Every year the holidays seem to arrive without warning! If you want to have a purposeful, joyful holiday season, now is the time to set goals for the holidays.
Goal 1 – Spend your money purposefully
A budget helps you to tell your money where to go instead of wondering where it went. Set aside time to make a gift list of anyone who you might shop for along with how much you want to spend on them. Be sure to save this list where you can find and edit it next year, too!
Now is the perfect time to decide how you’re going to pay for holiday gifts. Consider gathering any gift cards you’ve received during the year and using any points you’ve accumulated on your credit card towards these purchases. Have a list of gift ideas ready before Black Friday and Cyber Monday so you can get the most bang for your buck.
Give yourself a cushion because you know there will be someone who you forget in the holiday rush. Check out our post on Last Minute Gift Ideas here for easy gifts for teachers, neighbors, mailmen and more!
Goal 2 – Have a peaceful holiday season
Decide where you’re spending each holiday and when you’ll celebrate with relatives. Book any travel plans early to save money and get the flight times and hotel rooms you want.
If you send out holiday cards, start putting them together now so you can take advantage of deals as they arrive in your inbox. You’ll also have plenty of time to send them to loved ones once they arrive.
Talk to your partner and children and figure out what’s most important to each of you this holiday season. Maybe there’s a movie you’d like to watch together or a recipe you’d like to bake together. You could consider going to see the Tanglewood lights or the Christmas tree lighting at Southpoint Mall.
By deciding which events you’re excited about ahead of time, you’ll feel free to let everything else go and not run yourself ragged in the process.
Goal 3 – Make memories with your family
Once you have a list of fun things to do with your family, schedule these dates on your calendar and make it happen. If you’re travelling and your kids want to decorate a Christmas tree, set aside time to decorate the tree early so you can enjoy it while you’re in town.
Figure out which traditions are important and put those in your calendar first. Then keep a list of fun things to do such as drinking hot chocolate and watching It’s a Wonderful Life together that are easy to do if you have extra time.
