Now is the Time
Sheri here,
Now is the time to do it. What’s that you ask? Why create a holiday plan and budget.
Oh Boo – that’s ok…Boo fits with Halloween!
It’s October, Time for Holiday Planning
This is not the first October that I’ve discussed this topic. See my blog It’s October, the Start of the Holidays. But maybe you are like me and tend to forget from year to year how fast things go this time of year.
I’m convinced that the year is over when October hits – ‘cuz it moves so fast! I just did my fourth quarter plan and it included looking at my budget and calendar.
The biggest things I’m planning this holiday season includes a Book Launch Party, Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas decorating light and Christmas dinner. Other years had much more in the calendar, but this year, that’s enough.
My blog It’s October, the Start of the Holidays, includes 5 holiday budget tips. I understand that word budget might have you breaking out in hives, but…it’s a solid idea that can save you a mint.
When you create a holiday budget, you can get realistic about what you choose to spend. Then it also says, if this is how much I choose to spend, then this is who I can spend it on.
For me, I told you my plans and the Book Launch Party has it own budget, so other than the grandkids, few others are getting a gift this year. That’s what’s realistic and to still have room for two feasts. The decorations, I’ve got already.
Let’s Not Skip Over Thanksgiving
Many times we tend to skip over Thanksgiving in the retail hype of getting to the December holidays. But Thanksgiving is special to me. It’s time to recognize that for which you are grateful and to gather family and friends, which implies a feast. A day dedicated to eating and football, how very special is that!
There are lots of options for these feasts – so your plan is important. Are you preparing it, if so are you making it from scratch, which does take more time but is both fun and yummy. Or are you outsourcing it and buying a meal-in-the-box with all the fixings? You don’t need to decide this minute – but give it some thought as you make your holiday plan and budget.
Halloween and Holiday Fun
By now you either have your Halloween decorations up or have a solid plan. Our plan is to savor our neighbor’s decorations. They do a great job and have several young children who enjoy the process. Our joy comes from their preparation, including their Halloween costumes.
The last few years, especially at Halloween, with no young kids and few trick or treaters, sharing the fun of others has been our major pleasure.
We can find delight in numerous ways during the next several months, we don’t need to be curmudgeons or rushed. Watching the joy of others and finding ways to add to it can help both your plan and your budget. You can find lots of low cost and low time commitment things to enhance what is already planned.
No matter what you do, find joy in the season.
How about you? Have you made your plans for the holiday season, hit reply and share!
Around town – My book, Everything I Learned About Life I Learned on Vacation is now available for sale on Amazon – you can buy it here – enjoy both the book and the season!
Have a blessed week!
Ciao,
Sheri
