Enjoy A Fun, Stress Free Christmas

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Christmas time can be very stressful, especially if you leave all of your Christmas shopping and decorating until the last minute. Now is the time to plan for a stress free Christmas. These six tips will show you how you can enjoy a stress free Christmas this year.

1. Shop Early
Make a list of the people you want to buy gifts for this Christmas. Include details of how much money you would like to spend on each person on your list. Add to the list any hints the people you are buying for may have given for the preference of gifts. It is always handy to keep information such as a person's favorite music, reading material, or perfume.

Carry the list with you from now until Christmas, so you can see at a glance who you are buying for, how much you would like to spend, and any gift ideas you may have for that person. Do not forget to update your list when you have purchased a gift.

2. Shop on the Internet
There are many advantages to shopping on the internet. Many internet items are not seasonal and you can buy the gifts all year round, so you can shop early. Internet shopping sites have regular sales and promotions, so you can often find a bargain. Many items sold on the internet can be gift wrapped on your behalf and sent directly to the recipient. You can save the cost of postage by shopping on the internet and organizing for the delivery straight to your friend or relative.

3. Plan your Christmas Menu Now
How many times have you decided you would like to try something different for your Christmas menu, but left the planning until it was too late? This year, plan your Christmas menu early and you will be ready to enjoy a Christmas feast without any stress. Now is an excellent time to thumb through all of your recipe books to find that special something to cook for Christmas this year. You can find many lovely Christmas menus in magazines and on the internet, so start looking now.

4. Decorate Early and Get into the Christmas Spirit
You do not need elaborate decorations to create a fabulous Christmas decor. Use your Christmas tableware for all of your December meals and you will feel festive for the whole month. Candlelight is very romantic and perfect for the Christmas holidays. If you live in a cooler climate, light a fire in the fireplace every night and soak up that Christmas atmosphere.

Hang your Christmas cards up as soon as you receive them. Christmas cards are perfect decorations and by hanging them up early, it will remind you to post your own cards.

5. Decorate with Homemade Cookies or Candy Wreaths
Decorate with homemade cookies or candy for that special individual touch. It is easy to create many festive-shape ornaments out of cookie dough. Cut out bells, Christmas trees, stars, and baubles from your cookie dough. Place a hole at the top of the cookie with a straw before you bake the cookie. Once the cookie is cooked and you have iced it, thread a ribbon through the hole in the top of the cookie. Tie a pretty bow and hang the cookie from your Christmas tree.

Create a simple wreath from hard candies, such as red and white, or green and white peppermints. Arrange the candies in the shape of a circle on a piece of aluminum foil on a baking slide. Each of the candies should just touch its neighbor. Place the slide in a medium to hot oven until the candies stick together. It should only take about three to five minutes for the pieces of candy to melt into one another. Once you have a completed wreath, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool. Tie a ribbon around the wreath and your decoration is ready for hanging.

6. Display your Christmas Fare
If you enjoy bottling fruits or pickles, leave a few of the filled jars on display on your kitchen counter top. Cover the lids of the jars with either Christmas gift wrapping paper or a cotton material with a Christmas print. Add a ribbon to the jar lid and finish with a bow. A group of decorated jars will provide you with pretty ornaments for the Christmas season and you can enjoy the fruit or pickles after the holiday period.

Prepare early for Christmas this year and you will have a stress free time over the Christmas season. Shop, plan your menus, and decorate at the beginning of the season and you will be able to relax and enjoy yourself knowing everything is ready for the Christmas holidays.



by Gail Gill