Christmas Planning Checklist & Timeline + Free Printable

This post includes a free printable Christmas planning checklist to help you stay organized and on track throughout the holiday season.

Christmas is such a special time of year, but it can also be such a hectic and chaotic one. Between all the holiday parties, gift buying, keeping track of sales, decorating, and getting ready to host, there are so many things to do before Christmas and so much to remember.

And every year, it feels like I have plenty of time to get everything done, then bam, suddenly Christmas is two weeks away and my to-do list is still a mile long.

That’s where a little planning ahead can make such a difference. This Christmas planning checklist will help you keep track of everything that needs to get done and spread it out over the weeks leading up to Christmas, so you’re not trying to do everything at once.

And be sure to keep reading to grab my free printable Christmas planning checklist so you can easily follow along and check things off as you go.

Christmas Planning Timeline

If you’re not sure where to start, I’ve broken down your Christmas prep by month so you can see what to focus on from October through Christmas Eve.

October Christmas Planning

October is the perfect time to start planning for Christmas without feeling pressured to get everything done. Use this month to figure out your plans, set your Christmas budget, and start putting together your Christmas planning list.

Set Your Budget 

Christmas time can be incredibly expensive. Without a budget in mind, you could go overboard with spending. So decide realistically how much you want to spend and keep and include other expenses that come up during this time. 

Your Christmas budget can include: 

• Gifts 
• Stocking Stuffers 
• Christmas Decorations
• Christmas Cards & Postage 
• Holiday Outfits 
• Hosting Expenses 
• Travel 
• Holiday activities & events 
• Teacher, host & other small gifts 

Having a general number in mind keeps you from overspending, spending only because there is a sale, and gives you a plan to keep you on track. 

Figure Out Christmas Plans 

Start talking to your family about what everyone is doing for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Figure out who is hosting, where you’ll be spending each day, and whether you’ll need to travel.

If you’re traveling for Christmas, start figuring out the details now. Book your flights or hotel if you need one, reserve a rental car, and nd take care of anything else that needs to be planned ahead of time.

Start Your Gift List & Decide How Your Family Is Doing Gifts This Year

This is a good time to figure out who you’ll be buying gifts for and start putting together your Christmas gift list. If your family does Secret Santa or White Elephant, decide how you’re doing it this year, set a price limit, go over any rules, and figure out when names will be drawn.

As you think of gift ideas for different people, add them to your list so you don’t forget them later. You can also start keeping an eye on prices for more expensive gifts to see if they drop as Black Friday and the holiday sales get closer.

Add Important Holiday Events to Your Calendar 

The holiday season gets busy when November hits. It’s important to stay on top of your Christmas events. I don’t know why, but I always feel like the holiday season comes so fast. Start adding dates you already know about to your calendar, including:

• Christmas Activties
• Travel Dates
• Holiday parties
• Work events
• Kids’ school Christmas events
• Christmas card photos
• When to send Christmas cards out
• Hosting dates

Seeing everything planned out will make you feel less stressed and not wondering what is coming up. And you can allocate your time appropriately when you see what weeks are going to be the busiest.

Decide on Christmas cards

I always tend to send out my Christmas cards late, and I always kick myself for doing so. Not anymore because I plan to have a date to send out my cards on my calendar. I would figure out whether you’re using a family photo, scheduling professional photos, or using pictures you already have in October so you’re not stressing over getting your Christmas cards out.

The goal this month is to have your card style and photo planned out so you can order them either at the end of October or the beginning of November.

Your October Christmas Checklist

Use this first part of your Christmas prep checklist to get the bigger planning decisions figured out by the end of October.

• Set a Christmas budget
• Start your gift list
• Figure out Christmas Eve and Christmas Day plans
• Decide if you’re hosting
• Make travel plans and accommodations if need be
• Add holiday events to your calendar
• Decide what you’re doing for Christmas cards
• Schedule family photos if needed
• Start watching prices for larger gifts

Grab the Free Christmas Planning Checklist

Want to keep all of these Christmas to-dos in one place? I created a free printable Christmas planning checklist that takes you from October all the way through Christmas Eve.

