Last week, I shared why I start thinking about Christmas in July. Today, I thought I’d share how I actually do it.
Now, before anyone gets the wrong idea, I’m not one of those people who has every gift purchased, wrapped, and color-coded by Labor Day. If that’s you, I’m impressed. But that’s not me.
What I have found is a simple system that helps me spread out the shopping, the spending, and the stress. Several years ago, I realized that trying to shop for everyone between Thanksgiving and Christmas was overwhelming. My family has grown over the years, and my gift list has grown right along with it. Instead of tackling it all at once, I started breaking my list into smaller pieces.
Every July, I make my Christmas list and decide who I’m shopping for each month. Maybe a few people in July, a few more in August, more in September, and so on.
It doesn’t have to be perfectly even. I just divide it into manageable chunks. Once I know who I’m shopping for that month, I can focus on those specific people instead of trying to keep everyone in my head at once.
One of the unexpected benefits is that I can be more thoughtful. Instead of panic-buying because time is running out, I have time to notice things people mention throughout the year. I have time to stumble across something that reminds me of them. I have time to choose a gift instead of settling for one.
As gifts start coming into the house, I label them and put them away in my designated Christmas storage area (my craft closet). That way, when December rolls around, I’m not trying to remember what I bought, where I put it, or who it was for. Ask me how I learned that lesson. Actually, don’t. Some stories are better left untold.
Now let’s talk about wrapping. In my ideal world, I would wrap gifts as I buy them. Everything would be beautifully organized and completely finished long before Christmas. In reality, that doesn’t always happen. But I do try. Even wrapping a few gifts throughout the season makes December feel a little less overwhelming. The biggest benefit, though, isn’t organization. It’s budgeting. Spreading purchases over several months is so much easier on my wallet than trying to buy everything at once. Instead of one giant December expense, Christmas becomes a series of smaller, more manageable purchases throughout the year. And honestly, that’s probably the reason I keep doing it. Well, that and the fact that December feels a lot more enjoyable these days.
Christmas still gets busy. There are family gatherings, parties, traditions, and plenty of last-minute surprises. But because the shopping is mostly done, I have more time to focus on what matters most.
The people. The memories. The moments that don’t come wrapped in paper and bows. My system isn’t perfect. Some years go more smoothly than others. But after several years of doing Christmas this way, I can honestly say it’s made the season feel less stressful and a lot more joyful.
And that’s a gift worth giving myself every year.
With love,
Mindy
