5 Tips For A Stress-Free Christmas Morning

Don't the holidays always end up being more chaotic than expected? Between the traveling and parties, it's difficult to find time to really kick up your feet. It's because of this that I cherish being able to wake up and spend Christmas morning in my own home. To achieve a peaceful Christmas morning, it's essential to do some prep work beforehand.

Below are five tips on creating a stress-free Christmas morning. These ideas are simple and will allow you to relax on the big day.

1. Make-Ahead Breakfast

Photo: Betty Crocker

I like French toast and waffles as much as the next person, but making a huge breakfast on Christmas morning is the last thing I want to do. My family and I started making a simple breakfast bake the night before Christmas and it is both filling and delicious. The prep work is simple, and all you have to do in the morning is pop the dish in the oven. If you're looking for something on the healthier side, try doing an oatmeal bar. You can prepare the add-ons (fruit, seeds, etc.) the night before and pull together a quick batch of oatmeal in the morning.

2. Simple Tablescape

Photo: Gotham Florist

Save yourself the time it takes to decorate an elaborate tablescape on Christmas morning and have a handcrafted flower arrangement delivered a day or two before. Your seasonal centerpiece will be complete and all that's left will be adding basic dinnerware and linens.

3. Prepare the Entertainment Beforehand

I can't think of Christmas morning without holiday music playing in the background. There are certain songs and artists my family and I like more than others, so I make sure to create a playlist with the family favorites. This helps in not having to decide what to play that morning and also from having to get up to skip to the next song. Another tip is to pre-select movies to watch and/or games to play. No one wants to fight over the remote on Christmas.

4. Notepad Stocking Stuffers

Photo: Rifle Paper Co.

Something that is both cute and helpful is to give notepads and pens as stocking stuffers. This helps your family keep track of what gifts they receive without having to write it on their phone's Note app every few minutes. Christmas morning should be about spending quality time with family and friends, so it's important to limit tech use.

5. Easy Cleanup

Keep a trash bag in your living room so everyone can throw away wrapping paper as they go. This also prevents one person from having to do all the cleanup work. Add a separate bag for saving pretty ribbons you can reuse later.

Katie Brown is a blogger at 5th & Hollyhock by BloomNation.