Print it out, check things off as you go, and use it alongside this Christmas planning guide so you always know what to work on next.

Beginning of November: Start Preparing for Christmas

Now that you have your Christmas plans, budget, events scheduled on your calendar, and gift lists in order, the beginning of November is a great time to start checking things off your to-do list.

At this time in the month, you don’t need to buy everything on your list yet, especially with Black Friday and holiday sales coming up, but there are some gifts worth buying early.

Start with anything that might sell out, gifts you find at a really great price, and items you know really won’t change in price from previous experience. Stocking stuffers could be some items that don’t really change in price.

As you purchase your gifts, make sure to keep track of who you bought for, how much you spent, and who you still need to shop for. This will make it much easier to stick to your Christmas budget you set in October.

Order Personalized & Custom Gifts

If personalized gifts are part of your Christmas gift shopping this year, make sure you don’t wait until the last minute to order them. These gifts tend to take longer to ship compared to ready-to-ship items because of the extra time needed for personalization.

So if you’re ordering custom ornaments, T-shirts, makeup bags, jewelry, or other personalized gifts from Etsy or another site, the first week of November is a good time to place these orders. This gives them plenty of time to be personalized, shipped, and arrive before Christmas.

Get Your Christmas Cards Started

If Christmas cards are a part of your Christmas planning this year, now is a good time to start them.

Choose your family photo, pick out your Christmas card design, and make sure you have updated addresses for everyone on your list. If you’re ordering printed cards, it’s best to order them now so you are able to send them out later in November.

Go Through Your Christmas Decorations

Before you start buying new Christmas decor, go through what you already have and declutter anything you know you won’t use. Because somehow those Christmas storage bins seem to get fuller every year, even though you swear you didn’t have that much decor.

Check your Christmas lights, ornaments, wreaths, garlands, stockings, tree decorations, and outdoor decor. See if anything is broken, missing, or needs to be replaced.

It’s also a good idea to make a list of any new Christmas decorations you’d actually like to add to your collection. That way, when you start shopping, you know exactly what you’re looking for instead of coming home with duplicates…or your seventh wreath because apparently the other six weren’t enough.

Start Planning For Holiday Hosting

If you’re hosting Christmas this year, now is a good time to start thinking through some of the bigger details. You don’t need to have every little thing planned out yet, but figuring out the basics now will give you less worry as Christmas gets closer.

Think about how many people you’re expecting, where everyone will sit, what you might serve, and whether you need anything extra for your home. This is a good time to make sure you have enough chairs, serving dishes, glasses, and those little things you don’t realize you need until it’s the week or even the night before.

Book Christmas Activities & Make Reservations

If your family has Christmas traditions or activities you look forward to every year, start getting them on your calendar now. Check dates for light displays, Santa visits, holiday shows, Christmas train rides, and any other events you don’t want to miss.

Some of the most popular Christmas activities tend to book up surprisingly early. Book the important ones now and consider it one less thing you’ll have to worry about.

Beginning of November Christmas Checklist

• Start Christmas shopping
• Order personalized and custom gifts
• Keep track of the gifts you buy and your Christmas budget
• Design your Christmas cards and order them
• Update your Christmas card address list
• Declutter your decorations and take a mental note of what you have
• Test Christmas lights and replace anything broken
• Make a list of any new Christmas decor you need
• Start planning for holiday hosting
• Book Christmas activities and reservations
• Add new holiday events to your calendar

Mid November: Get Ahead of the Holiday Rush

By mid November, Christmas is starting to feel right around the corner. Mid November is a good time to get more serious about Christmas shopping and take care of.

Make a plan for Black Friday & START BUYING MORE CHRISTMAS GIFTs

Before all the Black Friday sales begin, go back through your Christmas gift list and see what you still need to buy. Plan for what’s actually worth waiting to buy during a Black Friday sale and what you’re better off purchasing beforehand.

If there are certain gifts you think might sell out or end up on backorder, prioritize those items first and try to grab them early. Then you can use Black Friday to shop for the rest of the gifts on your list and hopefully save a little money along the way.

