Do some planning for stress-free holidays

4. What are some of your favorite holiday traditions? Is it the boiled custard that my son adores that his grandmother used to make or is it the snow village in the bookcase? Make a list of the things that you love; after which you may want to question your family about this. Is it baking cookies for the neighbors or caroling on a cold winter evening? Don't feel pressured to do them all. This is just a list and you will be able to prioritize them.

5. Now for the decorating. Make a list of the rooms you want to adorn with your holiday decorations. Do you have a wreath for your door? Do you need to buy new lights or ornaments? Make a list of what you need. When you start decorating, make a tradition out of it by doing a little each evening and enjoying the process. Put a few ornaments on the tree each day. Make decorating fun and not a chore. Let go of your perfectionism, too, and you will have a lot more fun. Gift wrapping is part of our decorating scheme, too. Do you have the paper you like, enough tape, gift cards and ribbons?

6. What are you going to have to bake or cook for the main holiday meal? Make your menu on this page and start a grocery list. Next think about the cookies you love to make and the other meals (breakfast, lunch, party food) and parties that you will need to fix or bring a dish to. Add these items to your grocery list.

7. Everyone loves to make gifts for friends as well as bake. Well, if you have not thought about those homemade sewn gifts by now, let's face it, they are probably not going to be finished by the deadline. Don't get caught up in trying to impress when it is going to put too much stress in your life. Keep it simple.

8. Now for the rest of the family's gifts. Write down all the names of people you intend to buy for. Set an amount and don't go over it. It is not too late; you still have time to find an acceptable gift without maxing out your credit cards. Keep clutter-free in mind. If you need ideas, review all of our clutter-free gift ideas on our Web site. 9. Do you have holiday plays to attend and music to enjoy? Get these on your calendar. Are there parties at the office or at a friend's? Check with your family on this, too.

10. The hardest person to buy for in your home is YOU! Do you have any idea what you would like for a gift? Our spouses and children cannot read our minds; give them a want list. Now is the time to make your list. Don't keep it a secret. This doesn't mean you are going to get all you asked for, but it gives your loved ones someplace to start.

I want for you what I have; peace. This peace came from using my routines to keep my home in order and a little planning ahead with 15 minutes of doing each day to accomplish what I have planned. You can have this, too, if you will adjust your attitude toward the holidays and take care of yourself.

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Marla Cilley, a k a FlyLady, is the author of Sink Reflections (Bantam Books Trade Paperback). For more help, please go to her Web site: www.FlyLady.net. © 2005