Can you believe it’s November already? This month, we’re breaking down the checklist by week, and I’ll be sharing the checklist in two-week increments. If you want the entire checklist, just check back to my August Post.

November is all about wrapping up our crafting and planning, so when Thanksgiving arrives, we can focus on celebrating! Its the month were we truly start to enjoy the fruits of our labor.

Plan Your Christmas Dinner

I previously discussed our Christmas Eve Dinner tradition in my Christmas Celebration Ideas and Traditions post. This year, we’re going with a French theme. Nathan is diving into menu ideas while I research French Christmas traditions. I can’t wait to share the details with you in an upcoming post!

If you’re hosting a Christmas event, now is the perfect time to start planning. Consider what will make your gathering special and jot down what you’ll need. Remember, some meats and specialty items require advanced ordering, so it’s essential to know what to get and when to secure everything so it is on time.

Indoor Decorating

You wont be surprised to hear that I start decorating for Christmas on November 1st! I’ve organized my decorations by room and have pictures from last year to guide me. If you haven’t established a routine yet, dont worry – I’ll share my “pack up” tips at the start of January to help you get ready for next year!

When I decorate, I tackle one room at a time. I pack away the everyday decorations, spring clean, and then bring out the Christmas décor. I take my time to enjoy the process, replacing all knickknacks and pictures with festive items. My goal is to have the main tree and outside decorations be the last times to go up by the weekend after Thanksgiving, allowing December to be all about celebration!

I’ll share photos of my decorating journey as I transform the house. Fun Fact: I have a Christmas tree in every room – some even have more than one!

Inventory Décor and Buying Decorations

As you decorate, take stock of what you have and identify anything you need to replace. Making a list while decorating will make shopping much easier later on. I often start my list when packing up decorations in January, so I’m ready to shop when stores begin rolling out their Christmas items. Trust me—if I don’t grab what I need from Costco right away, it often sells out by Thanksgiving!

Review Recipes

While we’ve already begun our make-ahead cookies, it’s time to think about the other treats! Each year, we make five different types of cookies, and we usually switch up one or two. This month, I’ll test a couple of new recipes to see if they hold up well and taste delicious.

Here’s what we’re baking this year:

• Gingerbread Cookies – One of my Make Ahead cookies I shared – https://christmascheercentral.com/2024/08/13/make-ahead-christmas-cookies/
• Cutout Sugar Cookies – I will be making these this month. I use Our Best Bites for this recipe too – https://ourbestbites.com/sugar-cookies/ and I use the glace icing of theirs too. It sets up firmly and still tastes amazing!
• Baklava Sugar Cookies – This is a new one this year. I will be making this ahead as well. We tested it and was able to make it up completely and freeze it and it still held up well and tasted great when it thawed. This is a little bit more work so I am glad I can do it in advance. https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/baklava-cookie-recipe
• Cake-Like Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies – These are a crowd favorite. They are more cake like than cookie, but they bring all the best flavors together. https://ourbestbites.com/cake-like-pumpkin-chocolate-chip-cookies/
• Christmas Kiss Cookies – We usually have a type of kiss cookie. For many years it was the traditional peanut butter kiss cookie, but we started to mix it up. This one is fun; however, uses a LOT of sprinkles! https://www.sprinklebakes.com/2019/12/christmas-kiss-cookies.html
• Italian Lemon Drop Cookies – The lemon cookie is a nice refreshing change for the palate. For the icing, we use the Glaze icing from Our Best Bites. We already have it made to decorate the Cutouts, so it made it easier. https://cakescottage.com/2017/11/29/italian-lemon-drop-cookies/

You might notice I listed six cookies when we typically make five. That’s all part of the planning process! We can decide which one to cut later. This year, since I found I could make four of these ahead of time, we’re going for all six!

Don’t forget, cookies aren’t the only baking to plan for. What will you be making for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner? You will also want to start planning what you will be making for any parties you are hosting or attending. Planning ahead will help you identify what you can prep in advance, ensuring a smoother holiday season.

Let’s embrace the holiday spirit together!