Don’t worry, Santa knows you haven’t been naughty this Christmas. I bribed one of his elves to rig the list at the last possible moment.
Judging by the looks of him, you still might be screwed. That’s what you get for being naughty though. While you were in the back room with the reindeer and Santa doing his “Ho, ho…oh,” me and Jesus were away in the manger decorating trees and putting stars on top of them.
Yeah. Shame on you.
No need to fear the lump of coal though! There’s still time to repent! (Unless Christmas is literally right around the corner and you haven’t bought anything for anyone, in which case, there really is no helping you. You’re a legitimate Scrooge.)
Everyone has problems figuring out what to do for Christmas and what to buy for people, so we decided to make some short and sweet sections for you to help boost your thought process.
These are merely some ideas–we didn’t go too overboard and we hopefully didn’t make it too vague.
We wanted to give you choices to think about instead of handing you products and saying, “Here, buy this for them.”
FAQ
When is Christmas Day?
It falls on December 25th every single year, that way Santa doesn’t forget when he needs to start fasting so he can be able to fit down all the chimneys in order to eat all the cookies before he gets too fat and has to hibernate.
How Mrs. Klaus puts up with his crap, I’ll never know.
What are the typical traditions on Christmas?
Depending on the persona and the religion, people might do a variety of things on this holiday, some mentioned on this post, some not. Some mentioned on other posts, because I like to cover my bases, just not all in one location. Sometimes you have to jog to keep up with me.
There’s the typical gift-giving aspect of the holiday, which most people focus on.
A completion of an Advent calendar (usually mixed with treats or little surprises in them), or an Advent wreath, which symbolizes the passage of the four weeks of Advent.
The ever so lovely grouping of Christmas carolers that may or may not pass through your neighborhood singing songs of the season.
Christmas card exchange for when people are cheap and don’t want to buy actual presents.
Church services, because the main reason we celebrate Christmas is for the birth of Jesus Christ and sometimes we need to be reminded it’s not all about the big guy in the red suit, though it’s nice that he does give us presents every once in a while.
Special meals with the family, of course, seeing as it’s a big holiday, and big holidays mandate big get-togethers.
Binge-watching classic movies on the big screen. Now that 24-hour marathons are a thing, trust me when I say people will sit there and watch a show they like on repeat over and over until the day is done. It’s tradition.
Decorating the house with all kinds of lights. The biggest tradition there is. Everyone loves to hate it because it’s such a hassle to put everything up, only to take it back down days later. But when everything’s said and done, the end result could be considered a masterpiece if done right.
Things to do in preparation for Christmas
Give yourself a gift
Sometimes we focus so much on giving other people a gift on Christmas that we forget that it’s also a good time to think about what we want.
So what do you want out of the Christmas holiday?
Are you someone who works out or wants to be healthier when it comes to the new year? Are you tired of the stress this past year has given you and you need to get away from everything and wash away all the stress from your mind and body? Do you wish you could’ve had more time to yourself to do some of the things you love to do, but everything just kind of got in the way, or excuses popped up like groundhogs in a garden?
Everyone needs something different, and you’re no different, so here’s a few ideas for you to think on.
- Bamboo bath caddy tray – There’s no better relaxation than a nice hot bath, but sometimes you need something a bit more than a room with four walls. So set the essentials on the caddy tray along with your iPad, drink, and whatever background music to fill the air and enjoy the heat until it’s no more.
- GreenGeeks web hosting – It’s never too late to create your own niche website if you have something to teach the world, but why keep stalling? You only have so much time left on the world, and we never know when it will end, and GreenGeeks is the perfect starting point for WordPress web hosting if you’re ready for it.
- Masterclass – If there’s something you’ve been wanting to learn or expand on–such as writing, or cooking, or photography, then there really is no better online class learning subscription than Masterclass. You really are taught by the masters of their craft, but not every craft may be on here.
- Amtrack – Personally, I’ve always wanted to go on a train vacation, but I’ve never had the time to do so. In fact, I’ve never even been on a train, and the only thing I know about trains are the ones I’ve seen on old westerns my dad watches. I’m hoping one day soon I’ll get to take one and see some of the National Parks, and perhaps you can take one yourself.
