Last minute Christmas

By Staff
Suzanne Langcuster
Are you going to have a last minute Christmas?
Some-times, even with all the planning in the world, we still come up with last minute tasks.
One of the most frustrating things is to suddenly realize you have forgotten to get a gift for someone very special.
This can put you in panic mode.
One way you can deal with this is to shop through the year.
When you run across things that remind you of certain people, go ahead and purchase it for their Christmas gift.
It also help to prepare certain foods ahead of time. Baked cookies, dressing, cranberry sauces, casseroles and homemade candies and cookies can be made ahead and frozen.
This is a big plus.
Putting up your tea early is always a help.
Be sure to enlist your grandchildren or friends and other family members to help decorate it with you.
Our grandchildren love to decorate the tree every year.
Visit neighbors and friends before Christmas Day and deliver what needs to be taken before hand.
Always mail packages early. You can avoid a lot of frustration by doing this. Plus, everybody likes to receive a gift early.
I'm sure you already knew to remove excess things from your house and to straighten up before your family arrives. This makes your tree and other decorations show up better.
But, the one thing you need to master for the last minute Christmas is making sure you have at least one good cake, a pot of coffee or a jug of milk, a meal that your family and friends enjoy, a smile on your face and joy in your heart.
It can be a challenge sometimes with all the holiday stress you have on your shoulders but your smile will dictate the theme of your Christmas party. If you smile, the whole world smiles with you.
We are here another Christmas.
Isn't that great!
A time has come once again to remember something very special that happened in Bethlehem many years ago, and still reminds us to love one another.
What a wonderful gift!
Suzanne Langcuster is a food columnist for the Franklin County Times.