Planning
Planning
Pre-holiday chaos usually comes from jobs left for the last evening. Spread the preparation out over time and everything gets calmer: the decor is checked in advance, the cleaning is done without a rush, and on the day itself all that is left is to switch on the lights and set the table.
A good preparation plan ends not with an exhausted host but with a free evening before the holiday.
How this section works: we suggest a general order of preparation without exact deadlines or amounts. Go by your own holiday, your own home and how many guests you are expecting.
Preparation schedule
Weeks ahead: check the decor
Get out the boxes of decorations, test the string lights, see what has broken or gone missing and make a list of what to fix, make by hand or buy.
Weeks ahead: plan the layout
Decide where the tree or branch arrangement, the table, the guest seating and the kids' corner will go. Check whether there are enough outlets where you need light without extra extension cords.
A week ahead: cleaning
Do a thorough clean: wash the windows, clear shelves for decor and sort out the entryway. Decorating a clean room is easier and more enjoyable.
A week ahead: shopping
Buy whatever is missing from your list: candles, ribbons, paper, a tablecloth or napkins. A list helps you avoid bringing home things you do not need.
The day before: decorate
Hang the string lights and main decorations, get the coat rack and a spot for guests' shoes ready, and check that all the chairs are in place.
On the day: lights and table
Lay the tablecloth, set out the dishes and flowers, switch on the lights and check the lighting in the entryway. Light candles only when an adult is nearby.
A budget without overspending
The holiday budget is easiest to keep in hand if you start not with shopping but with taking stock. It often turns out that last year's decorations are quite enough, and all you need is to refresh a few details or arrange things in a new way.
Natural materials, paper and fabric cost next to nothing and let you make decorations together with the kids. It makes more sense to spend on what affects safety and lasts: string lights in good condition, a reliable tree stand, stable candle holders.
What to think through in advance
- Where and how the string lights will be plugged in so outlets and extension cords are not overloaded.
- Where guests will hang their coats and leave their shoes.
- Where older guests will sit and where the kids will be comfortable.
- Where to put fragile things if toddlers or guests with a dog are coming.
- Who is in charge of the candles and makes sure they are blown out.
- Where the empty decoration boxes will wait while the decor is up.
Read next
- Ideas
Holiday decor ideas by season and room: entryway, living room, table, window, kids' room, balcony and porch.
- Tools
Handy things for decorating your home: a steady stepladder, no-drill hooks, scissors, boxes and LED candles.
- Care
After the holiday: coiling string lights, taking down the tree, clearing needles and wax and storing decor until next season.
What we rely on
- Instructions from manufacturers of string lights and electrical appliances
- Holiday fire-safety guidance from Russia's Emergencies Ministry (in general terms)
- Editorial materials of the Prazdnichnyymir guide
The advice here is general and based on the instructions of string light and appliance manufacturers and on widely accepted rules of fire safety at home. Always check the instructions for the specific item on how to plug in a particular string of lights, where a stand or candle can go and how to handle the product.