My Top 5 Christmas Preparation in July Ideas

Hello, welcome to the Christmas In July Blog Hop! If you came here from Shiplap & Shells … THANK YOU!!

I know what you’re thinking, Christmas already? But it’s just July!! It may only be July but the next several months will fly by very quickly. Getting prepared for Christmas NOW can save you a lot of time, and money, later. I’ve gathered a few of my favorite early Christmas preparation ideas to help you.

1. Collecting Gift Cards

The next time you’re at the grocery store pick up a random gift card and add it to your order. If you buy 2 a month, for the next 5 months, that’s 10 gift cards you’ve already purchased!! By the end of 5 months you won’t even miss the money you’ve spent. If you had purchased them all at once it could have been $200 or more.

These gift cards are great gifts for teachers, coworkers, last minute gift ideas, stockings, or even someone you may have forgotten.

2. Have a Rummage Sale

How about having a rummage sale? Having a rummage sale in July not only prepares space in your home for new items you’ll be receiving at Christmas, but also supplies you with much needed extra cash. You can then use that cash to purchase early Christmas gifts or decorations.

3. Be on the Lookout

Start searching through rummage sales, and antique stores, for items that can be used as Christmas decor. Christmas decor doesn’t necessarily need to be something obvious. Sometimes Christmas decor is just something in the color scheme that you’re decorating in.

Like my Thermos and vintage tin collection pictured here. The color scheme and graphics are perfect for Winter decor. They give off a cozy cabin feel.

Here are some ideas:

• Vintage thermoses
• Brass deer
• Vintage Christmas decor
• Santa mugs
• Vintage linens with holiday patterns
• Vintage plaid tape dispensers and lunch boxes

4. Make Homemade Gifts

There are several homemade gifts that take, not only hard work, but also time. Starting them in July gives you plenty of time to have them finished by Christmas.

Here are some ideas:

• Homemade vanilla: homemade vanilla takes little ingredients but it take take time because the vanilla needs to marinate in the vodka. You can find many recipes online.
• Seed packets from your garden.
• A cookbook of recipes that you’ve hand written, with corresponding photos.
• Homemade calendars using photos you’ve taken yourself.
• Dry your own lavender. Lavender can also be used to make several other items that you could use as gifts.

5. PLAN AN EXPERIENCE

I’m personally a huge fan of an “experience” gift. An experience gift is a gift that includes a special experience that you can do with the recipient. It could also be an experience that they can enjoy without you. These gifts usually are best when they are planned out months in advance. Here are some examples.

• Take your family on a vacation. Some vacations can be prebooked, and paid for, over several months. Like a family weekend cruise.
• Buy someone a year round zoo pass
• Give someone a “you pick” experience with a list of local options. This does not have to be something big. It could be as easy as a day spent kayaking together.
• A Disney trip. Again, this trip can be paid for overtime online, or with a travel agent. This gives you plenty of time to “space out” your spending.

I hope these five tips have really helped to alleviate some of the stress you may already be feeling about the holidays. We do still have time! Don’t worry just yet. But it is wise to be thinking and planning ahead, especially when it is something as financially burdensome as the holidays. As always, if you have any other tips and tricks you would like to share, please leave them in the comments! We have five kiddos over here and so we are always looking for ways to save around the holidays!:)

I hope you will continue the blog hop by visiting Country Road 407 next!!

Join the Christmas In July Blog Hop for more holiday inspiration. To follow along, click the highlighted blog name.

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Design Morsels / The Tatter Pew / White Arrows Home

Midwest Life & Style / Bricks N Blooms / Simply 2 Moms /

Shiplap & Shells / Down Shiloh Road / Country Road 407

Celebrate & Decorate / WM Design House / Peacock Ridge Farm

/ Robyn’s French Nest / Life At Bella Terra