Christmas Time Management Tips

Garland Coulson “Captain Time”

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When Your Name is “Garland”

• You get a LOT of Christmas jokes!

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My brother was always eager to “hang” me

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But I Still Love Christmascc: horizontal.integration - https://www.flickr.com/photos/97831130@N00

How Do You Save Time & Avoid Holiday Stress?

cc: Mancha Extraña - https://www.flickr.com/photos/62164357@N05

Plan Gifts with Family

• Decide on limits or if you even want to exchange gifts

• Get a list of potential gifts people want – give them what they want instead of stressing over what to buy

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Start Planning Gifts Early

• I use OneNote to capture gift ideas year round

• Use camera to take pictures of gifts they like

• I often buy gifts by Sept/Oct especially if they must be shipped

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Avoid shopping malls in December

• Take advantage of non-traditional work hours

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Use Gift Certificates

• Let people get what they want from their favourite stores

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Amazon Gift Certificates

• a good alternative as they sell a wide range of products

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Shop Online• Use a neighbor or other family

members address if you want to hide gifts

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Make a List and Check it Twice

•OneNote•Gift lists• To do lists• Fun ideas• Invitation lists• Food needed•Decorations needed

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Batch Trips• Batch together gift, food,

decorations purchases into as few trips as possible.

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Get Help• Enlist family members to help• Use gift wrapping services• Cleaning service• Catering• Delivery service• Get others to pick things up for you

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Christmas Traditions

• Make a list• Keep only the ones you truly

enjoy

cc: Glenn Waters ぐれんin Japan. - https://www.flickr.com/photos/23893265@N08

Our Christmas Traditions

•Old family traditions•Home made donuts•Turkey dinner

•New Traditions•Christmas Sail By•Winter Harp

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Christmas Baking• Bake 1-2 months in advance• Do a baking exchange• Turn into a fun event with family

or friendscc: Andrea Goh - https://www.flickr.com/photos/47845458@N08

Cooking• Ask for help• Even non-cooks can peel and cut

vegetables• Gives you company and fun in the kitchen

cc: Jeff Kubina - https://www.flickr.com/photos/95118988@N00

Party Planning

•OneNote for•Theme ideas• Invitation list•Needed items

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Learn to Say No• You don’t have to say yes to

every social event over the season

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Set a Cutoff Time• A date after which there is no

more shopping or running around, just working with what you already have

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Don’t Tie Everything to One Day

• Think of it as the “12 Days of

Christmas” or Christmas week

• A chance to see additional family or

friends

cc: Farid Iqbal - https://www.flickr.com/photos/96029652@N00

Bored Family Members

•Have additional entertainment options available• Movies• Board games• Video games• Suggest local activities (bowling, billiards, coffee shops, art

galleries, hiking, sledding)

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Open Houses• Invite people for an open house come

over a block of time (1-5pm or 4-8 pm) instead of for a dinner

• People can drop in for an hour or two then do other things

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Escape• Pick a day or 2 over the holidays

to do something for yourself

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After Christmas• Debrief yourself• Make a list of changes you want for

next year (OneNote)• Schedule dates to do these changes

next yearcc: SullyDC - https://www.flickr.com/photos/58553501@N00

Merry Christmas from Captain Time!

cc: Kristin Marie Enns-Kavanagh - https://www.flickr.com/photos/35308425@N04

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