Feeling Overwhelmed by Christmas Already? Start With a Holiday Brain Dump 🎄

Christmas is coming.

And somehow, even when we love the holidays, there can be a LOT to think about.

Gifts to buy.

People to see.

Parties to plan.

Cookies to bake.

Things to decorate.

Places to go.

And about 100 little things we are trying not to forget. 😂

Sometimes we spend so much time making the holidays special for everyone else that we forget to actually enjoy them ourselves.

I want this year to feel a little different.

A Peaceful Holiday Starts With a Little Planning ❤️

I don’t think we need to start Christmas shopping tomorrow.

We don’t need to decorate the house.

And we definitely don’t need to have everything figured out yet.

But I do think there is something peaceful about getting all those holiday thoughts out of our heads and onto paper.

That’s what we’re doing this week.

We’re starting with a Holiday Brain Dump.

I created a FREE 5-page Holiday Brain Dump printable to help you get started.

[GET THE FREE HOLIDAY BRAIN DUMP HERE]

 But if you don’t have a printer, don’t worry! ❤️

Just grab a notebook you already have, a few sheets of paper, or open the Notes app on your phone.

I’ll walk you through every question right here in the blog, so you can follow along either way.

The printable just gives you a fun, festive place to keep everything together. 🎄

And remember, you don’t have to finish this today.

We’re going to spend the next week slowly adding our thoughts and ideas as they come to us.

1. Start With What’s Already in Your Head

Before we get into any questions, start with whatever is already floating around in your brain.

Don’t organize it.

Just write.

Maybe you already thought of the perfect gift for Dad.

Maybe you remembered you need new Christmas lights.

Maybe someone mentioned a holiday market you want to visit.

Maybe you want to make Grandma’s cookies this year.

Maybe there is something you did last Christmas that you absolutely do NOT want to do again. 😂

Write it all down.

There are no wrong answers.

And remember:

This is not your Christmas to-do list.

We’re just giving all those thoughts somewhere else to live.

2. Gift Ideas 🎁

Now let’s think about gifts.

You don’t need to know what you’re buying yet.

We’re just starting to think about the people we may want to remember this Christmas.

Family
Who in my family do I want to give something to? Do I already have any ideas?

Friends
Which friends do I want to remember this year? Is there something they might enjoy?

Kids & Grandkids
Who is on my list? What are they into right now?

Teachers & Coaches
Is there someone I would like to thank this holiday season?

Neighbors & Others
Who else would I like to remember with a gift or small gesture?

I Don’t Know Yet
Who am I completely stuck on?

That last one is important!

If someone’s name immediately makes you think...

I have NO idea what to get them.

Write their name down. 😂

Don’t worry about solving it yet.

We’re going to come back to them.

3. Traditions & Activities 🎄

Next, think about what you would actually like to do this holiday season.

Traditions
What traditions do I want to keep this year? Is there a new one I want to start?

Activities & Events
Are there holiday markets, light displays, parties, concerts or other events I want to attend?

People I Want to See
Who do I really want to spend time with this Christmas?

Places I Want to Go
Is there somewhere special I want to visit or take someone?

Get-Togethers
Do I want to host anything? Who would I like to invite?

Experiences
Is there a special experience I want to plan? Maybe a show, class, membership or tickets to something?

Don’t worry about dates yet.

We’ll get to that later.

Right now, we’re just collecting ideas.

4. Home, Food & Making 🍪

Now let’s think about home.

And food.

And all those things we suddenly remember in December. 😂

Food & Baking
What do I want to bake or make? Are there cookies, treats or special meals I don’t want to forget?

Decorating
What do I want to decorate? Is there anything I need to buy or replace?

Things I Want to Make
Do I want to make homemade gifts, crafts, cards or ornaments?

Things I Need to Buy
Do I need supplies for food, decorating, gift wrapping or anything else?

Holiday Cards
Do I want to send Christmas cards? Who do I want to send them to?

Wrapping
Do I have wrapping paper, bags, tissue paper, tags and tape? What do I need?

Again...

Don’t turn this into a shopping list yet.

Just write down what comes to mind.

5. Don’t Forget ❤️

Finally, let’s catch some of those little things that are easy to forget.

Important Dates
Are there birthdays, anniversaries, parties, school events or deadlines I need to remember?

Travel
Are we traveling? Do I need to book anything or prepare for the trip?

To Do Later
Is there something I want to remember, but don’t need to do right now?

And then I want you to think about something we sometimes forget when we’re busy making Christmas special for everyone else.

You. ❤️

What would make the holidays special for you?

What do you want to do?

Who do you want to spend time with?

Is there a tradition you miss?

Is there something you’ve always wanted to do at Christmas?

And maybe most importantly...

What can you skip this year?

You don’t have to do everything just because you’ve always done it.

Give Yourself the Whole Week ❤️

Please don’t sit down and try to answer every question today.

That’s not the point.

Start with 10 or 15 minutes.

Then keep your Brain Dump somewhere close for the next week.

Leave the printable on the kitchen counter.

Keep your notebook next to your favorite chair.

Or keep a running list in the Notes app on your phone.

Then go about your life.

You’ll be surprised how many things pop into your head.

Oh! I need to remember that.

Write it down.

That would be perfect for Mom.

Write it down.

We should go see the Christmas lights this year.

Write it down.

I really don’t want to host that again.

Definitely write that down too. 😂

There’s nothing you need to finish this week.

Just notice the ideas as they come and write them down.

What’s Next? 🎁

Keep adding to your Holiday Brain Dump throughout the week.

Next week, we’ll take the next step and start building our Holiday Planning Kit together.

We’ll begin with a Gift Recipient Planner to help us organize all the people we want to remember this holiday season.

But don’t worry about that yet. ❤️

This week, just collect your thoughts.

Use the printable.

Use a notebook.

Use your phone.

Whatever is easiest for you.

Just start writing.

[GET THE FREE HOLIDAY BRAIN DUMP HERE]

I’ll see you next week for the next piece of our Holiday Planning Kit! 🎄

Wishing you health, wealth & most of all...  happiness!

Love,