- Tonal – For those who are into working out with a virtual trainer, body-building equipment, and a wide variety of workout programs to choose from. Set it up somewhere in your home, and get pumped to get…pumped.
- If you’re interested in Tonal, but wish to look at other smart mirror alternatives, check out my post: 3 Smart Mirror Alternatives to Tonal Worth Seeing A New You
Prepare the frosty snacks
All right, they don’t have to be frosty, or even Frosty the Snowman themed.
Christmas isn’t about catering to Santa’s cookie grabbing hands–it’s about the gift of giving. To yourself. To others. And if we’re stepping into the light of the Christians’ viewpoints, it’s the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, but it’s hard to find those types of recipes.
So make the treats that you want to make. Make the treats that you know others will love. And even dare to make the treats your enemies will secretly munch on behind your back.
- Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberry Santas – If you love strawberries and cheesecake, then you might fancy yourself making these Christmas treats–and don’t try to cheat with whipped cream either, the creator tried and it didn’t work as planned. Still, it’s something your kids can help you make as well, if they’re getting a little restless.
- Christmas Wreath Cookies – This is a longform post on how to create cookies that look like Christmas wreaths. They’re pretty simplistic in making them, but the creator goes in-depth about the process and provides you with their own tips as well as the type of food coloring to use.
- Fruity Christmas Tree – You don’t have to work too hard with this one, only buy the appropriate ingredients and chop them up, then rearrange into the shape of a tree. Being a fan of kiwis, I had to mention it. (Plus, it’s healthy.)
- The Grinch Cocktail – It’s not a snack, necessarily, but it still falls into the food category. Kind of. It’s got that vibrant green that you’ll know anywhere, and the recipe is super clean and precise. The creator has made a non-alcoholic version as well to benefit everyone’s thirst.
- Vegan Deer Biscoff Doughnut Holes – I’m sure it’s hard to find vegan recipes out of all the recipes that are made out there. But for those that are vegan, here are some cute reindeer doughnut holes, complete with a recipe that features step-by-step images.
Chill out in some winter clothing
I mean if you’ve got kids or are any kind of outdoors type of sports-person, then you’ll need to dress them appropriately as well as yourself–especially if you’re going skiing or snowboarding or ice skating or play ice hockey…though I guess you should already have the attire for that already.
In any case, every time Christmas comes around, my mom gets me a new set of pajamas for me to parade down the steps in.
Thankfully, no, it’s not a bunny costume like Ralphie’s.
Yet.
But it’s something to think about. Every time winter, or even the holiday comes around, think about getting your kid or you something specific to rotate the old out. Not that you won’t ever wear last year’s thing any more, but just so you have something fresh.
- Ohio women’s snow boots – Just looking at them lets you know your feet are going to stay warm, but with the IsoTherm lining, you’ll be sure that they are warm and everything within is snowproofed as the shoes have been treated with durable water repellent.
- Plush animal gloves – I saw these a while back while searching for some kind of gifts for animal lovers and I obviously fell in love (who wouldn’t?) and while they’re unusual for sure, and might not completely work for gripping things, they’re probably perfect for short-term winter gloves and definitely the perfect Christmas gift for kids who need new gloves.
- Sherpa lined slipper socks – Guaranteed to keep your feet warm in the winter months and definitely when you’re walking on those cold linoleum floors. They also have anti-slip grips on the soles, so no sliding around the house Home Alone style.
- Winter hat & gloves set – This set offers you a beanie and half-finger gloves that you can choose in multiple colors. Personally, I like the white, because winter was made for white. It has a lovely design on it with rabbit fur and is guaranteed to keep your ears warm at least. And who doesn’t love playing with pom pom balls.
Watch some Christmas classics
I’m sure everyone can name at least three classics that come to mind when Christmas starts getting closer, as there are typically 24 hour dedications to them, or the reruns are insane, or they’re shown on a variety of different channels at the same time.
Believe it or not, there are some that you might’ve forgotten about.
Or if you haven’t forgotten about them, maybe you’ll want to own them so you don’t have to wait until they actually show up on the big screen or search through your catalog of shows on a streaming device. I mean, not everyone actually has a streaming service, you know.
