Getting Ready for the Holidays: 10 Things to Do Now
Getting ready for the holidays doesn’t have to be stressful! Here are 10 simple things you can do now to get organized, tackle your holiday to-do list, and actually enjoy the magic of the season.
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a planner. I love a good to-do list, I’m always thinking a few steps ahead, and when it comes to the holidays, I like to get a head start!
November and December can get so busy with shopping, decorating, holiday parties, and family gatherings. Before you know it, Christmas Day is here, and you’re wondering where the heck the last six weeks went.
That’s why I’m a big believer in getting ready for the holidays before the craziness begins.
By checking a few things off your list now, you’ll have more time for the fun stuff later. I’m talking about decorating cookies with the kids, driving around to see Christmas lights, and relaxing on the couch with a holiday movie instead of frantically shopping online.
So here are 10 simple things you can do now to make the holiday season a little less stressful and a whole lot more enjoyable!
10 Simple Ways to Make Getting Ready for the Holidays Easier
1. Update your Address Book
If you send Christmas cards every year, start by updating your address book. There’s nothing worse than sitting down to order cards and realizing you don’t have half the addresses you need!
Finn and I keep a shared Google spreadsheet with addresses for our family and friends. We update it throughout the year when people move, but I always give it a quick once-over before the holidays.
Set aside 30 minutes to review your list and text anyone whose address you need. Once you have everything organized, it’s so easy to update each year!
2. Order Your Christmas Cards
Once your address book is updated, it’s time to order those holiday cards!
I’m a big fan of Minted for our family Christmas cards. Use code DIYPLAYBOOK for 20% off right now. One of my favorite features is that you can upload your address list and have the recipient addresses printed directly on the envelopes. No more spending hours handwriting dozens of envelopes, especially when you’re a lefty with terrible handwriting.
I like to order our cards in early November (heck, sometimes even October) so they’re ready to mail right after Thanksgiving. That gives our friends and family plenty of time to display them throughout the holiday season.
Buy your stamps now, too! The post office can get pretty hectic in December, and this is such an easy errand to check off your holiday to-do list ahead of time.
3. Set Your Holiday Budget and Make a Gift List
One of the most important parts of getting ready for the holidays is figuring out who you’re buying for and how much you want to spend. Between family members, teachers, friends, and all those little extras, holiday gifts can add up quickly!
Finn and I have been using a shared spreadsheet to organize our Christmas shopping for years, and it’s honestly one of my favorite holiday planning tools. We keep track of everyone on our list, gift ideas, our budget, and whether each gift has been purchased, wrapped, and delivered.
The best part? We can look back at previous years to see what we’ve given people. No accidentally buying your mother-in-law the same sweater two Christmases in a row!
And because I love a good spreadsheet, we created a free Holiday Gift Tracker that you can use, too!
It includes a gift tracker, a separate family wish list, and instructions for how to use everything. You can even duplicate the tabs each year to keep all your holiday shopping organized in one place.
Download the Free Holiday Gift Tracker
Seriously, having everything in one spot makes Christmas shopping so much easier. Plus, there’s something incredibly satisfying about checking off that final gift.
4. Create a Gift Wrapping Station
Here’s another little task that will make your life so much easier come December. Get all of your gift-wrapping supplies organized now!
And no, I’m not suggesting you need an entire craft room dedicated to wrapping presents. I certainly don’t have the space for that! Instead, I like to keep everything in one portable basket that I can pull out whenever it’s time to wrap gifts.
Gather your wrapping paper, tape, scissors, ribbon, gift tags, and pens. Take inventory of what you already have and stock up on anything you’re running low on. You can also use a wrapping paper organizer if you want to keep everything neatly tucked away.
My gift-wrapping routine usually involves sitting on the floor after the kids go to bed, turning on a favorite TV show, and wrapping as many presents as I can before calling it a night. Having everything in one spot makes the whole process so much easier!
And if you want to make your presents look extra special, my mom shared all of her best gift-wrapping tips in this post. She’s truly the Queen of Christmas! We also have a simple bow-making tutorial that will help you take your wrapping up a notch.
5. Create Your Own Wishlist
You know that question you inevitably get every year? “What do you want for Christmas?”
