Kick Holiday Stress To The Curb This Year

Has holiday stress got you down? It’s a busy time of the year, and if you’re hosting Christmas dinner or inviting family over to stay for an extended period of time, it’s especially difficult. You need a way to stay on top of everything without finding grey hairs on your head.

You need this guide to hosting a simple, stress-free holiday.

Get Organized with a Big List

List everything, from the decorations to the gifts to the gifts to the groceries. Forgetting something crucial will have you back out the door and spending more time driving around town trying to get everything ready.

Avoid Last Minute Shopping

Don’t get caught in the giant lineups in the last few days before Christmas. There may be a few food items that will have to wait until the last minute, but for the most part, you should be able to buy everything well in advance. You can lose a lot of time waiting in line at the grocery store and restocking your home bar.

Prepare Your Holiday Meal in Advance

The more you can prepare in advance, the more you can enjoy the big day. There are tons of ways you can prepare for Christmas dinner ahead of time, including washing, peeling, and chopping vegetables, preparing stuffing, parboiling potatoes and turnips, and making cranberry sauce ahead of time.

Spare Yourself Dessert

You’re already putting a lot into your dinner, there’s no need to sweat over dessert. Ask your guests to bring something for dessert or get something from the bakery.

Get Your Furnace Checked

Your furnace may be the last thing on your mind when you’re hosting your family for Christmas dinner, but it will be the only thing on your mind if it breaks down over the holidays. There are a few essentials that should be done before every winter by either you or a furnace technician:

  • Change the filters; it can’t be said often enough, but one of the most common issues with furnaces are due to a filter that needs to be changed. A full filter can let dirt and grit into the furnace and cause lasting damage. It will also choke off the furnace’s intake and make the furnace less efficient.
  • Clean your air vents by unscrewing the covers and vacuuming them out with an extension hose.
  • Program your thermostat to lower the temperature at night or while you’re out of the house.
  • Inspect the furnace’s blower belt after shutting off power to the furnace.

What do you do when your furnace does break down during the holidays. Find out what 5 things to check when your furnace breaks before you call an emergency furnace technician.

Choose a Weekend to Decorate

The weekend is the best time to get those Christmas decorations up, from the outdoor lights to the tree inside. Get the whole family involved and divide and conquer your festive decorations.

Choose a Weekend to Clean

Last but not least, it’s time to tidy up before your guests start to arrive. Choose a weekend when you can give your house a good deep clean.

By keeping everything organized and keeping a list, you should be able to keep the stress to a minimum.