Buy Your Wrapping Supplies

Go through your Christmas wrapping supplies and see what you have left from last season. You may already have plenty of gift bags, tissue paper, tags, cards, ribbon, Christmas wrapping paper, and bows.

Stock up on anything you need now so you can start wrapping gifts as they come in instead of saving one giant pile for the week before Christmas. And definitely don’t wait until the last minute to buy wrapping supplies. One year, I went to the dollar store two days before Christmas because I needed more sticker gift tags, and they were completely sold out.

GET YOUR CHRISTMAS CARDS READY TO MAIL OUT

If you ordered your Christmas cards in the beginning of November, they should’ve already arrived or should be arriving at your home soon. Start getting them ready to get mailed by putting the card in the envelope, addressing each one, and adding the stamps.

If you want to send them out a little early and get another to-do checked off your Christmas planning checklist, go for it. But if you’d rather wait until it’s a little closer to Christmas, that’s perfectly fine too.

I personally like to send my Christmas cards out a little earlier rather than waiting until right before Christmas. I look at it this way. If I’m spending all this money on holiday cards, I’d rather they sit on someone’s mantel or fridge for a few weeks than show up right before Christmas and basically head straight to the garbage a few days later.

Start Planning Your Christmas Menu

If you’re hosting Christmas, start planning what you want to serve. Think about your appetizers, main dish, sides, desserts, drinks, and anything guests are bringing or you want them to bring.

Planning your Christmas menu ahead of time makes everything a little easier as Christmas gets closer. You’ll know exactly what you’re making, what can be prepared ahead of time, and what you need to buy. If you tend to make the same dishes each year, save your shopping list so you can use it again next Christmas.

Mid-November Christmas Checklist

• Make your Black Friday shopping list
• Monitor prices on gifts you plan to buy
• Continue Christmas gift shopping
• Update your gift tracker and Christmas budget
• Buy any wrapping supplies you need
• Start wrapping gifts as they arrive
• Address and stamp Christmas cards
• Start planning your Christmas menu
• Decide what guests can bring if you’re hosting

End of November: Decorate & Take Advantage of Holiday Sales

By the end of November, Thanksgiving is over, so you can really start focusing on everything you need to do to get ready for Christmas. At this time of the month Black Friday and holiday sales really ramp up, so it’s time to make a huge dent in that Christmas shopping list and get your home ready for the holidays.

Shop Black Friday & Cyber Monday Sales

Review your Christmas list that you started making in October and use it to shop Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. Focus on gifts you already planned to buy instead of getting distracted by all the flashy deals.

Put a huge dent in your holiday shopping and try to finish most of it. As you shop, keep updating your Christmas budget and mark people off your list as you finish buying for them.

Start Decorating for Christmas

Now it’s time to switch out your fall and Thanksgiving decor for Christmas decor. Set aside a day, or even several days, as decorating your home for Christmas might be a 1–3-day affair. Get the whole family involved, make some hot chocolate, turn on your favorite Christmas music, and make decorating the house a fun and festive activity.

Start Wrapping Christmas Gifts

As the gifts start being delivered or bought, try to wrap them instead of letting them pile up until the week before Christmas. Even wrapping a few gifts at a time can save you from having to do a huge wrapping session late in December.

Don’t forget to label the gifts as you go so you don’t have to unwrap them later just to figure out whose gift it is. I’ve done this. Not fun. 🙄

Plan & Order Your Holiday Outfits

The worst feeling is not having anything to wear for an event, especially Christmas, where tons of photos are taken. Don’t wait until the last minute to start thinking about what everyone will be wearing for Christmas parties, family gatherings, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or any holiday photos you have planned.

If you need to order anything online, now is the time to do it so you have plenty of time for the outfits to arrive. And if you’re ordering clothes for kids, definitely give yourself enough time in case something doesn’t fit and you need to exchange it. Because somehow the size you swear they wear never fits when you actually need it to. 🙄

Mail Your Christmas Cards

If you haven’t mailed your Christmas cards yet, make sure you get them out by the end of November. Cross them off your Christmas planning checklist and move on to everything December is about to bring.

