How to: Prep for Holidays By Jamie Ver Steegh

Step 1 To properly get in the Holiday Spirit Start early-the earlier the better For example- Mid October Early Preparation is key in your holiday celebration and enjoyment

Step 2 Everywhere you go, constantly blast Holiday tunes Examples of good music to jam to: All I Want For Christmas Is You- Mariah Carey Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer The 12 Days of Christmas

Step 3 Be sure to enjoy Holiday beverages -Hot Cocoa -Eggnog -Warm apple cider -Pumpkin Spice Lattes

Step 4 Buy a lot of Holiday-themed sweaters to wear everywhere Places to wear said Sweater? -The mall -Wal-Mart -In Court -School -Place of Work

Step 5 Decorating is key -Make sure to decorate the second Thanksgiving is over -There is no such thing as to much -Go big or go home

Step 6 Prep a wish list to hand out to relatives at Thanksgiving -Be sure to include a variety of things, such as practical things like seat covers for a car to impractical things like a trip to Hawaii

Step 7 Watch every single famous Holiday movie Watch all of Hallmark’s 25 Days of Christmas special Good movies to watch: -Elf -Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer -How the Grinch Stole Christmas -A Christmas Story -National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

Step 8 Holiday Shopping -Be sure to start early to get the best deals -Black Friday is always a great time to stock up on gifts for all those family members -Not sure what they want this year? Gift cards make great presents!

Step 9 Gift Wrapping – All gifts must be wrapped – Presentation and style are key points – Be sure to use Holiday colors to wrap with

Step 10 Snow – Mentally prepare yourself months ahead of time for an abundance of snow and ice – Spend a few minutes standing in front of an open fridge every morning to build up a resistance to the cold – Be prepared to shovel about a foot of snow per day

Step 11 Holiday food -Make sure to prepare yourself for the amount of food you’ll eat during family dinner -Save room for homemade treats like fudge, divinity, cookies, etc

Step 12 Bundle up – This time of year, it’s usually freezing – Buy a warm winter coat, and everyone’s favorite cold weather accessory; a pair of toasty warm Uggs

Step 15 Holiday Baking -Channel your inner Paula Deen -Make traditional family favorites, like divinity and fudge -Practice a few months ahead of time so you bring the best dishes to any Holiday potluck you attend -Be sure to stock up on ingredients months ahead of time

Step 14 Build a whole town of ginger bread houses! -Decorate the teeny village with candy and frosting galore -Let it sit out on display in your house for at least a month -Keep in mind, you won’t actually eat the village, as it will be stale by New Year’s

Step 13 Plan and throw a Holiday party! -A Holiday party is a perfect excuse to dress up -Also a great time to catch up with old friends -Be sure to eat as many holiday goodies are you can

Step 16 Prepare a count down until Christmas day -On Christmas Day: be sure to wake up early to enjoy the whole day (around 2 or 3 am for maximum enjoyment) -After the day ends, be sure to start a count down until next year’s Christmas!