Holiday Planning
in July
Why Starting Early Saves Money, Reduces Stress, and Helps You Shop More Ethically
If you've ever found yourself scrambling for gifts, overspending in December, or feeling like the holidays flew by before you could enjoy them, you're not alone. I used to feel this way every year, and, frankly, it felt terrible. But I found the secret to holiday sanity, and it truly changed my life – and my holiday season.
Here's the trick: You don't have to wait until the leaves change to start preparing.
Holiday planning in July might sound a little crazy, but it's one of the smartest ways to create a more joyful, affordable, and meaningful holiday season. By starting now, you can spread out expenses, make thoughtful purchasing decisions, and avoid the last-minute rush that often leads to stress and impulse buying.
When I started planning and shopping earlier – I saved money, time, and found a whole lot more joy in the end, too. So, today I have all of my tips for holiday planning starting right now.
Here's why starting holiday planning early is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.
Ok. Let's get started!
A Note: King of Christmas sponsored this post, but the opinions and recommendations are purely mine. If you decide to make a purchase from King of Christmas, please use this link. It won’t cost you more, and I will get a small commission. Thanks for supporting Wild Revival Gardening!
Why You Should Start Holiday Planning in July
The holiday season has a way of sneaking up on us. Between shopping, decorating, travel, hosting, and family events, December quickly becomes a whirlwind. And sometimes we find that whirlwind to be less about joy and more about obligation.
The holiday season is emotionally complicated enough for many of us. Planning ahead can help reduce that feeling of just "getting through the holidays" and help infuse a little more cheer.
Because beginning your Christmas planning in July gives you something invaluable: time.
Instead of trying to accomplish everything in a few hectic weeks, you can tackle one small task at a time. That means less rushing, fewer forgotten details, and a holiday season filled with more joy than stress. And we all want that!
Planning early also allows you to spread out expenses, put more intentionality into your gift giving, and make plans for fun.
You know that I am big on planning all year. That's definitely a thing for me! But I also have a very intentional Christmas season planning ritual which helps me make a meaningful and happy holiday season.
Why July? The Power of Ethical Intentionality
I am always trying to make my choices ethically – from shopping for clothing to choosing books and toys to making travel arrangements – I work hard to make good choices for my family, for others, and for the environment.
One of the most compelling reasons to begin your planning in July is the ability to make choices with a conscience. Sustainable and ethical shopping and planning requires time, a luxury that the December rush doesn't afford.
Many independent makers and smaller, more-ethical brands do not operate on the same fast-shipping timelines as big-box retailers. By identifying your gift needs early, you can accommodate these slower shipping windows, ensuring your money supports creators, companies, and communities you believe in.
Furthermore, early planning is a powerful tool for your emotional and financial well-being. When we wait until the last minute, we are prone to impulse buys that are both expensive and often unnecessary. I've been there. I know. It's so easy to just buy something that is more expensive because it is right there.
Making a plan now allows you to set a realistic budget and, more importantly, stick to it. This proactive approach eliminates the financial stress and frantic energy that so often mar the season's start.
But early planning isn't just about shopping. It's about intentionally allocating all of your resources: time, money, attention, creativity.
When you begin planning early, you might find time to actually make that cute gift you've had pinned for years. Or when you aren't frantic about shopping, you and your family can enjoy “Elf” together with some hot chocolate and a few homemade cookies – which you didn't have to make at 2 am because you had a plan for a baking weekend – set aside months ago.
And beginning your plan early means that when the inevitable delay comes up, it doesn't cause a crisis. It is simply a delay.
The Benefits of Early Holiday Planning
1. Reduce Holiday Stress
One of the greatest benefits of early holiday planning is peace of mind.
Imagine reaching December 1 knowing that:
Your gift list is nearly complete.
Your holiday budget is under control.
Your calendar is full of the traditions and things you love.
Travel is booked.
Menus are planned.
Decorations are organized and ready to go – or even already up!
Rather than spending December checking endless to-do lists, you can spend more time making memories with the people you love.
When you spread planning across several months, each task feels manageable. That's the foundation of stress-free holiday planning.