End of November Checklist

• Shop Black Friday sales
• Shop Cyber Monday sales
• Continue Christmas gift shopping
• Update your Christmas budget
• Check gifts off your gift list as you buy them
• Switch out fall and Thanksgiving decor
• Decorate the inside of your home for Christmas
• Go Christmas tree shopping if you don’t use a fake one
• Put up and decorate your Christmas tree
• Start wrapping Christmas gifts
• Label gifts as you wrap them
• Plan and order holiday outfits

Early December: Finish the Bigger Christmas Tasks

At this point, your Christmas preparation checklist should be getting shorter, and the goal is to finish the bigger things while you still have a few weeks until Christmas. The goal is to finish the bigger things while you still have three more weeks until Christmas.

Finish up all your Christmas Shopping

It feels so good to be done with all your Christmas shopping the first week of December. If you can, try to have all or most of your shopping completed by this time.

You’ll probably have a few things to pick up later in December, but having most of your list done now will be a huge weight lifted off your shoulders. Now you won’t be searching for gifts the week before Christmas.

Check Shipping & Delivery Dates

Check to see if the gifts you ordered online are expected to arrive on time and see what gifts you’re still expecting. If something has been delayed, backordered, or cancelled, you still have time to get another gift.

Buy Stocking Stuffers

Stocking stuffers are one of those Christmas to-dos that are so easy to leave until the last minute, but they’re also one of the most fun parts of Christmas morning. I know I loved going through my stocking as a kid, and honestly, I still do.

Start thinking about what you want to put in each person’s stocking and pick up those smaller gifts while you’re finishing your Christmas shopping. Just keep your Christmas budget in mind because stocking stuffers may be small, but they can add up really fast.

Keep wrapping gifts & take note of gift essentials.

Continue to wrap gifts as they are delivered or when you pick them up from the store. It’s so nice only having several things to wrap by the end of December.

Before wrapping each gift, check to see if it needs batteries, charging, assembly, or any other extras for Christmas morning. Pick up anything you need now so you aren’t realizing you’re missing something on Christmas Eve

Finalize Your Christmas Menu

If you’re hosting, finalize your menu for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Be sure to make a complete grocery list and separate anything you can buy ahead from the fresh ingredients you’ll need closer to Christmas.

One Week Before Christmas: Get Your Home & Gifts Ready

By now, most of the big to-dos should be checked off your Christmas planning checklist, and your Christmas to do list should be getting much shorter. Now it’s time to take care of the smaller details.

Finish Christmas Shopping

Go through your list and make sure you didn’t miss anyone and if everyone’s gifts arrived. At this point, finish shopping for anyone you still need to buy for. Don’t forget stocking stuffers, teacher gifts, host gifts, or any other smaller gifts that can get overlooked.

Finish Wrapping Most Gifts

Finish all your gift wrapping and labeling now if all your gifts are here. Leave out anything you still need to assemble.

Start Getting Your Home Ready

If you’re hosting, start focusing on the spaces your guests will actually use. Declutter your entryway, living room, kitchen, dining area, and guest spaces.

I wouldn’t deep clean your entire home two weeks prior but just start moving things out of the way, decluttering your kitchen drawers, pantry, refrigerator, etc. Focus on clearing the clutter and getting things organized so cleaning is easier later.

Start Your Christmas Food Shopping

If you’re hosting, go back through your Christmas menu and see what groceries you can start buying now. Get the items that will last until Christmas, like pantry items, drinks, baking ingredients, and anything else you’ll know you’ll need.

Also think about what plates, utensils, cups, wine glasses, and other dinnerware you’ll be using. Make sure you have enough for how many people are coming to your home.

The less you have to buy during the week of Christmas, the better. The stores tend to be crazy the last week before Christmas.

