It is November and now that Halloween has come and gone it is time to plan and get ready for Thanksgiving. The good thing is that Thanksgiving is a somewhat straightforward holidays. I mean, get a nice, big turkey and enough food to feed an elephant army and you are all set. Thanksgiving is not the most complicated holiday out there to plan for, you just need to make sure you execute the cooking properly. Nobody wants a dry turkey, so make sure you plan and cook well-ahead of time! So, since Thanksgiving does not take as much logistical planning as other holidays is it a horrible thought to start planning for Christmas now?

Some people may think this is an aggressive idea, and starting to plan for Christmas almost two-months before it is here seems unnecessary. At the same time, early November is usually much more calm and easy to manage than the beginning of December. Last year, then, I decided to start shopping and planning for Christmas two months ahead and, let me tell you, it was like a miracle from above. Last year was the most stress-free and enjoyable Christmas I have had in years. I was able to get the vast majority of my shopping done before I even went out to buy all the goodies for Thanksgiving! When December hit, I was able to enjoy decorating the house, hosting caroling parties, and letting the Christmas spirit soak in because all the shopping was already done for. I highly recommend giving it a try this year! Look around online for deals and discounts, like these Groupon Coupons for Eastbay, and start getting your families presents early!

Slow and steady wins the race, they say, so why not dominate the Christmas sprint with a nice, slow marathon? It worked last year and I’m excited to do it all over again this year. The key is to use the slow-moving days of November to your advantage, and skip out on all the crazy rushing of December. You will have more quality time to spend with your family and friends when the warm, holiday spirits kick in.