terms of early preparation.

The last two days

Ok so this is when it all gets real when planning for a stress free Christmas!!!

• Set the table as early as you can. If I have no other functions on I will do this up to three days before.
• Purchase all fresh ingredients needed.
• Make any desserts that can be done ahead of time. Sometimes you can prepare an element of a dessert early for example the meringue for a pavlova can be done early and stored in an airtight container. You just have to decorate on the day. A trifle actually needs to be done early. So make sure you look at your recipes and see what you can do early. I will always choose my recipes with time and preparation in mind.
• Organise all platters, plates and bowls that you will need for everything you’re serving. I will usually label these items as well. It means that if you have someone helping you they can easily identify what is needed for what food.
• Make sure you have enough serving utensils as well. I usually put them with each plate or platter.

The day before Christmas

• Prepare vegetables ready to be cooked the next day. Anything that needs slicing get it ready.
• If any vegetable sides can be cooked today and reheated tomorrow then do that.
• If you are having roast potatoes you can save time by par boiling them today.
• For a glazed ham, prepare the meat by removing the rind and get your glaze ready to go. See how I prepare mine here.
• Get all desserts finished as far as possible. If they contain fresh fruit and can’t be made until the day, at least chop your fruit and store in the fridge ready to go.
• Set an alarm to get up at a reasonable time so that you don’t feel rushed. I will usually get up around 5-6am, get everything in the oven or prepared to go in. Then I will shower and get ready before doing the final things.
• Make sure all drinks that need to be cold are in the fridge.
• Fill the goodie bags and put on the table.

The big day – How to plan for a stress free Christmas

Ok so if you’ve done all the steps above you should be under control and ready for the day.

• The first thing I usually do is get the ham in the oven. As the ham is usually large I will cook it low for several hours. My recipe for glazed ham can be found here.
• Finalise all desserts and get them in the fridge ready.
• Get everything organised to cook all vegetable sides and make sure it’s handy when needed. This includes saucepans or frypans etc.
• Have your shower and get ready.
• Start cooking the last items and try and time everything to be ready at once. Not an easy task but if you have prepared your list with timing etc that will definitely help.

The end – Enjoy

The holidays are a time to gather with family and friends, celebrate traditions, and create new memories. While the planning and execution of Christmas can feel daunting, it’s important to remember that it should be fun! This year, take some time to relax and enjoy the process – after all, it’s only once a year. If you need some help getting started on your Christmas planning, we have plenty of resources for you. And if you have any questions or need advice along the way, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We wish you a very happy holiday season!

Christmas Side Dishes

Turkey Pumpkin and Cranberry Wreath

Basic Chocolate Balls and 5 variations

Have a great Christmas everyone.

Download your Christmas Planning List here