3. Shop More Ethically
One often-overlooked advantage of holiday planning in July is the opportunity to shop with intention.
When you're racing against holiday deadlines, convenience usually wins. Fast shipping and impulse purchases can lead to buying stuff without considering how or where they were made. And look, I do it, too. And I have Amazon links in many of my website posts. I know that convenience often wins. I'm not a hypocrite. It's the reality of life!
But, when we plan ahead we can be more intentional about those things that we all aspire to do at the holidays:
Supporting local artisans and small businesses.
Choosing handmade or sustainably produced gifts.
Researching companies whose values align with your own.
Purchasing from businesses with ethical labor practices.
Reducing reliance on rushed shipping and unnecessary packaging.
Instead of buying the first thing we see on that big-box store endcap, we have time to choose gifts that reflect our values as well as our appreciation for the people receiving them.
Thoughtful shopping often creates more meaningful gifts while supporting businesses that prioritize people and the planet.
2. Save More Money
I started planning early because I was a single person living on a teacher's salary, and I needed to plan ahead to be able to buy gifts for my extended family. I started by shopping for one sibling each month which spread out the expenses considerably. From there, I got better and better at budgeting. But I still spread out the expense over many months.
And I found over the years that creating a holiday budget months in advance allows you to make smarter financial decisions.
Instead of charging everything to a credit card in December, you can:
Set aside a small amount each month.
Take advantage of seasonal sales.
Compare prices before purchasing.
Avoid expensive last-minute shipping.
Buy gifts when they fit your budget rather than under pressure.
This approach helps prevent overspending and reduces financial stress that can linger long after the holidays are over.
There's nothing that kills the holiday joy faster than checking your credit card statement in January only to find that you have over-extended yourself. Again.
For more about how to set a Christmas budget, check out this post:
4. Create More Meaningful Gifts
Early planning also allows you to think beyond the typical last-minute purchases.
Consider:
Personalized gifts
Handmade items
Experience gifts
Family photo books
Homemade treats
Donations to favorite charities
These gifts often require extra time to create or order but become treasured memories that last far longer than trendy impulse buys.
Need some inspiration? Here are some of my favorite homemade gift ideas:
Consider Your Decor: The Case for Buying
a Christmas Tree Early
While it might seem counterintuitive to browse for winter greenery during the height of summer, purchasing your artificial Christmas tree in July or early in the season is a strategic move that pays dividends in December. The centerpiece of your holiday decor shouldn't be a last-minute compromise.
Buying early offers several distinct advantages:
Avoid the Scarcity Scramble: By December, the most popular styles and sizes are often sold out, leaving you to pick through a frantic, picked-over selection. Shopping now ensures you get exactly what you want.
Research the Details: You have the luxury of time to compare specific features like height, lighting types (LED vs. incandescent), and realism. Rather than settling for what's left on a shelf, you can find a tree that perfectly fits your space and aesthetic.
Capitalize on Off-Season Deals: Retailers often offer significant discounts or clearance prices on holiday inventory during the summer months to make room for new fall arrivals.
Immediate Holiday Enjoyment: When you already have your tree prepped and ready, you can focus on the joy of decorating and celebrating the moment the season begins, rather than spending your precious free time hunting for a centerpiece at the last minute.
When I had to replace our Christmas tree a few years ago, I was stuck. The tree I wanted was out of stock, and I faced a choice: buy something I didn't love or skip a tree until the next season. I actually chose to get a real tree that year and wait for a sale on the tree I wanted. I'm glad I did. But if I had known I would have ordered a tree earlier in the year and saved myself a lot of headache – and money!
Retailers like King of Christmas often have great sales on their trees in July and August with good discounts. So while we aren't always thinking about Christmas trees at that time of year, it's actually a fabulous time to buy a Christmas tree!
For more about how to choose an artificial Christmas tree, check out this guide:
If you're replacing an older tree, planning ahead means you can spread out your holiday expenses instead of making several large purchases at once.
King of Christmas begins offering seasonal promotions well before the holiday season, making July and August a great time to watch for deals and compare prices.
