Are you starting to feel a little stressed now that we’re already in the second week of December?  Have your good intentions of getting all your holiday planning done early flown out the window?

Holidays should be a time of joy and celebration, and they don’t have to be perfect.  Reframe your expectations – it’s only the second week of December – and be realistic about what you can and can’t get done.  You’ll neatly sidestep the holiday frenzy.

Here are a few items for your checklist:

• Make a master list of things to do.  Include cleaning, decorating, mailings, shopping, cooking, wrapping, and anything else which requires your time.  Determine what can be done ahead of time and what can wait until later.

• Update your greeting card or holiday letter mailing list and enter all addresses in the computer.

• Write your holiday letter now.  Or better yet, make it a New Year’s letter, or a President’s Day letter and give yourself some breathing room.

• Keep a running list of all the people you usually buy for and jot down several gift ideas for each person and include their clothing sizes.  Think about what stores you will visit and plan your driving route ahead of time.   You will save time and gasoline!

• Collect all the tools you use for gift wrapping in a plastic shoebox (6 quart). Remember scissors, tape, double-sided tape, indelible markers, tags, rubber stamps and ink pads, and twist ties.  Now your critical supplies are together and portable.

• If you are spending the holiday away from home, mail your gifts ahead of you.  If you are traveling with gifts, pack them unwrapped.  You will have plenty of time to wrap them when you arrive.

• Your own time is precious this time of year.  Be selective about how you spend it.  You don’t need to say yes to every invitation.  You don’t need to bake five different kinds of cookies.  You don’t need to find the perfect gift for everyone on your list.  Relax, enjoy your friends and family and be merry.