After searching for months, your partner finally found a new job. The higher income, the better benefits, and the positive work environment will be a welcome change for your entire family. But the new position comes with one drawback: it’s on a neighboring island. Your spouse can’t make a regular commute to and from Kauai without spending a fortune in airline fees, so you and your family have to pack up and find a new home this Christmas. What can you do to ensure your family still feels the Christmas spirit despite the stress that comes from moving?
1. Finish Christmas Shopping Early
Many parents like to save their Christmas shopping until the last minute. The extra time allows them to hunt for that ultimate discount on the perfect gift, and they don’t have to fight other shoppers on Black Friday.
However, you never know what to expect with a move. Your new home may need last-minute repairs, or you might have to postpone your move due to bad weather. These surprises may prevent you from making a final trip to the store, and you don’t want to end up empty handed on Christmas Day.
Whenever possible, finish your Christmas shopping early so you don’t have to worry about presents later. If you don’t have time to shop in-store, explore deals and products online. If some items take longer to ship, request that they ship directly to your new address.
2. Hide Smaller Presents in the Moving Boxes
Although packing closet after closet may feel stressful, unpacking can seem just as frustrating. You have to sort through countless boxes and decide which items should go in which rooms. And if you mislabel a box, you may spend hours-if not days-searching for your favorite pair of shoes.
To make unpacking feel like a special treat, hide some of your smaller presents in the moving boxes. Every time you open a box, you feel rewarded for your efforts. And after a while, even the larger moving boxes themselves feel like a gift as you rediscover old photo albums and antique knickknacks.
3. Decorate the Moving Boxes
If you have little ones, they might feel bored and impatient as you stuff their beloved cars and dolls into moving boxes. And as the house starts to look a little bare, they may think that Christmas will never come to their home.
To create some Christmas cheer, let your children decorate each box after you’ve finished with the packing and labeling. All your kids need are a few crayons and markers to recreate their favorite Christmas scenes.
Just remember to reign in their creativity a little. You don’t want glitter and glue sinking into the cracks of each box or making a mess of the moving van.
4. Use Natural Decorations
Every year you likely acquire a few more Christmas decorations. Your daughter might make a star out of Popsicle sticks, or your son might cut out a paper wreath. Naturally you want to protect these decorations during a move, so they should stay safe in a quality moving box.
But just because you have to pack your traditional decorations doesn’t mean your old home has to stay empty.
You can still celebrate Christmas with ornaments made from natural materials. Popcorn strings, homemade gingerbread houses, and palm frond garlands can fill your home with Christmas joy. And when you finally have to move out, you can simply toss the decorations before you go.
Be Creative
Although these four ideas can help you celebrate Christmas during a move, you don’t have to limit yourself to what you see here. A little creativity can help you look for new ways to celebrate, and these new ideas could soon become your family’s favorite tradition.
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