Once you've chosen your artificial Christmas tree, you can start planning your holiday décor around it.
Whether you prefer a traditional green tree, a flocked winter look, or a modern pencil tree for smaller spaces, having your centerpiece ready early makes decorating much less stressful when the holidays arrive.
Here’s my new tree unboxed and ready to be stored away. King of Christmas trees come with their own storage bags!
By adding an artificial Christmas tree to your Christmas planning checklist in July, you'll be one step closer to a more organized, budget-friendly, and enjoyable holiday season.
This is our new 9’ Noble Fir festooned for Christmas. We strung it with 1000 multicolored lights. It was gorgeous! I can hardly wait to decorate it again this year!
How to Build Your Mid-Summer Planning Ritual
Getting started doesn't have to be overwhelming. In fact, it can be a delightful summer activity. Here is how to structure your planning:
Schedule a 'Working Lunch': Sit down with your partner or a friend for a dedicated planning session. Review your calendars for November and December. Make plans for:
holiday travel dates and destinations
plays, concerts, or other events you want to attend – and purchase tickets
a shopping date together – or a few – to manage your shopping list
dreams and ideas for making your holiday season personal and fulfilling
What makes it meaningful for you?
What time should be set aside for your traditions?
In an inter-faith home, how can you give equitable time for all of your traditions?
When do you prefer to decorate? Set aside a weekend now – after Thanksgiving or whenever you prefer – and make it sacrosanct on everyone's calendars.
Define Clear, Measurable Goals: Before diving into tasks, ask yourself what you want the season to feel like. What will it look like when the holidays have happened—more family time or fewer conflicts? Setting these specific goals creates a roadmap for your season.
Utilize Planning Tools: Don't rely on memory alone. Use structured tools like The Nice List holiday planner or your own preferred annual planner to manage gift lists, online discount codes, and budget worksheets.
Prioritize Through 'KonMari-ing' Your Schedule: Much like decluttering a home, you should 'KonMari' your holiday commitments. Keep the traditions that spark joy and ruthlessly eliminate non-essential events and obligations. By saying "no" to the unnecessary, you are making a deliberate choice to safeguard the family time that is most precious to you.
The Nice List: Planning with Purpose
I wrote The Nice List because I wanted to change the way I approached the holiday season. I had been struggling with holiday stress—often feeling like the season was something to "get through" rather than enjoy. I started developing the concept in 2002 as a response to my own gift-giving struggles, eventually evolving it into a comprehensive system to help others find more order and sanity in the chaos.
The Nice List is more than just a place to track gift ideas; it's a tool for intentionality. It helps you get organized, manage your budget, and track your gift-giving history so you never accidentally repeat a gift. Ultimately, it’s designed to help you reclaim the "thought" in "it’s the thought that counts". By keeping everything from baking plans to holiday traditions in one place, it shifts the focus from the stress of obligation to the joy of meaningful, purposeful giving.
Your July Holiday Planning Checklist
Wondering how to start planning for the holidays in July? Begin with these simple steps.
Order The Nice List
Use the tools in The Nice List to:
Create your holiday budget.
Make gift-giving lists – and set spending limits.
Plan meals and activities for the holiday season.
Make lists and get yourself organized!
Make Your Gift List
Write down everyone you'd like to buy for.
Next to each name, include:
Gift ideas
Budget
Purchase deadline: decide which month you'll shop for each person. That's an easy way to manage both your time and your budget!
If you are traveling over the coming months, consider spending a little time buying gifts on your travels. This can be a wonderful way to find meaningful and unique gifts for people on your list! As you wend your way around the world, bring home locally-made items for your loved ones at home.
Create a Holiday Budget
Estimate expenses for:
Gifts
Decorations
Travel
Holiday meals
Entertaining
Charitable giving
Shipping
Knowing your total early helps eliminate unpleasant surprises later.
Plan for Holiday Travel
Flights and accommodations are often less expensive when booked well in advance. Planning early also gives you more options and greater flexibility. Plus, it gives you something exciting to look forward to!
