This past week, I realized that between now and the end of the year, I have the following events lined up:
- Hosting book club tonight
- Attending a wedding this weekend
- Going to Thanksgiving at Mimi’s
- Celebrating JG’s birthday
- Hosting Christmas
- Possibly hosting something for New Year’s Eve
I mentally plotted these events on the calendar and realized that my life is going to shift into overdrive after Thanksgiving. It’s not so much that I feel the need to go above and beyond for every single one of these events, but they are just so darn close together. If I don’t anticipate what I need to do, I will be raging ball of stress by December 12, so I made a list, of course.
But, oh, not just any list. I made the Master Holiday To-Do List, or MHTDL (pronounced muh-HET-duhl, because my sister and I like to make anti-intuitive acronyms). I opened a new Google spreadsheet and brainstormed everything I would need to do for the rest of the year, noting the occasion, ideal deadline, and the “drop deadline.” So far, the MHTDL has over fifty items, but do not be deceived: I split up similar tasks so that I could cross them off in tiny increments. Ordering, writing out, and mailing Christmas cards are three separate items, so I intend to feel triply satisfied when I mentally slash slash slash them away.
On the one hand, the sheer quantity of to-dos can be overwhelming. They range from buying lamps to baking cookies to packing to decorating, and when they are all compressed into one place it seems like quite a lot for one person. On the other hand, I feel more at ease when I can see what I’ve accomplished and what I have yet to tackle, as opposed to the vague, hovering panic resulting from random items rolling around my brain. Since it’s up to me, I choose controlled inundation, thank you.
The MHTDL has given me some oomph to get started, and I am on a roll. The Christmas cards have been shipped! I made pumpkin cake for book club! I put in half of my online gift orders! Yesss.
8 comments
I love making to do lists like this, and more than likely it is because I really enjoy crossing things off.
I live for lists. You should see the ones I’ve got going now, what with packing Craig’s house, updating the new house, packing and fixing up my house, memorial next Sunday, Christmas, Maddy’s birthday in January.
Nice. My favorite thing about making lists is starting the list with the task of “make list.” That way you get to cross something off immediately! Get that ball rolling!
To all that I have to say…wow.
Organization definitely helps, but still…lots of stuff you have going on there!
I think we were twins separated by birth. I too manage the entire holiday season by spreadsheet- although I do not (yet) have a fancy acronym for it. I will now!
My Christmas cards have also been designed, the proof approved and are on their way to me from the printer. Gifts (while not half of my list) have been ordered online. Tomorrow? Major shopping day with coupons received over email for various stores (you got the $50 off at AT one right?) in hand.
Wow, you are way ahead of the game, RA. I’m impressed. I keep talking about Christmas shopping and lists and plans and gettogethers and THINKING about the Christmas letter but talking and thinking are just so much easier than DOING. I really should make my own sort of MHTDL.
You inspired a new list for me and definitely got me excited for the upcoming holiday season!!
okay, you are making me look so bad! stop! It’s only Nov 17th and I am behind!
Leave a comment