This year, you got your biggest holiday gift early in the form of your new baby. Congratulations! There’s just one problem — if you thought the holidays were hard before, you’re in for a wakeup call come this December. Things will be far more difficult with a little one to care for. To prevent yourself from being overwhelmed, use these tips to organize and prepare.
Skip the Gourmet Meal
Cooking everything fresh for the big day takes a lot of time and effort. Unfortunately, your baby won’t just take a day off so you can hit the kitchen. Instead of slaving away over the oven while simultaneously trying to change diapers and entertain a newborn, skip cooking altogether and opt for pre-made meals. Grab frozen casseroles from the grocery store, pick up dessert from your local bakery, or even order your entire meal from a local restaurant. In particular, try the following options for holiday meal package deals:
- Bob Evans
- Cracker Barrel
- Boston Market
- Buca di Beppo
Buy Your Gifts Online
You barely have time to get dressed in the morning — how will you ever find time to make it to the store for holiday shopping? Luckily, the internet offers plenty of chances to buy gifts and have them delivered to your home. Plenty of retailers are offering deals and discounts to take advantage of. For example, Amazon typically offers a 12 Days of Deals special in December that provides excellent sales on popular holiday products.
Reduce Travel Time
It will be too hard to travel to relatives that live far away this year. Instead, try to have your festivities with loved ones that are closer. You might even want to consider having celebrations at your home. While this might involve some cleaning and tidying up on your part, it’s easier than flying across the country with your baby.
Change Your Holiday Routine
You probably have some holiday traditions that you look forward to every year. Don’t be disappointed if you can’t get to them this year. You have a new addition to your family, so it’s time to start some new traditions you can share with your baby when he or she gets older.
Preparing for the holidays as a new parent will take a little bit of work. However, by starting early and being cognizant that things might not go as planned, you’re sure to have a great celebration you’ll remember for years to come.
Works Cited
Flager, Madison. “9 Places You Can Buy Thanksgiving Dinner If You Don’t Want To Cook This Year.” Delish. Oct. 20, 2018. https://www.delish.com/food-news/news/a56754/places-to-buy-thanksgiving-dinner/.
“12 Days of Deals.” Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/12-Days-of-Deals/b?ie=UTF8&node=5550343011&nocache=1541723842064.
