You want the holidays to be perfect for the whole family. It may feel like the best way to make them that way is to do everything yourself. That way, you know it will get done the right way. However, this can quickly become overwhelming. Those who don’t participate in the planning and execution of holiday plans may not understand how much work goes into them. This leads to one family member being overworked and could lead to frustration among other family members. The more, the merrier still applies when it comes to preparing for the holidays. Here’s how you can get the whole family involved.
Involve Children from the Start
You may feel like bringing children into planning for holiday preparations would slow down the process. However, you may be surprised by the fresh ideas they have. Teach them about what goes into planning holiday activities, and bring them along for shopping trips. This will give them an appreciation for all the work you do, and they’ll be more compelled to help when the time comes. It could even be a way to introduce them to a new hobby or two.
Decide on What to Delegate
Make a list of everything you have to do, and see what you can delegate to others. Your teen with a driver’s license can help pick up items from the store, but they may need guidance on what exactly to buy. A younger child can help with decorating cookies, but they might not be ready to chop vegetables quite yet. Everyone in the family can help out, and while it may not yield the “perfect” result, it will take a lot of stress off of you and make everyone else feel included.
Divide Writing and Wrapping Duties
Gift wrapping and writing cards doesn’t feel like it takes a long time until you sit down to do it. While writing cards, you often remember people you forgot to add to your list, and the list ends up getting longer. Wrapping gifts can be quick if you’re a pro, but it will definitely be quicker with more people doing it. See if you can assembly-line sorting, wrapping and labeling presents. Have those who have the nicest handwriting write the cards. With a few hands at work, these tasks will be done in no time.
Find New and Old Recipes
Holiday celebrations often focus on food, and there’s no better place for the family to get involved than in the kitchen. You know your family better than anyone, so you’ll know who should be rolling dough, who can decorate and who can focus on tasks like preheating the oven and setting kitchen timers. One way to make the holidays truly special is by finding the recipes grandma used to make or trying something new that everyone in the family can enjoy. No matter how it comes out, your family will appreciate the time spent together.
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