Early December Checklist

• Finish all of your Christmas shopping
• Check delivery dates for online orders
• Follow up on any delayed or backordered gifts
• Start buying stocking stuffers
• Keep wrapping gifts as they arrive
• Check your Christmas budget
• Finalize your Christmas menu
• Finish your Christmas grocery list
• Start buying Christmas groceries that will last till Christmas
• Make sure everyone’s Christmas outfits have arrived and fit
  

One Week Before Christmas: Take Care of the Final Details

Christmas is officially two weeks away. By now, most of the big to-dos should be checked off your Christmas planning checklist. So now it’s time to start taking care of the smaller details.

Use the next two weeks to finish up wrapping gifts, get your home in order, and do any other last-minute things.

Finish wrapping your Christmas Gifts

Because you stayed on top of your Christmas gift wrapping, you should only have a small quantity of gifts to wrap instead of a large heaping pile. Take this time to finish wrapping any presents that aren’t wrapped yet and organize stocking stuffers.

It’s also a good idea to go back through your list one more time to see everyone is accounted for and nothing was forgotten. Then find a great hiding spot if you have small kids because Santa is coming soon. 😉

Start Preparing for Christmas Guests

If you’re having family or friends stay with you over Christmas, now is a good time to start getting their space ready. Make sure you have clean sheets and extra blankets, set aside towels, and clear out a little closet or drawer space so they have somewhere to put their things.

Getting your guest space ready is one less thing you have to think about as it gets closer to Christmas.

Finish Your Christmas Grocery Shopping

Hosting: Pick up the majority of items on your Christmas grocery list that you haven’t bought yet. Get everything you need for Christmas dinner, appetizers, desserts, breakfast, drinks, and anything else you’re planning to serve.

You may still need to make a quick trip for fresh ingredients closer to Christmas, but try to get as much as you can now. The fewer things you need from the grocery store right before Christmas, the better.

Not Hosting: Even if you’re not hosting Christmas, there are probably still a few things you’ll need to pick up. Think about what you’re having for Christmas morning breakfast, ingredients for any appetizers, sides, or desserts you’re bringing to someone else’s house, and any drinks you’re bringing along.

And of course, don’t forget the cookies if the kids are leaving some out for Santa.

Clean Your Home for Christmas

Now is the perfect time to start cleaning your home, especially if you’re hosting. You would rather not stress yourself out and do it the day before Christmas, especially if you have to cook. Clean the bathrooms, dust, vacuum, mop the floors, clean the kitchen, and tackle any other areas around your home that need it. If your home needs a little decluttering first, use my room-by-room decluttering printable checklist to clear out the clutter before you start cleaning.

If you’re hosting or having overnight guests, you may want to do a little more cleaning than usual. Get the bigger cleaning out of the way now, and then you can just do a quick touch-up right before everyone arrives. And if the kitchen is one of the areas you want to get under control before all the holiday cooking starts, check out these 24 easy ways to keep a kitchen clean.

Get Christmas outfits ready for All Events

It’s probably so nice not to be scrambling for Christmas outfits for everyone to wear. Not that you have everyone’s outfits; get them ready to wear by washing or steaming anything that needs it and put together the shoes and accessories everyone will need.

Trust me, it will be so nice not searching. the house for a missing shoe or someone’s Christmas shirt five minutes before you need to leave.

Double-check your Christmas Plans

With Christmas only a week away, take a few minutes to double-check all your plans for the week ahead. Confirm what time you’re expected at family gatherings, when guests are arriving, any Christmas Eve plans, church services, parties, or other activities you have planned.

If you’re traveling, figure out what time you need to leave and make a list of anything you need to bring with you. It’s also a good idea to check in with family and confirm the details now, so there aren’t any last-minute changes or confusion about where everyone is supposed to be.

One Week Before Christmas Checklist

• Finish wrapping Christmas gifts
• Start preparing for Christmas guests
• Finish your Christmas grocery shopping
• Start Christmas baking and food prep
• Clean your home for Christmas
• Get everyone’s Christmas outfits ready
• Double-check your Christmas plans
• Confirm times and plans with family

Christmas Eve To-Do List: The Final Details

Christmas Eve is finally here! The Christmas build up is finally over. If you’ve been following this Christmas planning checklist, all of your big things should be done. Today’s focus will be on taking care of those last few things so you can actually enjoy Christmas Eve instead of running around trying to get everything done.

