Right here, in my part of the world, the jingle bells are ringing! The streets have been beautifully decorated with disco lights. Everywhere you go, you see people wearing their red and white Santa cap; some people even go as far as wearing the full Santa costume. You may think that’s too much, but that’s your opinion; some people don’t hold back when it comes to preparations for Christmas.
The establishments around aren’t left out of the fever. A few days ago, I was at the bank, and everywhere was shinning different colours of lighting. There seems to be an unspoken competition between these organizations to outdo each other in their decorations. Anyways, such a healthy competition is welcome as it adds glamour to the season.
I like to think that you aren’t left out of it. Am I right? You shouldn’t be. It doesn’t matter the length you go, the most important thing is to make an effort. I’m here to make the whole getting-ready easier for you by giving you tips on how to prepare for the festive season.
Here are 5 Easy Ways to Prepare for Christmas
1. Make a budget
This is the first to do if you don’t want to be broke after the season. No one knows the size of your bank account better than you. So, ask yourself: “How much can I spend in this season, without leaving a hole in my pocket?” when you arrive at an answer, take aside the said amount. You must be disciplined enough to stick to the budget and not add more money to it when the temptation comes, because you’ll surely be tempted to put in more money.
2. Make a list
Things to buy are never in shortage. The millions of items in the stores are there, waiting to be picked, but not for free, you have to pay some cash. You need to understand that even if you had all the money in the world, you wouldn’t be able to afford everything. Now, the idea is to make a list of items you need. The word for emphases here is “need,” not want. “Unlimited” is the best word that describes the magnitude of our wants, but our needs? They are to an extent, measurable.
Write down all the items you truly need to make your Xmas celebration fun. If after writing, you still have much more than your budget, it’s time for opportunity cost.
3. Consider shopping online
Public places of sales like stores and malls are usually crowded during this festive season. If you are the kind who doesn’t mind walking through crowds and putting up with the rowdiness, going out to shop isn’t a bad idea. But if you like to maintain some calm and do things cool-headedly, going online to order for items is your best bet.
It’s important to note that online shops usually have great offers and discounts in this period, patronizing them would help you save a lot of money and buy more things, within your budget, of course.
4. Break it down
Don’t get overwhelmed by doing your shopping all in one day; that’d be very hectic. Yes, you are trying to be ready for the big day, but you don’t want to break down and spend Xmas in bed. Take it slowly, one step at a time. Make a schedule of your shopping days and the items you’ll get in those days. It’s better to group items by their similarities. You could decide to shop for shoes and clothes in one day because both items are similar and could easily go together. With that, you can try out the clothes you are buying with the shoes.
When you go about your preparations this way, you’ll feel strong and ready on the D-day. And of course, you’ll be in the right condition to have a blast!
5. Make an itinerary
There are many places you’d want to visit during the Christmas season, but obviously, you can’t be everywhere at the same time. The best thing to do, is to make a schedule. Know where you’ll be each day. Running around to go everywhere won’t be fun. Go where you need to be and take your time to enjoy it all.
Preparations for Christmas may not be a tea party, but it doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Whatever you do, don’t forget the reason for this special season. Remember that it’s the celebration of the birth of Christ. So, in everything you do, let Christ lead. Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones!
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