Staying Organized At Christmas

My brain is now in full Christmas mode. It’s so much fun to get ready for all the various Christmas parties and gatherings throughout December…but it can also get a little hairy. I create a gift organizer every year to keep myself on track so I don’t forget anyone or go over budget. I like to decide ahead of time how much I can spend for everyone’s presents, and then back out of it from there.

There are also various times that gifts need to be ready (office parties, gifts that need to be mailed, or family celebrations on/before the actual day of Christmas). This chart helps me keep track of all those things. Here’s an example of my chart for this year (some names and gifts have been changed to protect the surprise). 

I usually keep this list stored in Dropbox or Google Drive, so I have access to it from my phone. It’s so helpful to have an up to date list when I’m out shopping or see a great deal online. You could also print this list and fill in the blanks as you go. I created a blank list like the one above for you to download and use this Christmas. Just click here for my Christmas Gift Organizer.

I’m also on the Party Planning Committee for my office party. We are serving hors d’oeuvres in a pot-luck fashion. With so many people bringing food AND a definite budget that must be adhered to, I had to keep this party organized. Here’s my spreadsheet for the office party (my office is quite often similar to the Scranton branch of The Office, so the names changed here are to protect the guilty!).

This would be a great tool to use for church Christmas functions or even large family get-togethers! If you really love being organized, check out this amazing holiday organization binder. 

How do you stay organized with gifts and party planning?