Thanksgiving Tracks

Autumn Tracks

Christmas Shopping

Home for the Holidays

Cozy Christmas Jazz

Christmas Movie Soundtracks

...more to come!

We're already in this sweet spot. There may be some items you "should" have already done by this point. But don't worry! We have a couple ideas to help you take care of those. (see below)

• • Decorate
    • Tree
    • Outdoor lights and decorations
    • Indoor decorations
    • Front door wreath
  • Finalize your Christmas Eve and Christmas Day menus
  • Make your shopping list
  • Shop for non-perishable items (canned goods, pantry items, alcohol)
  • Ship out-of-town gifts
  • Letters to Santa
  • Last minute gifts
    • Stocking stuffers
    • Hairdresser
    • Manicurist
    • Barber
    • Mail carrier
    • Delivery drivers
    • Teachers
    • Housekeeper
    • Landscaper
    • Babysitter
    • Secret Santa / White Elephant
  • Kids' visit with Santa
    • Set up in-person or virtual visits with
      • Santa
      • Mrs. Claus
      • The Grinch

The big day is almost here! Be sure to enlist the help of everyone in the house and put them to work doing what they do best.

• • Make Christmas Day Agenda and Share
  • Clean the house
    • Dust
    • Sweep, mop, vacuum
    • Prepare the guest room (see ideas below)
    • Clean the refrigerator
  • Buy last-minute necessities
    • Batteries
    • Toothbrushes
    • Travel size bath and beauty products
    • Aspirin/Tylenol/Advil/Motrin/Midol
    • Activities to keep the kids occupied
    • Gift cards
    • Thank you cards
  • Non-Santa gifts under the tree
  • Christmas centerpiece
  • Choose Christmas Day wardrobe

• Make up the bed with clean sheets
• Add small decorations to the room like
  • Small Christmas tree
  • Poinsettia plant
  • Wreath
• Basket of toiletries
  • Shampoo and conditioner
  • Body wash
  • Bath pouf
  • Toothpaste
  • Lotion

• Bottle of wine and glasses
• Small snacks
  • Granola bars
  • Potato chips
  • Cookies
  • Fruit
• Single-serve coffee maker
  • Sweetener
  • Creamer
  • Mugs

• Shop for Fresh Ingredients
  • Vegetables
  • Fruits
  • Dairy items
• If you have a separate dining table, go ahead and set it
  • If you'll be using the dining table but have a sideboard or some other "staging area", stack the china, silverware, glassware, and linens together to make it easy to set the table later
• Make guest bedroom for guests.

• Defrost any frozen foods
• Prep your mise en place (if it can sit for a couple of days)
• Purchase fresh flowers
• Make (or find) your Christmas music playlist
• Make Christmas Day breakfast (see recipe below)

• Finish wrapping last-minute gifts
• Finish cooking what you can the day before
• Hang Christmas Stockings
• Charge camera battery
• Clean fireplace and set logs
• Leave out cookies and milk
• Track Santa
• Tuck the kids in and help Santa
• Sit back and enjoy a cocktail, you deserve it!

INGREDIENTS

Package dinner rolls (in aluminum pan)

1/2 pound ham, thinly sliced

1/2 pound baby Swiss, thinly sliced

1 stick melted butter, unsalted

1 tablespoos yellow mustard

1/2 yellow onion, minced

INSTRUCTIONS

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the dinner rolls in half so you have a half of tops and a half of bottoms. Leave the bottoms in the pan. Mix the butter, mustard, and onion together and smear on the inside of the bottoms and the tops. Place the ham on the bottoms. Layer the cheese on the ham. Place the tops on the Swiss. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 20 minutes or until everything is brown and melty. Cut the rolls through the lines and serve!

Oops! Running out of time? Here are some shortcuts.

• • Use the grocers to pre-cook and pre-bake some of your foods
  • Find a wrapping service
  • Use the dry cleaners to do some of your laundry
  • Use online Christmas cards (American Greetings, Jib Jab, and Blue Mountain all have great cards)
  • Get the rest of the family in on the action!