(But it could make for a good gift, wink wink.)
- A Charlie Brown Christmas – Everyone would get mad at me if I didn’t put this on the list. I’ve never been a real huge fan of Charlie Brown (I know, I know), but I know it’s a beloved show, and my parents always watch this when it comes on. I guess I just wasn’t really raised around it. But I know the characters. And I wear Snoopy flight pilot style of safety glasses at work. (Not lying.)
- A Christmas Story – You can’t stop me from loving this movie. Everything about it, from the humor, to the stupid leg Christmas presents the characters get each other or themselves, to the things they say. I use some of those sayings, and I still eye that leg lamp on Amazon from time to time, but I haven’t ever bought it.
- Home Alone (25th anniversary ultimate collector’s edition) – Of course this one movie became a huge hit for its series and for good reason. A kid being accidentally left behind in a large house and having to elude a couple of goony burglars by setting up traps is one heck of a way to spend a Christmas vacation.
- National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation – The one movie I will always go back to, because it happened to be the funniest one that always struck a chord with me. Maybe because their family was on par with the insanity of my own, just…a little more.
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer – This is a movie that my family and I always watch before Christmas rolls around and if there was ever a classic, this is it. Before writing this post, someone mentioned something about mining, and I called out Yukon Cornelius and his whole silver and gold shenanigans because I couldn’t help myself. This was in the month of April, mind you.
Stuff the stockings
Finding something to put in the stockings is both incredibly easy and also incredibly difficult.
It’s incredibly easy, because you could go the simplistic route and get them what they might like and what you can easily find given their age, such as gift cards for either Toys R Us if they’re a kid, or a Visa card they can use for grocery shopping or a gas station if they’re more of an adult. That’s just one thing, of course. There’s also their favorite candy you can put in the stocking–just make sure it won’t melt if it happens to be chocolate. Maybe a card with money.
Those are your simple solutions.
The more difficult aspect comes when you’re actually thinking about what they like and what will fit in the stocking itself, so let’s go ahead and give some examples.
- Cat paw key caps for mechanical keyboard – If the person you’re buying for loves cats and is constantly at the computer for one reason or another, consider buying them these key caps. They don’t serve much of a purpose other than aesthetics, honestly, but it’s a nice gesture and they’re adorable to look at!
- Fidget controller pad cube – Someone with ADHD or anyone that fidgets and has a lot of stress can benefit a lot from something like this, at it will allow them to focus better.
- Harry Potter inspired hot chocolate spoon – I know I said be careful with chocolate and stocking because melt happens, but if you know someone who loves Harry Potter and hot chocolate, there’s no reason not to try to gift them this combo right here. And don’t worry, Trevor isn’t going to hop away.
- Toucan wine bottle stopper – Someone you know love wine and need a glitzy colorful bird to stop that wine from leaking? I mean, who wants someone accidently knowing over a bottle and spilling fine wine, right? This beautiful toucan might just be a gift from the clouds. Or rainforest.
- You are my rock – When all else fails for your significant other, just remember, you can always give them this rock.
Double-check the lists
No list-making here, but I just wanted to say, if you have kids that are actually writing out some of the gifts they want, make sure to look them over and really think about some of those products.
Sometimes they could do with an upgraded portion of that product they want, and sometimes not. Sometimes the downgraded one has something about it that the newer one doesn’t actually have and that’s what makes the old model better. It’s…weird, but it’s something to consider with some toys.
Obviously, that’s not going to be the case every single time with everything they want.
And also, communicate with others.
It’s possible that another family member is going to buy something that you’re going to buy, and it’s a bit depressing to get the same exact thing. Trust me, I was a kid once, and I still am a kid at heart, and even now, getting the same thing from two people is kind of disheartening. It’s gratifying, and I’m grateful to everyone for thinking of me, but…damn you all.
Be original.
I’m not yelling at you.
I’m shaking my fist at them.
Just remember it’s Christmas and kids don’t really know any better. They just know they’re getting showered with a variety of gifts. They’re not supposed to know it’s a sham just yet and that Santa isn’t really real.
Decorate like the Oswalds
I’m kidding, of course. Don’t go that far. But do a little bit of decorating, even if the people on the outside don’t get to see too much into your holiday spirit. Even if they only see a slight glimmer of a tree ornament.
