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| If you haven't worn one of these yet, you may be too late! |
With Christmas closing in, it's fair to say that if you're not ready now you'd better get a move on. Every shop and every town centre has its decorations up, and the old familiar tunes are playing. If you haven't located your Christmas spirit, it may be time to stop looking. At the very least, send out a search party for it.
No, there's no point in a Christmas preparedness post, is there? You're either ready now, or you're not going to be. What you can be ready for, ahead of schedule, is 2017 - from the first day and on from there. Starting with your January bounceback. Once it becomes socially unacceptable to still be eating mince pies, it's time to get your head down and take the year on in style.
So in the spirit of readiness, how about a few tips for sneaking up on January unannounced and getting a jump on the New Year?
Happy Holiday! No, The Other Kind
Yes, sure, you've already had time off for the festive season. Depending on your job, though, it probably wasn't very much. Quite a few of us find ourselves working on Christmas Eve, and Boxing Day. Then, also, around the New Year celebrations. Indeed, you're likely to be busier at these times. So plan a holiday for the middle of January.
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| No need for sun and sand - snow and Scandinavia works too! |
It doesn't need to be on a sunny beach, much as this can blow away the cobwebs and the gloom of the shorter days at home. Some parts of Northern Europe, particularly in Scandinavia, are all the more beautiful at this time of year. Get a few friends involved, sort out tickets and British airport transfers and get ready to have your most deserved holiday ever.
Do Your Christmas Shopping
It may seem counter-intuitive. It may seem unbelievably over-prepared. But you may remember very recently, slogging through the streets looking for bargains. The words "I thought a few weeks in advance would be enough" rattling around your brain. Don't buy the big items now. Twelve months is long enough for anything to become obsolete - but you can make some great purchases at a colossal discount.
Time For A Financial Detox!
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| Don't try this at home! It's not dangerous, just silly. |
Once you've booked a holiday and done some (bargain!) shopping, it's time to put your credit cards in the deep freeze. Not literally, as this probably interferes with the chip, but metaphorically. During December, regular spending rules are relaxed. Any ornament, present, food or drink becomes "worth it, it's Christmas!". Putting the brakes on that can be so tricky, but it needs to happen.
For the next two months, squeeze every penny so hard it squeals. After the indulgence of the festive season, you'll probably want to eat clean. So scale it back to simple, low-calorie, nourishing food. Any surplus you have after making payments to credit accounts should be saved. Before you know it, it will be summer. And you don't want to spend June thinking "I'd love to go out, this weather is fantastic. But I can't afford it!".
Burst into 2017 with enthusiasm. Recharge your batteries, tick off a couple of early, easy victories and then get planning to make it the best year yet!
