Have a Little Breathing Space for Christmas

Are you feeling the pinch as we inch toward the big holiday?

Here a dozen tips to keep in balance:

    [ ]    On each of the 12 days of Christmas or eight days of Hanukkah, tackle one shelf, drawer, or closet, and put it all in order.  

    [ ]    Spend a few minutes contemplating what presents you are going to buy for whom. Then draw up a list and take it with you – this will help keep you focused against becoming overwhelmed once inside stores.

    [ ]    Instead of being buffeted by crowds at the large shopping malls, shop at stores in small commercial strips or with free-standing locations.

    [ ]    Order by mail if there is time before the holidays, but ask that your name be kept off the vendors' direct mail lists. Receiving unwanted catalogs all year long diminishes your breathing space and contributes to landfills.

    [ ]    Reduce the strain of carrying large bundles by choosing smaller-sized gifts such as jewelry, compact discs, and so forth.

    [ ]    Shop on Monday, Tuesday, or evenings. Avoid weekend shopping!

    [ ]    Give yourself frequent breaks while shopping. It is not a marathon event, and there is absolutely no reason to make shopping for friends and loved ones anything but a joyful experience. So lighten up!  

    [ ]    If stores offer gift wrapping, have them wrap your gifts, even if it's for a fee. You'll know it was the right decision when you get home and realize you have one less thing to do.

    [ ]    If you find a gift that would please many people on your gift list, such as chocolates or a book, buy quantities in one transaction to reduce overall shopping time.

    [ ]    When buying holiday gifts and cards, make your shopping count three or four times. Think of who is having a wedding, birthday, or baby. Planning ahead may mean doing a little additional shopping now, but you'll avoid many more trips in January, February, and March.

    [ ]    Once you get the packages home, take them to your table or desk to complete the shopping trip – you still need to remove tags and stickers, file invoices, wrap items, mail some, and store others.

    [ ]    Remember, you're in charge of what kind of holiday you're going to have--not Madison Avenue, Currier and Ives, or any other manufactured notion of what your life should include.