‘Tis the season to be jolly! At least that is what the warm fuzzy Christmas movies tell you. Sure it is a joyous time, for which we Christians prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ. Thanks to commercialism, it’s also parenting game time for busy moms! It’s a Superbowl of being the best mom full of long shopping days, big dinners that took hours to cook, hours decorating the halls, and creating lasting memories with your family. And like any game, winning comes from having a solid game plan or, in this case, my easy-to-make Christmas Holiday Command Center!
All of my command center elements came from the Dollar store and will help you keep track of all your tasks, from Christmas cards to grocery shopping to gift lists! Why can’t I use a normal command center, Nikki? Great question. My Holiday Command Center focuses specifically on those tasks and lists related to the Christmas season. This is the one time of year where creating a visual plan is key to helping you eliminate the stress and stay on top of your schedule. You will look like a pro when your Christmas cards arrive early, and everyone has a gift, including your child’s teacher’s dentist!
You Will Need
- 4 8.5×11 Diploma frames
- 1 5×7 photo frame
- 1 small basket
- 2 braided metal easels
- dry erase markers
- 1 large wire basket (to hold mail)
- command strips
- command hooks
- spray paint (ex: red, gold, silver or green)
- Holiday Command Center PDF files (Also in my freebie Library)
Get Your Holiday Command Center PDF files
Paint Your Frames and Baskets
Take your diploma frames from the dollar store and spray paint them red, green, or whatever color will match your holiday decor. We want this holiday command center to be festive. Since this command center will be up through several holidays, I suggest a color to match any occasion. I chose red because it matches my decor through all the seasons. Silver and gold are also safe choices if you can’t decide. Trust me; you don’t want to choose yellow to have it clash with your turquoise Christmas decorations!
My wire braided easels were already gold saving me some time!
Add Your PDF files
I have several files in my freebie library that I have created to work with the holiday command center. These forms are what I would consider important in my holiday planning to stay super organized. Choose from the red design or the green, depending on your color scheme.
Gift Shopping List
If there is one reason why I need to plan and organize, it is to keep track of all the gift-giving. I went from a list of five to 30! My list isn’t so much as to keep you on a specific total budget. It is more to help you think through all the gifts you will be giving to family, neighbors, teachers, friends, and coworkers. I also provided a space where you can check off when you have wrapped and delivered gifts.
Grocery List
Okay, so this can be for your weekly list or daily if you eat like my family! My husband started this trend of writing down the groceries on a wipe board, and we all contribute. That way, I know what specific items he would like me to pick up from the grocery store should I make a run without telling him. My daughter has pitched in, too, although she only puts down candy and other sweets!
This list can also be strictly to plan and organize your holiday meals. Putting together a beautiful, delicious spread takes extra effort, so having that specific list is important. And when certain grocery items go on sale, you have your list to pick them up at the right time!
To Do List
Why do I need a to-do list with the calendar, Nikki? The to-do list will keep your most important tasks for the day or week front and center, such as grocery shopping, holiday activities at school, and a reminder to set any appointments. For example, my to-do list includes a reminder to schedule our family photoshoot for our holiday card, a reminder to plan my holiday meal, and a reminder to go grocery shopping. I also keep up with holiday dress-up days at my kids’ schools. Your to-do list could be what you need to accomplish for the week. Either way, to-do lists keep you on task because life already has plenty of distractions!
Holiday Command Calendar Calendar
Having a calendar will help you mark important dates and holidays. Use your calendar in conjunction with your to-do list. This way you can stay on top of tasks related to upcoming events. I know that every year there will be a week of holiday dress-up at my kids’ school and I need to see it laid out ahead of time to keep my to-do list in line.
Mail Baskets
Use your wire easels for incoming or outgoing Christmas cards. I keep the envelopes from incoming cards to make sure I have a current address from the sender. I also like to have a central location where I will remember to mail my cards. What I don’t do is put bills and usual mail in this spot. It’s a holiday command center, and there is nothing less merry than a cluster of bills. Put those in your regular stack!
Christmas Countdown
This is optional, but my kids love to countdown the days until Christmas. I keep it as a reminder of how much time I have left to accomplish my gift-giving. Either way, it’s an optional element for your Christmas holiday command center!
Dry erase marker holder
The great thing about this command center is that everything is wipable! Keep your dry erase markers handy with a small basket to hold them in for a quick way to keep your planning and organizing up to date.
Put Up Your Christmas Holiday Command Center
Where should I put it, Nikki? Well, if you are going to be mailing cards, I would suggest putting them up near your garage, kitchen, or your main entry and exit point. The kitchen is usually mom headquarters. It’s where we live. Ask my son, and he will tell you my room is the kitchen. That’s not true, but it seems to be where I spend most of my time.
You can place it on the side of your refrigerator or a wall. Just make sure that you don’t have it where it is easily visible to friends and family. You don’t want Aunt Esther to know you spent more money on the teacher’s gifts than you did on hers. As a matter of fact, that is what command strips are great. Take that frame down when company comes, and the world will be a better place!
I used command center hooks and velcro to hang mine up for easy no-mess removal after the season. What about magnets, Nikki? I have been working on this command center for about a year. My initial plans had to do with magnets on the frames. It sounded great until the magnets fell off and my frame shattered on the floor. Magnets could work but you would need magnets strong enough to hold the weight of the frames and glue strong enough to keep the magnets attached. I feel like the command strips work best.
You may or may not have considered using a Christmas Holiday Command center, but I hope I have given you inspiration for one more way to help with planning and organizing the busiest time of year! Do you know someone who could use a command center? Share this post with them!