Instead of scrambling to come up with ideas on the spot, start a wishlist now! I like to keep a running list of things I’ve had my eye on throughout the year, whether it’s something for the house, a new book, or a little treat I wouldn’t normally buy myself.
And don’t forget about the kids! Finn and I keep Amazon wishlists for Rory and Ellis, which makes it so much easier when grandparents and other family members ask for gift ideas. We can simply send them the link instead of trying to remember everything the kids have mentioned.
Remember that free Holiday Gift Tracker I shared above? It also has a separate wishlist tab where you can keep track of gift ideas for yourself and your family. Everything in one place!
6. Take Inventory of Holiday Decorations
Getting ready for the holidays also means taking stock of your Christmas decorations. Before hauling all those boxes out of storage, figure out what you already have and what you might need this year.
Think through how you want to decorate your home. Are you using the same decorations? Switching up a few things? Is anything looking a little worse for wear?
Now’s also a great time to test your Christmas lights and stock up on little essentials like ornament hooks, extension cords, and batteries. Nothing ruins a fun decorating day faster than an unexpected trip to the store!
If you’re planning to buy a new artificial Christmas tree this year, start shopping early. I’ve rounded up my favorite faux Christmas trees to help you find one you’ll love for years to come.
7. Get Your Guest Room Ready for the Holidays
If you’re hosting family or friends this holiday season, now’s a great time to tackle a few household tasks so you’re not scrambling right before everyone arrives.
Start with some of the bigger cleaning projects, like wiping down baseboards, cleaning out the fridge, and decluttering the living room. You don’t need to deep clean your entire house, but getting a head start will make hosting much easier.
If you’re having overnight guests, freshen up the guest bedroom with clean bedding and towels. Don’t forget to stock the guest bathroom with extra toilet paper and toiletries, too.
A little prep work now means less time cleaning and more quality time with the people you love.
8. Schedule Your Favorite Holiday Traditions
One of the best things you can do now is get your favorite holiday traditions on the calendar before December fills up!
Whether it’s ice skating, visiting Santa, seeing Christmas lights, or decorating cookies with the kids, make time for the activities your family loves most. I find that if we don’t schedule these things ahead of time, the month flies by and we never get around to them. Plus, a lot of activities require reservations (like our annual Christmas tea!).
And don’t feel like you need to do it all! Pick a few traditions that matter most to your family and prioritize them. After all, spending quality time together is what makes this season so special.
If you need some inspiration, here are some of our family’s favorite holiday traditions.
9. Finalize Your Holiday Plans
This is a big one in our house! Finn and I both come from divorced families, which means we have lots of people we love and want to see over the holidays. But coordinating all of those celebrations takes some serious planning.
Over the years, we’ve also learned how important it is to carve out time for just the four of us. In fact, we now spend Christmas Day at home with Rory and Ellis, and it’s become one of my favorite traditions.
Making that happen requires conversations with our extended families well in advance. We figure out when we’ll celebrate with everyone, communicate our plans, and make sure we’re all on the same page. These are definitely not conversations we want to be having on Christmas Eve!
So my advice? Have those discussions now. Figure out what matters most to your family, get the important dates on the calendar, and don’t be afraid to protect a little time for yourselves, too.
10. Order Personalized Gifts Early
If you’re planning to give any personalized or homemade gifts this year, now’s the time to get started!
Think custom ornaments, photo books, monogrammed presents, or anything that needs a little extra time to create. These gifts often have longer processing and shipping times, especially as Christmas gets closer.
I also like to think ahead about gifts that need to be shipped to family members who live out of town. Getting those ordered early means I’m not stressing about whether they’ll arrive in time.
And if you need a little shopping inspiration, be sure to check out my annual holiday gift guide! I round up my favorite gift ideas to make shopping for everyone on your list a little easier. My 2026 guide publishes next Monday!
Enjoy the Holiday Season!
There you have it! Ten simple things you can tackle now to make the holidays a little less hectic.
And remember, you don’t have to do everything on this list. Even checking off a few tasks ahead of time can make a big difference when December rolls around.
Because at the end of the day, getting ready for the holidays isn’t about having everything perfectly planned. It’s about making more time for the people, traditions, and little moments that make this time of year so special.
Casey
