I am a big believer in not going overboard during the holidays, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t know how easy it is to do.  When my children were very young I found myself splurging on the gifts because I wanted them to have just the best time ever!  I didn’t really focus on the reality that my children were young enough that there was no way that they were going to remember the days at all!  Since then I have significantly pared down my holidays and I partially do so by preparing in advance.

Here are 5 ways for you to prepare for the holidays now so yours can be simple and non-stressful.

Set a budget.  Set a budget now and stick to it.  If you know exactly how much you have to spend and you follow that budget strictly, you will have no stress about going into debt for Christmas.

Gift Closet.  If you haven’t started a gift closet now, start one now.  A gift closet is a closet or a box or a cabinet where you store gifts that you buy throughout the year.  This is where I buy clearance items or other great deals and keep them to give away as gifts for Christmas or for birthdays.  

Start Crafting.  If you are creative, start getting your craft one my friends! Homemade gifts are always a big hit and they really help to curb your budget.

Plan your schedule.  Get together with other family members and start planning holiday events, parties, etc.  I like planning these things a couple months in advance so that you can pick up decor and supplies spread out over time to save money and keep it less overwhelming.
Relax.  Seriously, relax.  You still have time and as long as you start slowly, this holiday season will be smooth sailing!