If you are planning to travel for Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, or New Years, start looking for tickets in August or September for pre-holiday sales and fares.
Start a Holiday Savings Fund
Even saving a little each week adds up over several months.
When you buy gifts, you'll be shopping with money you've already set aside instead of relying on credit cards.
Another approach: set aside a designated amount to spend each month, and divide your gift list up by month. For example, in August shop for three people with a total budget of $150. Same in September. And October. This makes your list so much more manageable!
Reconsider and Organize Decorations
Take inventory of what you already own before buying anything new.
You may discover you have everything you need—or identify only a few items that need replacing.
If you need a Christmas tree, now is the time to order it! You will often get the best price, and you'll be sure to get the tree that you love and will use for many years to come.
Click this link to see my favorite Christmas Trees!
Free Download: Holiday Season Planner
Every holiday season is different, but this planner can help bring some sanity to a busy time of year. It’s a free download. U
Use the timeline below to fill in the tasks you should take on each month. Add your own, too!
And then start planning for the best holiday season ever!
Use this easy printable to plan all of your entire holiday season starting in July! Best when combined with The Nice List Grocery List and, of course, The Nice List!
This Library used to be entirely free. Because of the rising costs of maintaining this website, I have moved to charging a very small fee — $1 or $2 — for some of the Library resources. Thank you for contributing to my work by choosing to pay for those resources.
If you found these resources from an older Pinterest Pin, the pin might indicate that this was a free download. That’s the nature of Pinterest! Again, thanks for your support!
A Simple Holiday Planning Timeline
July
Order The Nice List
Create your holiday budget.
Start your savings plan.
Make your gift list and set your per-gift budget.
Brainstorm meaningful gift ideas.
August
Start searching FBMP, thrift stores, and secondhand-shops for unique gifts.
Book holiday travel.
Order personalized gifts from local artisans and creators.
Organize your decorations, and order your Christmas tree if you need a new one.
Schedule your holiday photo shoot with a local photographer. Look for mini sessions – they can be a great and economical way to get beautiful photos!
September
Shop for locally-sourced gifts when you travel.
Order tickets for local holiday-themed concerts, plays, and other events.
Begin purchasing gifts when sales appear.
October
Consider making or buying reusable wrapping solutions from fabric.
Finalize travel plans.
Plan your holiday party if you intend to host one.
Fill out your calendars for November and December. Include plans for baking, parties, concerts, even movie nights!
Order your holiday cards.
November
Begin wrapping gifts.
Complete remaining shopping.
Plan holiday meals.
Decorate at your own pace.
Send out invitations to your holiday party and accept or decline invitations as they come in.
Get everyone in the family involved in addressing your holiday cards, and get them into the mail after Thanksgiving.
December
Instead of spending every weekend shopping, you'll have more time for holiday traditions, baking, celebrations, and simply enjoying the season.
January
Make notes in The Nice List about what went well, what could be improved, and what you enjoyed the most. Use those notes next year to make your holiday season even better!
Frequently Asked Questions
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Not at all. Starting in July allows you to spread costs over several months, reduce stress, and make thoughtful purchasing decisions instead of rushing through your holiday checklist.
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Many people begin early holiday shopping in July or August, especially for personalized gifts, handmade products, and items from small businesses that may require longer production times.
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The easiest strategy is to create a holiday budget in July, save a little each month, shop sales throughout the year, and avoid last-minute purchases that often cost more.
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No! The point is to start early so that it isn’t all left to the last minute. You can use these same principles whether you start in July, August, September, or any time!
at the close…
Make This Holiday Season Your Most Peaceful Yet
No matter what you celebrate – or how - the holidays aren't meant to be a race to the finish line. They're an opportunity to connect with loved ones, celebrate traditions, and enjoy eachother's company. But the pressure to make the holidays "Pinterest perfect" can make that, honestly, impossible.
So before you start anything: take some time to remember, you are not in a Hallmark movie. You do not have a set decorator or a stylist. You are planning a normal, meaningful celebration for you and your friends and family. This is reality – not something made for Instagram.
