There are several things I do that help me out at Christmas time.
1. I begin my shopping in October. I know some of you do it all year long, I am just not THAT organized. But I try to have everything except maybe a large purchase completed before the end of November.
2. Food wise I like to plan ahead. One of our favorites every Christmas foods is Sausage Balls, Cocktail meatballs, and cut out cookies. So I can take one evening and make tons of Sausage Balls and freeze them. So when we are ready, we take what we need out and heat them up. And for the cut out 
cookies, I can make the cookie dough ahead of time and freeze it. Then I thaw the dough out and make the cookies (for us it usually is Christmas Eve).
3. I wrap gifts as I buy them. With “To” and “From” tag attached. I hate dislike greatly spending Christmas Eve wrapping, which is what hubby’s side of the family does and I Dislike It Greatly.
Sausage Balls
3 cups Bisquick
1 stick Kraft Sharp Cheese, grated
1 pound sausage (I use Jimmy Dean)
Have grated cheese and sausage at room temperature. Mix all the ingredients into a dough with hands. Roll into small balls. Bake at 350 until golden brown.
Cocktail Meatballs
1 bag frozen meatballs (I know some of you wonderful cooks can make these handmade)
1 jar of chili sauce
1 jar grape jelly (the smaller jar size)
Heat together, stirring until jelly is melted. Simmer for approximately 30 mins. Or I just toss in to my crock pot and cook on low for several hours.
So far this has worked for me. Head on over to Shannon’s for more great tips.
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My aunt always makes sausage balls for Christmas and I LOVE them! You are so on top of things!!
We’re big sausage ball people too…we make ours from ground turkey!
I love you planning…it really does make for a more enjoyable season!
Tracy
I’m all over those sausage balls and to be honest, the only sausage that I buy is JD because nothing comes close to its wonderful taste!
I look for bargains throughout the year too so that the money is spread out among the months.
Your cookie dough actually makes it to the freezer?? I’m afraid I’d be seated on the couch with nothing but a big spoon and a smile (while the children are napping, of course).
I’m a big fan of the sausage balls.
The sausage balls sound really yummy. I usually cook traditionally German food though for Christmas…
I do all my shopping on-line - no fighting the crowd in the malls or fighting for a parking lot :). That works for me for Christmas.
The Sausage ball sounds yummy! Thanks for the suggestions! I’ve started in October too, but my problem is that I only bought 2 things each for the kids then stopped. I really need to get on the ball. Hope you are feeling well!
Hm, these have potential, I wonder if I can adapt them so we can eat them? We were just discussing our budget with the kids and how to stretch it and part of the stretching is using up the 10 rolls of sausage I picked up durng a mega sale and which are now in our deep freeze. This may do the trick.
I wrap gifts early, though I like to package things together and not forget who they are for so I wait until just after Thanksgiving.
The more blogs I read the more disorganized I feel!! I am so far behind. Maybe it’s because I really am losing my mind
Any how - those sound like great ideas. I haven’t bought a present, written a card or planned a menu. And we just may be moving to a rental home in a few weeks if all this house stuff goes as planned. Yikes!! I simply must get with it.
Great tips, Laurel. And nice recipes. I wrap gifts as I buy them too. I prefer to spend the last couple of nights before Christmas watching my favorite holiday movies.
I greatly dislike wrapping everything on Christmas Eve too. The worst part growing up was waiting for my mom to finish wrapping presents on Christmas morning so I could come out of my room just to tear the paper off right away
I love your tips and recipes, thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the great recipes! I am going to try them this Christmas.
When I was first married(we just celebrated our 19th) ,my husband and I wrapped on Christmas Eve. Never again–its the worst holiday dampener.
Thanks again.
Great tips and recipes!! Thanks for sharing! And, I also greatly dislike wrapping on Christmas Eve. I try to wrap as I go though there is always a rush to finish that last week before Christmas.