Finding the right gift for someone may be difficult but you can search for online gift guides to help you through the process. A good starting point can be choosing a gift based on the personality or your relationship. For example, if the person is a friend from college, you can give them a sweatshirt from your alma mater. Ask if the person has a wish list. While it may seem lazy, research has shown that people receiving a gift that they actually want makes them happier than if they were to receive a gift that a lot of thought was put into. However, if you do put a lot of thought into a gift, you may feel closer to the receiver. [2] X Research source
Some popular Christmas songs are “Santa Baby” by Madonna, “All I want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey, “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” By Thurl Ravenscroft, “Underneath the Tree” by Kelly Clarkson, and something from Michael Bublé’s Christmas album. [5] X Research source
Buy festive wrapping paper, Christmas lights and ornaments on sale right after Christmas. Buy them with neighbors for bulk pricing. Encourage your neighbors to decorate their homes with lights.
Some great examples of Christmas movies are Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, A Christmas Story, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and Elf.
Though live trees are traditional, consider a less flammable synthetic tree to reduce the risk of fire ruining your Christmas. If you do not have the space or budget for a full blown tree, visit local displays. Department stores and even entire neighbourhoods will display Christmas trees so check your community calendar. [9] X Research source
You could also choose to buy a Gingerbread house-making kit. These kits are quite common, and can be found in grocery stores as well as department stores. Buying a kit can make the whole affair much easier and simpler, but can be more costly than if you made the ingredients yourself.
Ensure that the baked goods have cooled down and wrapped before storing them as you do not want freezer burn. [12] X Research source You may use royal icing to decorate cookies before you freeze them. Wait until the icing is hard before you stack them. You may also place each individual cookie in its own plastic bag before stacking. [13] X Research source If you are making a few different baked goods, keep them in separate containers to make sure the flavors do not blend together. Store your treats in the back of the freezer to maintain freshness as they will keep up to 3 months. [14] X Research source
If you are inviting a large number of people, save yourself time and energy by asking for contributions to the meal. Make sure to keep an organized list to get enough variety for everyone and that anyone cooking is comfortable making their assigned dish. Organize games and activities if there are a lot of children in your family. Young children may get easily restless in anticipation of opening their presents.
Ensure that you are able to take the time off of work before planning any vacation. Other coworkers may have already booked the time off. Read reviews or consult a travel agent if you do not know where you would like to take your vacation. Do not book your travel itinerary without researching the pros and cons of your destination. Vacationing should be an escape from any stress so put in the work beforehand to ensure a fun filled getaway.
For a more random exchange, create a cakewalk in which everyone buys a gift. Set a price limit so that no one goes overboard. Line up all the gifts and assign each with a different number. Follow the rules of musical chairs and play a song as everyone walks around the gifts. When the music stops, each person gets the gift closest to them. [17] X Research source
