I was reflecting on those Christmas mornings when the girls were younger. The chaos of unwrapped gifts. The running to find a screwdriver to open that battery door, or a pair of scissors to get into that super tough plastic packaging! And one year, I know that the batteries in the camera died at just the wrong time. Not good.
If you have time, in the next week and want to be super prepared, you might set aside a few of those early morning Christmas needs:
- Batteries for new toys and gadgets (check sizes before you wrap or do a search online if you forgot)
- Scissors
- Screwdriver
- Garbage bag
- A container for recyclables
- A place (maybe a gift bag) to put instructions and extra parts
- Camera (with batteries and empty memory card), or your charged phone with plenty of space to capture memories
- Pen and paper (if you are opening gifts from people you need to thank later)
- Sharpie (some people like to mark their gift cards with their name when received)
You could put these all in an unused Christmas gift bag, or just tuck in a pile near the tree or between a couch and table.
I'd also suggest setting up your coffee maker (if you drink coffee) the night before and setting out the items you need to make breakfast. We usually have cinnamon rolls from a can, so the pan and cooking spray set out is a good reminder to get the oven going as soon as we are up. If you need a different meal idea for Christmas morning. I have an egg casserole recipe (similar to this one) that I can throw together the night before. In the morning, I heat the oven and bake it straight from the refrigerator. It's like someone cooked for me! Well almost.
Have you planned ahead like this in the past? What other items do you think could be helpful on Christmas morning?
Always with some type of wrapping receptacle. Sometimes we forget at the start, but as soon as the first few things get opened, we remember! Growing up, I never got to really dig into anything until everything was opened, and scissors and batteries and things of the like were kept in the kitchen and the kitchen closet (which was right next to the living room) so just a matter of walking a few feet and finding what was needed.
ReplyDeleteI hope your Christmas is fantastic - especially since your oldest isn't going to be home. I know my mom had a hard time the first Christmas that I wasn't home with her like "normal."