- Bouquet tree topper – If you’re tired of the typical star or angel sitting at the top of your Christmas tree, then this might be a pleasant change for you. Four choices of bouquets to choose from (if they aren’t sold out) to top your tree with. In order to get it to set, the package comes with zip ties.
- Red bells Christmas lights with music – I was perusing the light decorations and wondering where the hell I’d even begin when I found these. They had a unique look, but not only that–apparently they can play 21 different musicals if you want them to. You can also let the lights blink on and off or be steadily lit, and no, they don’t always have to play music.
- Santa cookie jar – Well we can’t have a Christmas theme going on without some kind of cookie jar to keep Santa’s hands out of the cookies, right? Now all we have to do is rig it so an alarm goes off when he tries to steal one after breaking into the house.
- Tabletop prelit Christmas tree – If you live alone or you just don’t ever feel like buying your own tree and putting it up, you’re in luck! Here’s a small Christmas tree you can set on a table that doesn’t take a whole lot of room and runs on batteries instead of an outlet.
- Thomas Kinkade Snowfall Express snowglobe train – If you’re a collector of Thomas Kinkade decorations, then you might fancy this choo-choo train as it travels through the snowy terrain. It’s wonderfully detailed, as most of his stuff is, with a snowman as the conductor, and a snowglobe in the center.
Send gift boxes
We’re coming up on the grand finale of the things you can do in preparation for the big Christmas holiday that everyone stresses over, and if you’ve made it this far, maybe you’ll be a little less stressed. Maybe you know what you’re up against and you know just what to get who.
Or maybe you know jack shit and I didn’t help at all.
Glad to be of service.
Maybe that’s why I saved the best for last, eh? I mean, who doesn’t love a good gift box, because a gift box means there’s usually more than one thing inside. So if they don’t like one thing, maybe they’ll like the other thing. You got at least a fifty-fifty chance here.
Some or most of what I list below are subscription boxes. Bear in mind the person or you can cancel at any given time. So if they only want one box delivered, then that’s that. If they want more, then keep ’em coming! Just…maybe make the payment in their name instead of yours.
Nobody likes after-holiday moochers.
- Amazon subscription boxes – First off, if you’re an Amazon Prime member (and if you’re not and shop on the website, shame on you), you should know that they have a variety of subscription boxes to choose from. It’s worth looking through them and seeing if any matches what one of your family members might like.
- Barkbox – You didn’t think I’d actually leave out the subscription box for dogs, did you? They’re like, way more important than people (right?). Well, unless you like cats more, then I guess we’re at a disagreement on that one. Barkbox has monthly themes that you can choose for your canine, because they’re nit-picky, but less so than cats.
- Cratejoy – You want a subscription box revolving around a certain category, but not sure where to look? Look here. It’s probably here. They’ve got gift boxes for damn near everything.
- Lootcrate – This is a subscription service for geeks who love video games, anime, and other pop culture franchises. Their loot boxes are actually themed, so even though you don’t know what you’re getting, you know what it revolves around.
- Musclebox – As the name implies, it’s a subscription box for fitness. There’s a box for men, women, as well as a protein box, and there’s an option to gift it to someone. It comes with an app, online workouts, clothing, supplements, and possibly more.
In conclusion…
There a whole lot of things you can do to prepare yourself for Christmas, and it certainly doesn’t all have to deal with the that spine-tingling, nerve-wrecking sensation that comes with shopping for gifts. Just going to church and praying to get through the rest of the year is enough, honestly. He might have earplugs in at this point with all the prayers He’s been having to listen to, but hey, it’s in His job description to listen to His children.
I feel like I’m toeing the line of blasphemy.
What I’m trying to say is, don’t stress too much about it. Try not to procrastinate. Buy something months in advance if it catches your eye. Do something for yourself. Make yourself something sweet. Bring your kids into the kitchen to make something fun with you.
Create something artistic to give a family member so it’s personal, instead of wasting money on something someone else made.
There’s so many things you can do for them.
So do it.
And do something for yourself as well.
And take a shot for every time I said “something,” because that’ll be a fun night, I’m sure.
