Tips for the Last Minute Holiday Scramble
by Molly Gold, founder of GO MOM !NC
With countdowns for virtually every holiday experience known to mankind, normal life events, like an unexpected business trip, sets a domino of destruction tumbling through any Mom's to do list. We quickly find ourselves operating in a last minute scramble wondering how in the world we'll get it all done in time. Try these GO MOM!® Shortcuts to keep a month of festivities and family traditions simply delightful, no matter what comes your way:
Overwhelmed with the thought of decorating and holiday cards? For those of you who have vacation days to use or lose, take special note. Take two Mondays in December off and dedicate the first to wrap up holiday decorating and greeting cards and the next to finish shopping. For last minute Moms at home, hire a babysitter for the same and don't fret for a minute about calling in an extra set of hands while you accomplish tasks not usually on your list.
Can't get to the mall or stand the stress? Finish your shopping online with retailers offering free shipping. A growing number of online retailers now offer gift wrap at the holidays along with a card, a great way to free up time at home otherwise spent wrapping and at the post office. And don't reserve this just for out of town gift recipients. There is no reason not to enjoy the benefit of gifts arriving to your home wrapped and ready to go as well. You can then use the time with your family to enjoy seasonal activities you might otherwise have to skip.
Does cleaning drag you down no matter what time of year? With the house all decked out and lots of folks in and out, you home can start to feel both cluttered and dirty as the month unfolds. Give yourself the gift of sanity and schedule a cleaning service to lend a helping hand on or around December 15th. They'll be happy to work you in then, but don't wait until the next week as a new client because chances are, there won't be any openings.
Hate to cook no matter what the season? The holidays have a way of revealing our weaknesses if only because we are adding in seasonal tasks not usually on our plate. Free yourself to focus on holiday entertaining by visiting a group kitchen the first week of December for family dinners you need no mater what time of year. Dream Dinners, Let's Dish, and Super Suppers are just a few of the well known group cooking businesses where you can order 12 nights of dinner for an average cost of $15 per meal for a family of six. For December, pay the extra $10 and have your entire order pre-assembled and ready to go. Your freezer will be full of healthy meals you can cook in no time, you won't waste money on fresh ingredients you don't use, and you can focus on the fun…which is where we all want to be.
Feeling like it's just not good enough? If this year finds you in new territory as a last minute mom, its time to take stock of what this season is really all about. And guess what? Only you can define that for yourself and with your family. Now is the time for discipline to tune out the messages we are constantly bombarded with that tell us what the holidays "should" be and to take a look at the faces around your daily dinner table to see what it actually is. No matter your holiday, the season is about giving, joy, gratitude, and hope and I can promise any Mom, last minute or already done, that she has to look no farther than her family for all the inspiration she needs to craft a holiday season that is more than good enough, because it is played out every day in how we mother our children. So take a deep breath and drink in the joy, laughter, drama and tears your family is all about. The rest of what we do is simple extra…so leave it that way.
GO MOM!® INC Founder, Molly Gold, is a 42-year-old mother of three and the creator of The GO MOM!® product line. Gold is known for her keen insights into Family Scheduling and has been featured both in print and on air media alike. She is a Family Balance Contributor and Blogger at www.PreciousMoms.com as well as Family Scheduling Expert at www.BlueSuitMom.com. She was a featured Family Time Management Expert for Time Makeover on Fine Living Network and served as the 2007 Home Management Expert on Kenmore.com. Gold's work has most recently been featured in print in Pregnancy & Newborn, Pregnancy, Family Circle, Every Day with Rachael Ray, Cooking Light, Parents, Women's Health, and Family Fun Magazines, on air with NBC's Today Show Weekend Edition, and as a contributing author in "The Experts Guide to the Baby Years," Ettus.
