We’re at the close of a pretty crazy year, and I think it safe to say that most of us are ready for the comfort and joy of the Christmas season! However, the peace that Christmas can bring can easily be swallowed up in busy-ness, so here are some tips to simplify this holiday season!

Make a plan. Write down all the things that you need to accomplish before Christmas and make a plan. Don’t save the wrapping for the last minute- schedule a time several days before to make time to wrap, bake- whatever is on your list! Plus, writing everything down ensures you won’t forget anything, and will free up your brain and make you feel so much better!

Get your shopping done now. Stores only get crazier the closer it gets to Christmas, so being on top of your shopping will not only make sure you get everything on your list before it sells out, but will also save you time because the stores just get busier the longer you wait! With this year in particular, shipping times are projected to be much longer, so it’s best to get those things ordered soon!

Utilize the freezer. Instead of busily baking cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve, bake them beforehand and freeze! Then you can just pull them out on Christmas Eve instead of spending the time baking and cleaning up the kitchen. This applies to meals as well! If you have a day or two that you know you’ll have some extra time, prep a few meals so that when you have busier days, you can just use your freezer meals and save yourself some sanity!

Cut out activities. That might be a little easier this year with COVID, but take a good look at all the things on your calendar and see if those things will really bring you more peace- or just more stress.

Save the experimenting for later. I love trying new recipes- but they usually do take me longer to make than something I’m more familiar with. Save the experimentation for January; for December, use your trusted recipes that you can make with your eyes closed.

Don’t do something just because it’s tradition. I think this can be a really hard, but really important one. The point of traditions is building unity, creating memories- but if it’s just causing stress, that kind of defeats the purpose, doesn’t it? It’s ok to cut out a couple traditions this year. It doesn’t mean you’re failing- you’ll actually be succeeding.

Keep Christ in Christmas. The years that have been the absolute best and most memorable for me are the ones where I slowed down enough to remember my Savior. He truly is the reason for the season- and if we can remember that and honor Him this holiday season, that will bring us more peace than anything else- especially during this year of uncertainty.

What tips do you have for simplifying this holiday season? Share with us below!