Christmas Gift Challenge

I’m a better mom in December because of the Christmas Gift Challenge. The last few years I have been intentional about when I get my Christmas shopping done and it’s helped me truly enjoy one of the best months of the year. This year our life is a little bit fuller and I almost decided not to do it. However, I know my December self will thank me for the work I do this month. There is a chance it all might not get done before December 1 and I am okay with that. Grace, friends. Here is how I’m doing my Christmas Gift Challenge this year.

Make a List

Excel and my Notes app is how I keep my list straight. I have been keeping gift ideas for my kids on my Notes app for several months now. I have an Excel spreadsheet I use year after year with a master list of who our family buys for. Recently, I sat down one afternoon and edited the master list with ideas for gifts.

A few ways I keep things simple:

I purchase the same gift for groups of people. For example, the kids are giving one book they liked this past year to all their friends and we gift the same small gift to our neighbors.
I use traditions and the Lazy Genius’ Decide Once principle to help guide my gifts. For example, the kids get toothbrushes, candy, and a small trinket in their stockings each year. I don’t have to use a lot of brain power to purchase those gifts.
Our kids get three gifts from us. Every year.

Create a master list of all the people you would like to buy for either in your Notes app, a good old fashioned notebook, or an Excel spreadsheet. Brainstorm gift ideas beside each name. Simplify when possible!

Set a Budget

I think it’s easy to skip this part, but let’s not. Okay? Our family sets aside money each month all year long for Christmas. The amount we set aside is based on money we have spent on past Christmases divided by twelve. I use that big, round number to help me decide on an allotted amount for each individual gift.

Take time to get real on what your budget is for Christmas gifts this year. If you don’t have the capacity to set an amount for each gift, at least set a number of what you want to spend on Christmas gifts as a whole. I don’t talk a lot about money here (for good reason), but I whole heartedly believe in not going into debt to buy Christmas gifts. Your January self will thank you.

Shop

Maybe you like shopping small or shopping Amazon or window shopping through the mall. For me, I like to dabble in a little bit of everything. I will purchase gifts from both Amazon and my local gift shop, The Occasional Collective, and there will obviously be Target runs. I have been slowly shopping, sitting down to purchase items when I have time. I have it on my calendar to head into The Occasional Collective in the near future to pick up some special items as well.

Decide how and when you will shop. For most moms, a majority of the Christmas shopping lands on our shoulders. God doesn’t give us an extra 40 hours for shopping this month, so we must make time for it. Designate some times when you will shop and put it on the calendar. This ensures it will actually get done.

Store the Gifts or Wrap

There are two types of people: those who like to store the gifts and wrap later and those who like to wrap right away. There are both pros and cons to both of these methods, but that doesn’t matter much. We have to do what works best for us. For me, I like to store the gifts and wrap in December while I watch Christmas movies. It is my guilty pleasure and helps me feel productive while I am binging the Hallmark channel.

Decide when you will wrap and if you need to make space to store the gifts that are coming into your house. Make a plan for the goods.