The holiday season is here! It really is a wonderful time of year…but also one that can often become so hectic, we hardly have a chance to really enjoy it. It’s easy to get lost in gift giving and other obligations, so how can we prioritize family time over the holiday chaos? Here are four ways you can make family time the priority and enjoy what the holiday season is truly about.

Family Calendar

Whether you’re a diligent schedule keeper, or have gotten out of the habit, now is the time to get the calendar – all the calendars! Pull together sports schedules, school calendars, activity schedules – anything your family has coming up over the next several months. Chart all of them on one master calendar; either electronic or a wall calendar (or both!). Consider color coding for each child or each activity to make the calendar easier to read.

After important dates are noted, begin to schedule in family time. Block out as much or as often as possible. This way you’ll be less tempted to schedule other activities during those priority times and you will have time to be together as a family.

Prioritize Family Activities

Saying no can be such a hard thing to do! We all hate telling someone we can’t make their party or gathering, but over scheduling is an issue too. When an offer is made for a social event, consider how much priority has been giving to time together as a family first. If the answer is that there has been very little, then consider declining the invite for more time together.

Plan Family Fun

Choosing what to do as a family can be challenging, especially when considering budgetary limitations. BUT! Don’t despair, there are lots of ways to spend time together without spending money. Snuggle in for family movie night, or family reading time. Take a walk or plan to follow a map of holiday lights around town. Pick a service project to do together like volunteer at a charity together, or choose a neighbor to do an act of kindness for. Make your own holiday cards or other holiday crafts. Bundle up and sing carols to your neighbors. Or even simply taking a walk together or having a snowball fight is a perfect way to spend silly, quality time together.

Swap Gifts for Experiences

If you’re tired of buying and giving gifts – or even if you’re just out of ideas of what to give, consider giving experiences instead. Maybe instead of a pile of gifts, the family chooses an activity or trip to take together. It can be as small as a trip to the zoo, or as large as a family vacation – it’s up to you! The trick is to decide as a family. Choose a few activities that fit your financial and time budgets and present them for choosing. Or choose the experience that works best and make it the big surprise of the season!

Want some FREE fun ideas to do together as a family? Click on over to our blog 3 Ways to have Fun Free Family Nights for ideas!