Christmas Countdown: Lights, Decorations, Action!!!

Christmas Lights and Decorations

It may seem early, but it is time to start checking the lights and determining how the home will be decorated. Why so soon? Well, decorations and lights can become a huge expense and to cut the chances of spending more money than desired all at once, it can be beneficial to buy items before hand which will help keep more money in the bank during the holidays. As for decorations, it is so hard to walk past the enticing ornaments, wreaths, decorative trees, mats, towels, and everything else without getting something. So, in order not to go over board now or during the Christmas season, here are some helpful tips.

Preparing to Decorate for Christmas

• Check the lights and yard decorations to be sure they work-if they do not, retailers (such as Sear's and Wal-Mart), usually have decent prices on lights and sometimes, before the Christmas Season gets into full swing, there are items that are marked down quite a lot.
• Make a list of what will be needed for the inside and outside, light wise, and go ahead and buy now. Buying two or three packs of lights now will help out the wallet come December, unless the house is going to look like Clark Griswold's, but if so, more power to ya!
• Want to make some money before the holidays? After going through lights and decorations (including towels, tablecloths, and dishes), determine what can be kept and what might need to go. Sell on eBay or have a Pre-Holiday Yard Sale (there is money to be made at a yard sale). This way some money is made and can potentially be spent on gifts or other decorative items. In fact, the community or family could have a Holiday Yard sale together.
• Make a list of decorative items needed or desired, stick to the list. For so many of us, it is so easy to go into the store and forget we have twenty Christmas hand towels in the closet or three tablecloths or 2 things of garland and some wreaths stored away. By going through this stuff now and making a list, it will be easier to avoid the retail stores plan of making the consumer buy items they already have.
• Check decorations and lights now. Don't necessarily pull out everything but before buying the Fake Greenery with the colored lights or the Santa pillows, look through the items at home and be sure something is not being bought that is already at the house with which to decorate.

Merry Christmas Everybody!