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If you have gone to the stores lately, you’ll notice all the Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations out and ready for shoppers to buy. If you are like the typical mom who is starting to hyperventilate at the thought of the holidays being here before you know it, these tips are for you.

Holidays usually mean more food preparation not only due to holiday parties but also because our schedules get hectic around the holiday season. Around this time, we think about our favorite dishes to prepare and enjoy during the holidays. Let me help you come up with a meal preparation plan for this season.

Come up with a meal plan for each major meal you’ll be serving over the holidays. If you’re having a party instead of a meal, decide now what you’ll fix and what you’ll ask others to bring. After you have your meal plans made, you can better decide which items you can buy along the way instead of having to purchase everything all at once.

Every week until the big meal, buy the non-perishable ingredients that you’ll need for cooking. Canned broth, butter, canned pumpkin pie filling, drinks, and olive oil are items that can be used for your holiday meals or for regular meals during the upcoming months. Make sure to take advantage of sales on these staples by buying extras if your budget will allow it.

Create a seating plan so everyone will be able to enjoy the meal, especially if you have some family members that don’t particularly get along. Figure if you’ll have enough seating for everyone or if youll need to borrow some chairs. Complete this task as early as possible so you can either find or buy the chairs you need with plenty of time to spare.

Do as much preparing and cooking before the actual day as possible. Wash, peel, and chop any vegetables you can and put them in the refrigerator. Make cookies and pies as much as two weeks ahead of time and store them in the freezer until needed.

If possible, start saving money now to pay for gifts instead of charging them into your credit cards. If you can save $50 a week, within five weeks you’ll have $250 set aside. Calculate how much you intend to spend in total and then divide that by the number of weeks until Christmas. That’s how much money you need to save each week.

If you are crafty, why not make some of your holiday gifts or decorations? It will depend on what type of crafts you do and you may be able to make several gifts if you start now. Help and teach your children to make gifts, as well, to cut down on more gift-giving costs. This is a fun family activity and bonding moment.

Don’ t be caught off guard. The holidays will be here before you know it. Begin preparing for them now by using some of these ideas. If you plan ahead and work toward a goal, you may be able to accomplish them and save money in the process.

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