Take a look at your Christmas Eve to-do list, finish up anything that still needs your attention, and then try to slow down and enjoy the day with your family.

Prepare Food for Christmas Day

Hosting: Get a head start on any cooking you can do for Christmas Day. Chop vegetables, put together casseroles, make desserts, prep appetizers, and get anything else ready that can be made ahead of time.

Not Hosting: If you’re bringing a dish to someone else’s house, you can also get that ready now. The goal is to have as little cooking and prep left to do on Christmas Day as possible, so you can spend more time actually enjoying the day.

Set the table for Christmas dinner

If you’re hosting Christmas Day, set the table on Christmas Eve so it’s one less thing you have to worry about on Christmas morning. Put out your plates, glasses, silverware, napkins, and any serving dishes you know you’ll need.

Also add any decor like candles, greenery, or other Christmas touches you want on the table. Then on Christmas Day, all you have to worry about is getting the food prepared.

Do a quick house reset

Since you already did the bigger cleaning earlier in the week, Christmas Eve should just need a quick reset. Put away anything that’s out of place, wipe down the kitchen and bathrooms, empty the dishwasher, take out the trash, and do a quick vacuum if you need to.

This is definitely not the day for a deep clean. You’ll be exhausted the next day. Just get everything looking neat and ready for Christmas Day so you can move on and enjoy the rest of Christmas Eve.

Get Everything Ready for Christmas Morning

Take a few minutes to get everything together for Christmas morning so you don’t have to think about it when you wake up. Set out your Christmas games, get anything you need for breakfast ready, lay out everyone’s Christmas Day clothes, and make sure you have gift essentials like batteries and garbage bags for all the wrapping paper.

Put Out the Gifts & Fill the Stockings

Don’t forget this to do, or you kids will be one angry bunch. Once the kids are asleep, put all the gifts under the tree and fill everyone’s stocking. Grab any gifts you’ve been hiding around the house, even from those extremely weird places you thought your kids would never peek.

Do one last check to make sure you didn’t forget anything before calling it a night.

Christmas Eve Checklist

• Prep food for Christmas Day
• Set the table for Christmas dinner
• Do a quick house reset
• Get everything ready for Christmas morning
• Set out Christmas games
• Get anything you need for breakfast ready
• Lay out Christmas morning clothes
• Have batteries and garbage bags ready
• Put all the gifts under the tree
• Fill everyone’s stockings
• Double-check your gift hiding spots
• Put out Santa’s gifts
• Enjoy Christmas Eve! 🎄

Grab Your Free Christmas Planning Checklist

Want an easier way to keep track of everything that needs to get done before Christmas? Want an easier way to keep track of everything that needs to get done before Christmas? Grab my printable Christmas planning checklist with all of these tasks in one place.

Print it out, keep it somewhere you’ll actually see it, and check things off as you go.

Enjoy a More Organized Christmas

I hope you feel a little more relaxed going into the Christmas season with this Christmas planning checklist as your guide. Follow it from start to finish, pick and choose the ideas that work for you, or use it to create a Christmas planning list that fits your holiday season.

Getting some of these checklist items done ahead of time can make such a difference once December gets busy. Instead of trying to remember everything at the last minute, you’ll already have a plan for the shopping, decorating, hosting, wrapping, and all of those little things that seem to pop up along the way.

And remember, Christmas planning doesn’t have to be perfect. The goal is to simply have this holiday season feel a little more organized so you can enjoy it with the people you love.

Keep Getting Your Home Ready for the Holidays

Getting your Christmas plans organized is a great start, but a little home organization can make the busy holiday season feel even easier. Before you go, check out these other ideas to help you declutter, organize, and get your home ready for Christmas.

• The Ultimate Room-by-Room Decluttering Printable Checklist
• 24 Ways to Keep a Kitchen Clean When Life Gets Messy
• 32 Ways to Organize Kitchen Countertops for a Clutter-Free Kitchen
• How to Declutter and Organize Your Pantry Using Pantry Categories