Time is flying by and Christmas is right around the corner. We’re officially at the point where everyone should have their Christmas plans finalized, gifts done or almost done being bought, and houses have been fully decorated. This may sound nice, but this actually isn’t the case for everyone.

There are those who have had everything together since November (or even before). Those are the people that plan ahead and get things done. Meanwhile, there are others who get started a little late in the game and have to put up their tree let alone get their Christmas shopping done. Whether you’re someone who doesn’t have a single thing done or you’re making sure you have the last few things done, here’s what you should have on your Christmas checklist for a successful holiday season!

Put up Christmas decorations.

If you haven’t put up your Christmas decorations, there’s still time to check this off your list. Stores still have some good decor out for you to purchase! Putting up Christmas decorations also means putting up your Christmas tree as well. It’s never too late to get that tree up!

Set a budget.

Set a budget for how much you plan to spend on Christmas gifts. Setting a budget will help make sure you’re not overspending. Christmas shopping can get a little crazy, so this will help keep things in order and your wallet will thank you.

Make a gift list.

Make a list of the people you plan on Christmas shopping for. This will also help when it comes to making your budget. Once you know how many people you plan on shopping for, you’ll be able to make a budget for how much money you plan on spending on each person.

Go Christmas gift shopping.

Adding this to your list may seem not needed, but you could make a budget and everything yet still forget to purchase the gifts. The holidays can become hectic, and with time already passing by, you want to make sure you don’t forget to purchase everyone’s gifts.

Plan Christmas dinner.

If you’re planning on hosting Christmas dinner, then it’s important to add planning it to your list. Christmas dinner is a lot to handle and having a plan can help.

Take Christmas photos.

Whether you’re planning on sending out Christmas cards or not, taking Christmas photos are a fun and great idea. Even if you’re not sending out cards, you can post these photos on social media on Christmas day. There may still be time to hire a photographer, but if everyone is booked up, there’s nothing wrong with grabbing your phone and doing your own photoshoot at home!

Plan Christmas day outfit.

Though this may be last on the list, it’s still important to do. Again, the holidays can become hectic, especially if you’re just starting a checklist, so time will pass you by and you’ll realize you have nothing to wear. Making sure you have an outfit for Christmas day is also important if you’re planning on hosting that day.

Send out Christmas cards.

If you’d like to send out Christmas cards, make sure to add this to your list. The closer we get to Christmas, the longer it takes for shipping. Seeing that we are already in December, getting this checked off should be one of the priorities to make sure the Christmas cards gets to everyone in time.

Stock up on gift supplies.

One of the most annoying things is when you’re getting ready to wrap your gifts and then you realize that you have no tape or is out of wrapping paper. Stock up on gift supplies so you’ll be fully prepared when it’s time to start wrapping and it’ll keep you from having to leave the house or improvise.

Clean house.

Whether you’re hosting Christmas or not, having a clean house for the holidays is a must. There’s nothing like a fresh home with Christmas scents flowing through the air! Cleaning can become a lot, so making a separate cleaning list and doing it in sections will help as well!

Purchase Christmas dinner items.

If you’re making Christmas dinner, this not only needs to go on your list, but it needs to get done as soon as possible depending on what you’re making. Some items can be purchased sooner, while others can be purchased a little later. Try your best not to get your items too late because then you’ll become caught up in the holiday rush with all of the other last minute shoppers.

Wrap Christmas presents.

The presents are bought, the wrapping supplies are stocked, now it’s time to check off wrapping the presents. Depending on if you have gifts to ship out, checking this off the list sooner than later will be important to do.

Send out Christmas presents.

Again, shipping becomes a lot worse the closer we get to the holiday. The shipping times become longer so make sure to check times. This can even become another thing to add to your list. If you’re shipping out gifts, get this done in time so everyone can get their gift on time.

Prep Christmas dinner.

As a host, prepping Christmas dinner is essential. It makes sure you’re not doing everything in one day (and everyone gets to eat sooner). Just a few days of early prep can set you up for success on Christmas day!

Finalize Christmas day plans.

Of course, finalizing Christmas day plans should be on the list because you need to know what’s going on that day. If you’re hosting then you need to have everything together for your guests. If you’re not hosting, then you need to plan where you’re going and if you’re bringing anything. If you’re traveling for Christmas, you need to plan how you’re going to travel and all of the expenses.

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This list may look a little different depending on the person, but these are a few essentials to have on your Christmas checklist for 2024. This list isn’t in any particular order, but it may help if you’d like to put it in order of how you’d like to get things done. The holidays may be a hectic time, but this checklist will help keep everything in order for the best Christmas!

Did you find this checklist helpful? What would you add to the list?

Download the checklist here for your own use!