17 Sep
It’s still a bit early to be singing your favorite Christmas carols, but it’s never too early to start planning for the holidays! Today, we’re sharing our favorite tips for easing into the season with a shortened to-do list.
Set up your holiday promotions in advance
This one is for all you stylists out there: take some time out during your lighter work months to plan out your holiday promotions ahead of time. Once the holidays start, it’s too easy to get wrapped up in the heavier workflow—or in your personal holiday arrangements—instead of realizing that perfect seasonal extension sale or that would’ve-been-fun salon party. Make sure that your expectations are realized by preparing the details in the months preceding the holidays, and coordinate them with your staff. Trust us on this—we already have our promotions all set up! ;)
Create a savings account for gifts
Avoid the end-of-year spending panic that often accompanies the holidays by setting aside money year-round for any and all gift expenses! Just take a small percentage of each paycheck you receive and place it in a separate “Gift” savings account. You’ll barely notice the few missing dollars from each installment, but they’ll gradually add up over the course of a year to give you a tidy little holiday spending budget. The best part is that this makes it really easy to become a better gift-giver, simply by enabling you to decide your holiday budget in advance!
Create an ongoing wishlist
Speaking of gifts, unless you’re the kind of person who prefers that your gifts remain a surprise, it helps to keep an ongoing wishlist throughout the year to set your friends and family up for success (because no one likes to give or receive bad presents). Alternatively, if you’re beyond the whole gift-receiving thing, you can just as easily create a list of approved charities to which your loved ones can donate money or resources on your behalf.
Set aside unused belongings (in good condition) for those in need
We all have things lurking around our house that we never use or even think about until we glimpse them in the back of our closet, and these possessions could be better used and savored by someone else. Clear your house of the clutter while collecting items for an end-of-year mass donation. Around the holidays, displaced or homeless people especially need clean blankets, warm clothes, and a little love. Also, consider re-gifting or donating unwanted gifts you receive.
Save festive recipes and looks to a Pinterest board
If you already have a Pinterest account, chances are that you spend a fair chunk of time every now and then scrolling through rows and rows of beautiful (or tasty!) content. Save your favorite outfits, recipes, and hairdos to a designated board, then simply pull them up when you need them! Looking for a place to start? Check our Pinterest boards for new and exciting hairstyle ideas.
Take your holiday photos at the beginning of fall
We find that taking your photos at the beginning of fall provides a way to indulge the mounting holiday spirit without starting your celebrations too early (because we should at least make it through Thanksgiving before the Christmas lights come out). You’ll still have plenty of time to print the cards and prepare the mailing envelopes, and you’ll be able to savor the process more when you’re already looking forward to the season!
How are you preparing for the holidays? Let us know in the comments below!
