How'd you feel in your preparation for Christmas this year? Were you overwhelmed? Did you feel like you didn't have enough time? Not enough help? Are you rushing to get things done last minute? Use this year's Christmas planning as a learning process. Think about what went wrong, what went well, and what you can do better next year.

Here are 3 things you can do TODAY to have a successful Christmas NEXT YEAR:

1 | Go to October in your calendar for next year and write "start Christmas planning"

One of the biggest mistakes in planning for Christmas is that you don't give yourself enough time. You need time to not only come up with the ideas but let them marinate and implement them too. The more time you give yourself, the more you'll be able to do, you'll be able to do it better, and you'll be less stressed in the process.

Open up your calendar for next year and go to the first week of October. Pick a day and schedule your first "Christmas Planning meeting." This is the day you'll meet with your team or just by yourself to start planning the Christmas season. If you start in the first week of October, you'll have 12 weeks to plan!

2 | Keep what you did this year in a place that's easy to access

While you've got everything for this Christmas pulled up (chord charts, set lists, etc.), make sure you put them in a place that's easy to find for next year so you can easily access them. Create a folder on your computer called 2018 Christmas and stick everything in there. If you've got any physical things, put them in a specific spot after you're done using them this year so you can find them next year. That way when you start planning for Christmas next year, you'll have quick access to what you did this year.

3 | Thank the people who helped this year

Thanks is one of the "currencies" you can use to pay your volunteers. So be generous with your thanks this year! Let people know that they're appreciated. Let them know that what they did this holiday season made a difference. If people feel valued and appreciated this year, they'll be more likely to help again next year!

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