Anyone else feel overwhelmed with all there is to do?

Question

I am having the holidays, both Christmas Eve AND Christmas at my house, and am feeling overwhelmed about getting everything done.

Any advice?

Answer 1

I wish I could come over and help!!! I have almost no family or friends so I'm twiddling my thumbs. I'd love to drop by and start baking or cleaning or wrapping presents for ya! I guess the only thing is to take it one step at a time and realize it will be perfect no matter what! And if you get frustrated, remember me, sitting alone, and wishing I had your problem :-)

Answer 2

When I feel this way, I remember the saying about how you eat an elephant: one bite at a time...

There are two specific strategies you can use, though, to get you through this:

1 - Prepare in advance. Sure, there's a lot you will need to do the night or the day itself, but start your list now and look for things you can make, prepare or buy this week and next week and have on hand for the big day (or eve). Cookies? Homemade fudge? Make 'em this week; fudge gets better if stored for a week or two, and you can freeze cookies. Cute little paper plates with poinsettias on them? Buy them now and use them to pass around the snacks on Christmas Eve. And perhaps most important... by knowing what you can prepare in advance, you'll also know what you have to do during the event itself, which leads to strategy #2:

2 - Delegate, delegate, delegate. Ask Aunt Jean if she can bring her famous rum balls -- that's one less treat you have to make. Ask Uncle Waldo (if you know where he is :-) to bring some of those butter-flake dinner rolls he gets at that neat little bakery in his neighborhood. Plead with Cousin Katie to help you hand out the eggnog and mulled cider while everybody is sitting around the tree. And browbeat, guilt-trip or just plain bully your kids or siblings into helping you clean up afterwards. There's another old saying that's appropriate here: Many hands make light work.

We've done Thanksgivings with as many as five families, and at least once we cooked the turkey at our house and brought it to the house that was hosting the feast. The five moms (who were all "power volunteers" at our kids' elementary schools, which is how they got to be friends) all got together a week or two ahead of time and divided the menu between us -- we did the turkey and stuffing, another did the cranberry sauce and rolls, a third did the pies and sweet potatoes, etc. It worked GREAT, and was one of the most fun and memorable Thanksgivings we ever had.

There's no reason this can't be the most fun and memorable Christmas you ever had -- and if everybody brings something, it'll be all the more special because THEY contributed. And that, for me, is the true meaning of Christmas:

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before:
Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store --
Maybe Christmas, he thought, means a little bit more...

All the best, and a very merry Christmas to the whole gang!

Answer 3

Make a check list with everything you have to do and then check them off as you go along. Remember you are only one person, so ask for help. Plan only one meal Christmas day or christmas eve. Have everyone bring their favorite dish the other and a favorite story to share and don't forget to take two seconds out to enjoy your holiday too. Good luck. Happy Holidays.

Answer 4

Sure, first take a deep breath. That's it just breathe, you'll be repeating this to yourself on those 2 days... Ok... do all the dishes that can be kept frozen ahead of time... and freeze them(pies, cakes, dressing,even veggies) that will take a big burden off of you. Then, do a major cleaning job on your house or have it hired in if possible a few days ahead of time, this will also help take a burden off of you.Also, wrap all the presents you need to wrap now if you have already purchased them... if not, then try to get them where the store will gift wrap them for you. Cut up all veggies for snacking the night before and store them in frig. and you can also cut up cranberry sauce ahead of time. Ham can be cooked the day before and heated when it gets close to time for guest to arrive... hope this helps.. Also, if you think there amy be sticky finger visiting... put your valuable and all cash in a shoe box and hide it like under you bed or even put it with other shoes you keep in boxes... good luck

Answer 5

One year one of our family members who hosted the holidays at their house sent out cute home-made invitations with those 3-dimentional things you usually buy for scrap-booking. They were really cute. On the bottom of the invite she put "Please bring rolls and a salad". Or "Please bring potato's". You can have your guests share in the responsibilities of the meal so that you can focus more on being a good hostess and focus on all the other details that make an evening memorable. I don't think this is tacky at all if you present it in the right way, and I think that families are more than willing to help out and alleviate some of the stress.
Also don't worry about EVERYTHING being perfect. Remember that a lot of the things that you worry about or things that you notice, other people don't even notice them.
Good luck!!!

Answer 6

Ask you relatives to help chip in...don't make it bigger than it really is, that way you don't get over stressed...have a great holiday...

Here is a life saver for you, many restaurants and stores offer holiday meals for a set price, on one of the days serve this type of meal and on the other you can make dinner or you can just buy the heat and serve meals for both days if your budget allows for it...

I included a link so you would know what i was talking about...

good luck

Answer 7

whats up! i became into meant to be getting married in a city approximately an hour and a nil.5 away, that's to no longer undesirable yet once you have a crappy vehicle (temp) you dont choose to flow over the grapevine(CA)! So for my own sanity i desperate to have my wedding ceremony on the city. This labored in my choose as I even have the ideal planner right here and a place that i admire for my wedding ceremony, so I say stay on the city, you have gotten stuff to haul to the marriage and you have gotten presents to take residing house plus in case you're on your city you already know the place issues are you will purely have a greater efficient day! stable luck and attempt to no longer go loopy! with the aid of the way CONGRATS !

Answer 8

Holiday stress. Go to a spa or do something fun so that you can have some time to relax and have some me time. The holidays are a very stressful time for many people. Take a deep breath!!

Answer 9

I'm in the same boat as you doing both days I'm relaxing about it and not stressing
first don't worry about doing too much cleaning because they aren't going to notice make the meals simple on both days so you have time to enjoy your company. Cook things in advance so all you have to do is reheat them.
Here is what I'm making on xmas eve
Plum glazed ham
fried shrimp (done the day before and reheated)
corn
cheesey vegetables (put together day before)
salad
mashed potatoes
cheesecake(made in advance)
french silk pie (made in adavance)
xmas day
filet mignon (hubby cooks it on grill)
leftover ham(reheated)
baked potatoes
lasagna(made weeks before & frozen taken out to defrost)
greenbeans with walnuts & garlic
leftover salad
Strawberry yougurt pie (simple to make the day before)
if anyone asks what to bring don't be shy and tell them what you'd like them to bring like a side dish or dessert or even soda, wine beer anything that will help you so you aren't running around like a chicken without a head. Also using crockpots helps since you just have to throw it in and leave it.

Good luck

Answer 10

Invite a couple of the guests over before Christmas Eve and have them help you. I would think most of them would be glad to help.