Ahh Christmas…the time of mince pies, family fun, and realising you forgot to buy the turkey at 10 am on Chrimbo morning. Such fun!

Let’s be honest. This time of year can be full on. With never-ending to-do lists and countless jobs to get done before the big day, it can be over before you’ve relished any Yuletide joy.

Fear not, we’ve got some handy hacks to help you be prepared for Christmas. From organisation tips to making decorating a breeze, have a read and note down your favourites!

  • Set a budget

We’re starting with the basics with a tip that will prevent you from going into 2025 in debt. Work out how many people you’re buying for, and what you’re doing to spend on each person, and don’t go over that limit.

It’s tempting to go overboard because, gift-giving feels great. But things like effort and love count for so much more.

How to create a Christmas budget

  • Suggest a Secret Santa

If you come from a large family, the list of presents you need to get can be eye-wateringly expensive. Make it easier for yourself and everyone else by suggesting a Secret Santa. That way,  everyone buys just one gift, and you can focus on the most important thing: spending time together.

How to set up Secret Santa for families

  • Keep Christmas lights untangled. Future you will thank you!

Do you stuff your Christmas lights in a box only to discover them with horror the next year? Me too…

Make it easier when it comes to decorating by carefully wrapping lights around a large rectangle of cardboard or even a kitchen tube. This way, you can get back to enjoying decorating and not wrestling with a tangled mess!

Psst egg cartons make for great bauble homes!

Christmas light hack

  • Make your own decorations, for free!

Do you have a few tomato puree tubes knocking around? Well, you’ve got yourself a free (kind of) Christmas decoration!

Stay with me here, I know you’re thinking how on earth can a tomato puree tube become a gorgeous Xmas dec?! Well, quite easily – and with very little effort.

Simply cut open the tube and wash any remaining residue out of it. Dry, then flatten using a spoon, and lastly grab a cocktail stick or thin pencil, draw any shape you like and cut it out! You can get super creative – think a snowman, cottage, star, or any other design you fancy.

Watch how to make your own tomato puree Christmas decoration

  • Create separate lists

I am willing to bet that you have a Christmas to-do list that is as long as my arm and the mere sight of it makes your knees tremble. I used to have one too.

I’d write every single thing I had to do, all the presents I had to get, and what food to prepare and organise, and most of the time I’d be far too intimidated by it and not look at it until December 15.

To make Christmas life a heck of a lot easier, separate your lists into super easy, doable groups. Have one list only for presents and keeping tabs on what you need to buy gift-wise, and others for things like food, decorations, and a timetable of social events and people you want to see.

And, once you’ve created these lists, you can use them for years to come. So now you’re always prepared!

Why we love to-do lists. And the science behind how they are so effective.

  • Set aside time to wrap presents and make it fun!

Buying the presents is the fun part, wrapping not so much. It’s so darn fiddly and it can take ages! (I won’t mention how stressful it is when you wrap and then realise you haven’t labelled anything…).

Keeping in mind how much time wrapping can take, set aside snippets throughout December to prioritise wrestling with gift wrapping. Don’t feel like you need to do it all in one, you can wrap as you go to make it less stressful.

A key thing to remember here is to do it on a flat surface, and make it fun. Grab a festive snack, a nice drink like a hot mug of cocoa or mulled wine and pop your favourite tunes on!

What are some of your favourite tips for a smooth Christmas? Share yours in the comments below!