With the sun shining and school holidays ahead, the last thing most families will be thinking of is Christmas. But by the time the winter rolls around many people find themselves faced with an endless list of holiday chores and mounting bills, all of which can take the fun out of the holiday season. A little bit of forward planning can go a long way to taking both the stress and the expense out of the Christmas period.
Make Gifts Yourself
Some parents find it hard to fill the days of the long summer school holidays, so what better time to get children working on Christmas themed craft projects. Cards, gift wrap, tree decorations and gift tags are all things that can be made at home. Kids will have a great time designing and working on these homemade pieces and friends and relatives will appreciate the personal touch. Ideas to try include:
- Decoupage cards and tags
- Potato print wrapping paper
- Play dough decorations
Planning for a Festive Feast
Everyone enjoys a little indulgence at Christmas – but the supermarket shopping bill will soon mount up if everything is bought at once. Thinking ahead for Christmas helps to spread the cost and homemade traditional treats often offer better quality than their shop bought counterparts.
Non-perishable items or items with long use by dates such as alcohol and boxed chocolates can be bought well in advance and stashed away in a special Christmas stockpile, buying a little every week will lessen the financial impact of Christmas come December.
Festive Fare is much better when made at home with love – summer is a great time to make up a batch of mincemeat for mince pies, and Christmas cakes are best if made in September and liberally laced until it is time to ice.
Pick up Presents for Pennies
Summer sales are now on, so it is a great time to start looking for gifts for all the family. Forward planners can avoid the dreaded Christmas shopping outing by simply keeping loved ones in mind as they shop throughout the year. Buyers can pick up gift items in the summer sales and pop them away for later, and stocking fillers can be stored up throughout the year, although parents should be wary of buying a child’s main present too early as wish lists often change with trends and a summer must-have might be a winter has-been in a child’s eyes.
Out of Season Means Less Out of Pocket
While it is unlikely shops will be stocking Christmas themed items in the summer months, the advent of online auction sites such as eBay means these items are readily available year round. Prices on festive items, such as cards, gift wrap, decorations and novelty gifts will be at their lowest out of season, meaning the summer is a great time to bid on these Christmas essentials.
Look Forward to Christmas!
Planning ahead for the festive season can be great fun and really reduces stress that comes the end of the year. Families who plan ahead will not have Christmas tainted by massive unexpected expense, and forward thinking allows for those personal touches that all too often get pushed aside when the pressure is on.
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