It happens every year. One day the leaves are just starting to turn, and the next day Thanksgiving dinner is on the table and Christmas is two weeks away. If you have ever wrapped a gift at midnight on Christmas Eve, this post is for you.
The good news is that a little planning now makes the whole season calmer. Thanksgiving falls on November 26 this year, and Christmas follows less than a month later. Here is a simple way to get ready, one holiday at a time, with a few favorites from our Holiday Collections to help along the way.
Start with fall and Thanksgiving
Fall is the warm-up for the whole season, so enjoy it. Cooler mornings call for something soft to pull on, and our fall sweatshirts in Clothing are made for porch coffee, pumpkin patches, and football Saturdays.
Speaking of coffee, a new mug is one of the easiest ways to make an ordinary morning feel like the season has arrived. You will find fall designs and a few that are just plain funny in Home Goods.
If you are hosting Thanksgiving, set the mood before anyone sits down. A candle or two on the table makes the room feel warm and welcoming, and it takes about ten seconds.
If you are a guest, do not show up empty-handed. A candle or a mug with a handwritten card is a small thank-you that a host will actually use.
Get your Christmas cards and wrapping paper early
Christmas cards are the first thing to run late, because they have to be written, addressed, and mailed. Pick your cards in November and aim to have them in the mail by the first week of December. That way they arrive in time to sit on a mantel for the whole month.
Our Christmas cards and wrapping paper are in Holiday Collections. Order your wrapping paper at the same time as your cards. Having paper in the closet before the gifts arrive means you can wrap each one as it comes in, not all of them in one long night.
Gifts for everyone on your list
You do not need a big budget to give a gift that feels personal. Match the gift to the person:
- The coffee or tea lover: a mug with a design that fits their personality, from Home Goods.
- The friend who makes you laugh: one of our funny designs. A gift that gets a laugh is remembered long after the wrapping paper is gone.
- The one who is always cold: a cozy sweatshirt from Clothing.
- The busy one on the go: a tote bag from This-N-That for groceries, books, or church.
- Teachers, neighbors, and coworkers: a candle and a card. Simple, thoughtful, and always welcome.
Keep the reason for the season close
In all the shopping and cooking, it is easy to lose sight of what the holidays are about. Gratitude at Thanksgiving and the birth of Christ at Christmas are the heart of it all.
Our Faith & Inspiration collection is full of designs that share that message. They make meaningful gifts for a pastor, a Sunday school teacher, a prayer partner, or a friend who needs encouragement this year.