As we get into the holiday season, everyone feels time-strapped. The hustle of everyday life becomes compounded by the desire to enjoy Christmas activities. "Enjoy" is the key word here.
It would be great to have a gorgeous tree, gifts wrapped in color-coordinated paper and ribbons and plates of homemade goodies while you lead the neighborhood in a caroling fest before serving meals at the homeless shelter.
Martha Stewart makes it look easy, but Martha doesn't have kids or a husband to cope with. She also has a lot of staff on her payroll. So the rest of us must seek to find a balance. We'll stop and smell the pine boughs, just as soon as we get dinner on the table.
I don't know all the answers, but I do have a couple of strategies that make my life easier during the holidays and the rest of the year. I also have friends who amaze me with how under-control their households seem to be. So, here are some of our favorite time-saving, sanity-saving tips:
— To avoid the panic of shopping for last-minute birthday and Christmas gifts, keep a "present box." Stock up on toys in your children's age range when you find them on sale — Legos, Barbie dolls, sports equipment or board games, along with gift bags or wrapping paper and tape. When your child shows you a birthday party invitation 10 minutes before he has to be there, or if he needs a Christmas present to exchange at school, he can head to the "present box," select a gift and package it himself. It's also great to keep a few gifts for grown-ups on hand, too, like scented candles, should the need arise for a "white elephant" gift exchange or a quick thank-you.
— Give your children the gift of responsibility. Instead of watching TV while you rush around in the kitchen, they can learn to mix cookie dough, shred cheese, peel potatoes or load the dishwasher. For years, one friend had each of her kids take turns being responsible for a week's worth of dinners. They planned the menus, went grocery shopping with her and helped cook. Her efforts have paid off because when she's busy elsewhere, the kids can go ahead and fix the family meal on their own. (Her five oldest children are boys, so this isn't a gender issue.)
— When you buy socks, buy six pair of the same style. When you lose one, you've got plenty of mates left. If you buy the packages with assorted colors, you somehow end up with only one sock of every color.
— Arrange your spices in alphabetical order, and more importantly, put them back that way. This saves a lot of time rummaging through the various bottles.
— To save time and money on kids' haircuts, call the nearest beauty college. There are enough students to accommodate several children at the same time, and the cost is a lot less than what you'd pay in a salon. You do, however, need to be very specific about the kind of cut you'd like and keep checking back to make sure you end up with that haircut.
— For Christmas each year, one friend gives each of her seven children a different-colored bath towel. When the child bathes or showers, he uses his personal towel and then hangs it back on his hook to dry and be re-used the next day. Everybody knows which towels are theirs, so they don't grab fresh towels every time. This cuts down on the amount of towel laundry.
— Don't make several entrees to please everyone at dinner time. If someone doesn't like spaghetti, he needs to try one bite. If he's still sure he doesn't like it, he can make himself a peanut butter sandwich.
— When you're stuck waiting in a doctor's office or in your car, make use of the time instead of fussing and fuming. Organize your purse, tidy up your car or balance your checkbook. One friend always keeps a paperback novel in her purse.
— Every time there's a chance to add a new activity to the schedule — be it music lessons, sports teams or after-school involvement — consider the time and travel involved before committing. Is it within walking distance so your child won't need a ride to get there? Are there other parents in the neighborhood with whom you can carpool? Is the location where you can grocery shop or run errands en route? Compare the effort involved — and your sanity —against the benefit.
E-mail: vphillips@desnews.com