Christmas Holiday Tips
To Make the Weeks Ahead a Joy

Sure, turkey leftovers may still be lingering in your fridge. But there's no escaping the reality just about everywhere else in your home and beyond: It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. Ready or not.

Icicle lights have popped up on neighbors' rooftops seemingly overnight. Seasonal jingles and sentiments are suddenly everywhere. It's enough to make even the most festive of souls feel Grinch-like. After all, merrymaking of the Christmas sort takes heaps of work - and time. Or does it?

With the oncoming seasonal onslaught in mind, I've created a tipsy timetable - that is, a week by week guide to getting it all done before Santa arrives - filled with holiday tips to make the weeks ahead a joy rather than a burden for you and yours.

Weekly Christmas Holiday Tips

Week One. (Nov. 27 - Dec. 3)

Christmas holiday tips for making your home festive. Add a few holiday throw pillows; affix a strand or three of white lights, garland, or ornaments up and down the interior banister; get down that box of decorations, and you're on your way.

Rearrange the living room to make space for the tree. Then make plans for the family to pick out the tree and decorate it. Together. Consider a celebratory dinner following the Christmas creation.

Plan to finish up most of your Christmas shopping this week, so you'll have time to enjoy the holidays without having to rush around - or pay last-minute gift prices.

Print out your Christmas card list. Make adds, changes, deletions as needed. And if you don't have those addresses on a computer labeling program, this is the year to set aside the time to do it.

Week Two. (Dec. 4 - 10)

Take the kids' holiday pictures if you'll be including a photo with your family card this year. Have them developed. Make your own copies onto photo paper using your home printer. Trim with pinking shears or create an unusual trim of your own.

Send cards. Create a place to display the cards you receive.

Make sure your party clothes are clean. If you can wash them, these luxury clothes care tips can help get stains out safely.

Wrap creatively - you'll both conserve and create a memorable, personal gift. Consider using the kids' artwork for wrap, or make your own from inexpensive butcher-type paper. Buy a few large holiday stamps, some red, green, gold, and silver paint, and allow the kids to stamp-on their own decorations. Let dry overnight.

Finalize holiday travel plans.

If the gathering's at your home, make sure your guest room is entertaining ready. If the guest room is your office or your child's room, plan now which area you'll clear out to make room for guests' clothes.

Create a welcoming guest basket of creature comforts: clove or other scented seasonal soap, toothpaste and toothbrush, bath salts or bubbles, a travel alarm clock, and any other necessities your guests may need.