Making a List and Checking It Twice

Take Santa’s lead.  Make a list.  Check it twice.

If ever there was a season for lists, this is it.  Whenever time is tight and there’s lots to do, lists can cut through to the nitty gritty and help you focus on getting things done.  Learn from Santa and make the most out of your lists.

A Christmas card list, updated year after year, can grow to epic proportions.  Consider each person on your list, and whether it’s still relevant to keep in touch.  Perhaps you’ve been promising for years to “catch up”.  Well, if you really want to, this year set a date.  Does the card-writing fall to you alone?  Sit down with a partner before writing cards to divide up the list.  Perhaps it would be helpful to delegate the addressing of envelopes.  Or keep your list on the computer and print off address labels.  Santa has helpers too.

A gift list makes shopping easier.  Include everyone you’re buying for, their measurement, likes and dislikes, interests and past gifts.  Keep it with you so you’re always prepared.  How else would Santa get it so right each year?

Develop a list of “maximum impact, minimum effort” dishes for entertaining and impressing that will leave you time and energy for enjoying the occasion, rather than slaving in the kitchen.  Let those dishes become your signature and never give away your secrets.  After all, Santa never tells how he gets so much done in one night.

And then there’s the classic grocery shopping list.  It pays to make your grocery list early on, and buy as much of it as you can before the shopping centres swarm with crowds.  Place your order with the local butcher early.  Once you have the staples and dry goods in your pantry, you’ll only need to collect your meat order, and visit your local greengrocer for the fresh fruit and vegetables.  Parking will be easier and the quality superior.  Santa always plans ahead.

There are more things we can learn from Santa too.  He’s always laughing, he enjoys his work and he always has a good rest after his busy time.