Hi, I’m Kate a Professional Organiser at A Hand to Help and I love Christmas, I love everything about it. But I am definitely a “break the Christmas pressure rules” kind of person.
I put up my Christmas tree before the 1st of December because who doesn’t want to look at that beautifully decorated tree a little longer!
Even though I feel the pressure to keep up with the latest trends, I do not buy new colour themed decorations every year.
I break these pressure rules for new decorations for several reasons:
- Christmas is an expensive season without the added expense of new decorations every year.
- Where would I store the decorations if I replaced them every year? It’s important to know our boundaries for Christmas decorations. How much space in your home are you willing to devote to the storage of Christmas related items?
I keep all my decorations in a tub in the roof. Imagine if I filled my entire roof cavity with decorations. - I am also conscious of the environmental impact that the ‘fast Christmas fashion’ culture creates.
When thanking our children’s teachers at the end of the year, we don’t buy expensive gifts. We prefer the homemade options. Something made locally right here in our kitchen. A jar of jam is one of our favourites.
I don’t leave our tree up till the traditional New Year’s Day dismantle. Having enjoyed our Christmas decorations longer than the month of December, I pack them away pretty much straight after Christmas. I have learnt from experience that the longer the tree sits there the harder it is to motivate myself to begin the pack up process.
My Christmas motto is make Christmas joyful and fun. But most importantly, make it work for you and your family, your budget, your time and your space constraints. This may be especially important in these covid times where some families’ incomes and mental health have changed. If you would like more no cost Christmas ideas take a look at The gift of time.
We wish you a Christmas filled with joy and moments to make happy memories. Merry Christmas from the tam at A Hand to Help!
Written by Kate, Professional Organiser at A Hand to Help
