It is day 9 of the 15 Day's to and Organized Christmas challenge and today is all about that yummy Christmas dinner! But just a quick recap for those of you who are new and are just now joining us.
We are taking 15 days to get organized and prepared for Christmas. So far you have a festive Christmas planner all organized in a binder (download yours right here!), the December calendar and Christmas to-do list are both filled out, you know what your Christmas budget is and exactly what you can spend and who to spend it on. You have started brainstorming for Christmas gift ideas, you started gathering up addresses for Christmas cards, you have written down what Christmas traditions and activities that you are doing this year, you have written down what crafts you are making and have a shopping list for needed items, and you have already written down your Christmas baking list and gathered the recipes together.
At this point, you are well on your way to having your entire Christmas planned out before Thanksgiving. Have you ever done this before? Is this changing how you feel about the holidays? Think about it, instead of running around playing catch up, you have written down a plan of exactly what to do and when to do it weeks before December actually gets here. You are amazing! This Christmas, you should feel much calmer and less stressed because you have taken the time now to get organized and ready!
Day 9 is all about the yumminess that is the Christmas dinner. Y'all, I sat down yesterday to write out what I am cooking for Thanksgiving and got all excited about cooking for that big day! In the same way, you should do the same thing today - right now - to get ready for the big Christmas dinner.
Are you hosting a big or small Christmas dinner or Christmas Eve dinner at your house this year? Are you attending a Christmas or Christmas Eve dinner somewhere else? What about hosing a different Christmas meal? Chances are that you are doing at least one of those things.
Decide now what you are going to cook for that big upcoming meal. Look in your recipe box, call your mom, look through your cookbooks, search on Pinterest, and look in your favorite magazine for yummy ideas. Look and then make your final decisions of what you are going to cook. If you are taking sides/dessert to a Christmas dinner, send the host a quick text asking about the meal and what you should bring. If you attended the same Christmas meal last year, think back to that event and let that be your guide as to what you should plan on taking. For example, if you took 2 sides and a dessert last year, than plan on taking 2 sides and a dessert this year.
After you've decided what you are making for your Christmas dinner, write everything down on the "Christmas Menu" worksheet in the planner. Than take a few extra minuets to start the grocery list for that meal. You can use the "grocery list" page in the Christmas planner. Write down all the items that you need to make your cooking a success. The last thing you want to do is to be looking for an open grocery store at 6pm Christmas Eve because you forgot an essential ingredient to finish your cooking for the big day!
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While you are at it, gather all the recipes together in one place. Paperclip them together and place them somewhere safe. A good place is in your Christmas binder in one of these zippered pouches. Just don't forget where you placed them! That would be defeating the purpose of being all organized for your Christmas meal.
This process should take about 20ish minuets, depending on if you get lost in recipe searching world or not. Today, make a goal to finish your plan of what you are cooking for Christmas and then if you come across a great side or dessert you can always make that change later. The point of today is to plan out the big picture of what you are going to cook and get your plan in place now before the holiday rush happens.
Today's Assignment
Plan your Christmas menu. Gather up the recipes in one place all together. Then make your grocery list for that meal.
How are you doing with this 15 day challenge? Has it been helpful to you so far? Have you gotten your Christmas planner yet? Let me know in the comments below how this is changing your holiday season!
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