By starting holiday planning early, you give yourself the gift of time. Time to make thoughtful decisions. Time to shop in ways that align with your values. Time to spread out expenses instead of feeling financial pressure. And most importantly, time to enjoy the holiday season.
Whether your goal is to reduce stress, to save money, to support ethical businesses, or to feel more organized and in control, holiday planning in July is a simple habit that can transform the months ahead.
Give yourself the gift of time this summer, so that when December arrives, you can simply enjoy the company of the people you love most.
If you have questions, don't hesitate to ask!
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Happy Gardening!
Angela
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This listing is for The Nice List Christmas Workbook + The Nice List All Year.
*****
Free Gift with Purchase: The Nice List books are designed so that they can be used in a Traveler’s Notebook -- a simple way to keep them together. For a Limited Time we will include a FREE handmade, upcycled traveler’s notebook with each purchase of The Nice List Bundle (while supplies last).
*****
Christmas is a busy time, particularly for parents. With school performances, parties, shopping, baking, and decorating on top of the normal busyness of life, I know many people find the Christmas season to be… overwhelming.
But it doesn’t have to be.
Over the years I have developed a system that helps me stay on budget, on time, and sane! And now with The Nice List, I am sharing that system with you so you can have a more organized and more beautiful Christmas season.
The Nice List Bundle includes two separate notebooks:
The Nice List All Year: a gift-giving tracker to last for years to come
The Nice List Christmas Workbook: a planner for the entire Christmas season to keep you organized and help bring a little sanity to your holiday season
Both are available individually or together as a bundle.
The Nice List Christmas Workbook includes:
How to Use The Nice List
How to Use The Christmas Workbook
November Calendars: weekly and monthly (undated)
December Calendars: weekly and monthly (undated)
Weekly To Do Lists for November and December (undated)
What Sparks Joy for You? Setting priorities for the holiday season
Budgeting worksheets: to establish a budget for your Christmas season — and for each gift, too
Coupons & Codes: tracker for holiday sales and discount codes
Giving Lists: to help you prioritize where you spend you money and on whom
Thoughts on Thoughtful Giving: ideas for gift giving and reducing the stress of the holidays
Thank You Note Tracker
Holiday Card Tracker
Menu Planners
Baking Planners
Shopping Lists
Blank pages for notes and planning
With a little planning and some careful thought before a gift is ever purchased, The Nice List can help you keep Christmas from spinning out of control and help you find the perspective you need. The Nice List helps you set deadlines to avoid high shipping charges and has a tool for tracking all of those promo codes and sale codes that start to flood your email inbox, too.
The Nice List All Year gives you a place to track all of the gifts you give the loved ones in your life -- not just at Christmas time. It is designed to be used for multiple years and can be purchased separately if you have more than 15 people in your life to track.
The Nice List All Year includes:
How to use The Nice List
How to use The Nice List All Year
Giving Records for 15 people covering multiple years
The Nice List All Year is also designed to be used by anyone -- not just people who celebrate Christmas. From Hanukkah to Lunar New year, Kwanzaa to Eid, and birthdays, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day and more -- record every gift you give and make notes for coming occasions, too.
Plus, when you use The Nice List All Year year after year, you develop a record of your gift-giving, so you never give the same gift twice!
Not only is The Nice List a beautiful planner, but it also comes with online tools including an extensive giving guide with gift suggestions in every budget for every person on your list — parents, inlaws, kids, friends, teachers. We have suggestions for them all and exclusive discount codes as well.
I love the Christmas season so much I have written what my husband described as my “love letter to Christmas” — The Nice List!
Order your copy of The Nice List today, and give yourself the gift of a very organized and holiday season!
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ABOUT THE CREATORS:
Angela K. Nickerson (@midmodernmama), author, and Holly Kennedy (@messymamaholly), designer, both love office supplies, planners, stickers, and creative living. They have been producing The Nice List, their first journal product, since 2016 and have been collaborating on projects big and small for almost 15 years. Together they are @owlandember and owlandember.com.
All designs © Angela K. Nickerson and Holly Kennedy, 2015-2025
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