The holiday season can be fun, but because it’s jam-packed with events, it can also be nerve-racking! No worries – we’ve got you covered this year with everything from budgets to holiday event catering. In no particular order, here are our top 20 tips for preparing for the 2022 holiday season!
1. Come Up With a Holiday Budget
During the holidays, people overspend as they travel to events. Plan how much money you want to spend this year. You won’t overspend and everyone will know what to expect.
Talk with family and friends about gifts. Come up with a maximum amount to spend on each person, do a Secret Santa exchange, or find other clever ways to keep costs low!
2. Prioritize the Most Important Events and Activities
The holiday season is busy – full of holiday parties and traditions. Ahead of time, sit down to discuss everyone’s favorite festivities, and prioritize those ones.
If you’ve got time for secondary activities, great! If not, you won’t feel like you’re missing out.
3. Mark Your Calendar: Time to Relax
This time of year is hectic, between all the family celebrations and parties you rush off to. Do yourself a favor and block out time to relax.
This way, you’ll unwind and stay healthier/less likely to catch a cold over the holidays. This is especially important for event planners, hosts, and business owners!
4. Shop Early and Stay On Budget
Getting the shopping done early is far less stressful than waiting until the last minute: there’s plenty of time to wrap each gift!
Stay on budget, too, or you may find yourself too concerned about finances to enjoy the holiday party.
5. Declutter to Make Room for New Things
Few things are less stressful than bringing new things into a cluttered house. What was a blessing two seconds ago feels like a curse: “Where will we put this?”
Do yourself a favor and get the decluttering done early (in both your home and your fridge) so you can enjoy everything you get.
6. Get Creative About Food Prep
Holiday sweets are on everyone’s list – but you don’t have to wait to make them! Make the dough now and freeze it, or bake and freeze goodies in advance.
Same for main dishes: do the prep work in advance by chopping veggies and freezing them. (If that sounds like too much work, you could always book a caterer!)
7. Help Someone Else Enjoy the Season
The winter season is a great time to give back to those less fortunate. Donate a toy to a drive or volunteer at a soup kitchen. Get the whole family involved and make it a part of your annual family celebrations!
If you’re a business owner, consider sponsoring an event. You’ll give back to your local community and gain visibility as a caring company.
8. Break the Mold by Doing Something New
Tradition is great – but sometimes we miss out on other amazing activities by overprioritizing them. Find something new to do with your family and friends this year and break the mold a bit!
After all, who says you have to have ham over the holidays? Why not Mexican food?
9. Be Patient With Your Family (and Yourself)
This season can be stressful. It can be also lonely or a time for grieving loved ones. Be patient if people aren’t as excited as you are. If you’re also going through this, be patient with yourself.
Still, do your best to enjoy this time. You can’t control everyone – all you can control is your response.
10. Practice Safety and Be Mindful of Hazards
The holiday season is infamous for safety hazards: car accidents, slips and falls from decorating, break-ins, and identity theft. Be extra careful, keep gifts out of sight, and check credit card statements to stay safe this year!
(Business owners and event planners – the holidays are when more cybersecurity attacks happen, so stay vigilant.)
11. Save Money on Travel By Being Smart
Holiday travel can get pricey, between booking flights and hotels. Why not put some of your credit card points toward your travel plans to offset the cost? Another idea is to book your stay using a discount booking site like Expedia or Priceline. Happy traveling!
12. Shop at Secondhand Stores on Discount Days
Oh no – a holiday party to attend, but you have nothing to wear! Save by shopping at secondhand stores this year. Save even more on discount days. No one will know the difference!
It’s a great way to find gifts, too!
13. Make Holiday Crafts Using Found Items
Decorating for the holidays doesn’t have to be expensive. Make glitter-pine cones with your kids using pine cones from your yard, or repurpose old Christmas supplies to make something new. BOOM! Family activity AND decorating, done!
14. Foster Gratitude By Spending Quality Time
Whether with your team or your family, foster gratitude by reviewing the year and what you’re most thankful for. What did you do with family and friends? What critical events did your team help with?
Recount the year’s memories with the people you care about.
15. Sending Cards? Update Your Address Book
For many people, the tradition of sending Christmas cards is still very much alive. But going to the trouble to send a card, only to have it sent back, is a terrible feeling. Event planners, families, and business owners can minimize this by updating their address books now!
16. …Oh, and Take Family Photos Now
The holidays are stressful – so they’re not the best time to snap a photo of baby James in his holiday outfit. Take photos earlier and you’ll have an easier time.
If you take Christmas photos for your business, you could also do that early. (Unless you snap it at the annual holiday party.)
17. Decide What You’re Doing on Christmas
…So, what are your plans? Are you staying in and letting family come to you, or are you traveling over the holidays? It’s best to get this nailed down as soon as possible.
18. Get Your Christmas Lists in Order
Make sure you know what everyone wants – and that you have a quick list to give to people should they ask what you want.
19. Check the Guest Room and Schedule Maintenance
If you’re hosting holiday parties this year, you don’t want to run into issues. Restock the guest room and schedule home maintenance to make sure nothing is overlooked.
20. Think Ahead: Book Your Caterer Now!
To truly be kind to yourself, you should look into catering options this year. You know how busy the holidays are, and the worst thing you could do is put it off only to learn you’ve got major catering needs later on, but the caterers are all busy.
By budgeting for catering and booking it early, you’ll be freed up to spend quality time with people, instead of worrying about burning the pie. At K. Pacho, we have an extensive catering menu full of delicious eats. Book us now to cater your holiday party!