Parenting can take on almost a frantic pace during the holidays. The calendar gets loaded up and the budget gets stretched to the limit. And often family issues seem to amplify. A few things can help give you a head start on the crunch.

Get your calendar out and make it your best friend. It will help you pace yourself and avoid double booking. Also helps if you leave some flex time between appointments and even schedule in REST for everyone.

Modify the really exhausting traditions to a more manageable version. Cookie making/baking/decorating can be done in stages or edited to just decorating. Will it be any less fun tasting frosting from your fingers if you are decorating purchased cookies? Stringing stale popcorn is easier and you only need small bowls for nibbling. If you pre record or make song pages in September for caroling it is easier than doing it at the last minute.

Tune up your Holiday season wardrobe early in the season. Schools lost and founds have lots of lost coats that you can swap out the sizes you have for the sizes you need. Party clothes/accessories can be had for pennies at thrift stores and often at drycleaners sales but they thin out early. You know going to some activities are going to be stress full try for simplicity and comfort. Being ahead of the curve and having the missing buttons sewn on, the dress shoes polished, and extra emergency outfit in the car trunk for when the inevitable "mess" happens help a lot. Have to dress the kids a little before the "event" try covering with a dollar store apron until you get out of the car. That way if the kids wipe their hands down their front it "disappears".

Tune up the car before the bad weather sets in. Even stash a couple of mass transit tickets so you can park in the suburbs and ride into downtown where parking is horrendous. A lot of the essential how too's are spelled out in the owners manual. At least read it cover to cover while you are waiting to pick up the minions. It will save you money and can keep you from sliding around on bald tires are not having a spare tire when you REALLY need it. Sometimes you can score a good spare from a tow service. And a bag of kitty litter in the well and a survival kit is a must if you live int the Tough weather zones. . If you have a hard time affording a mechanic asking him for a "fit in" appointment and leaving the car all day on their slower day can sometimes motivate a discount. Or bartering a legit skill you have. Spending a day filing or sending out customer Christmas cards or even babysitting for the employee Christmas party are good trades.

Look for every Head of household discounts. Get on budget billing for your utilities and see if you qualify for any discounts the allowances can be really high and medical spin downs often put you in the running if you are doing a little "better". If you have anyone on medical equipment it can be substantial. Fall is often the new fiscal year be sure to sign up for utility wise programs such as free electric lawn mowers. energy wise replacement windows, or even free fire wood or mulch.

Before you ditch the toys and clothes you have try swapping them for the ones you need. Grandmas will be glad to buy your old crib or highchair for the season and sometimes they have cool vintage or "older kids" toys still hanging out in their closets. Not every memorable gift has to be new. If you are willing to help and elderly neighbor clear out their "stuff" you just might score a lovely tree or other decorations for your sweat equity. Or sometimes the really useful kitchen gear that they have collecting dust.

Plan well in advance for peer support. If you want to have a no-custody slumber party or bah humbug party or go to the usual neighbor hood events having a side kick lined up will help out. You can stash the eats weeks and months in advance. Looking for gag gifts or gently used "prizes" early is easier than the last minute. Canned olives, chickpeas (hummus) chez dip can be stashed a item a week with out trashing your budget. Buying gift cards and stashing one of the three for yourself is allowed. Using inside out foil chip bags to wrap gifts is easy grab bag with a pretty ribbon. On line coupons can be great ways to save.

If you are feeling shaky about drug and alcohol problems during the holidays get your peer support network in gear early. Sobriety is not and accident and having your own nonalcoholic alternatives makes holding "just" a glass a lot easier. If you know dealing with siblings or overbearing parents is going to be just too much then plan a breakfast visit or a "rescue" buddy. If you have to take a "sick" friend home or getting called into work and you are out the door. And don't go to stressful places with out your medication or on and empty stomach or on a sugar buzz. Use your babysitter as and excuse to go home early.

Have a holiday budget. Even if yo start saving just a few weeks before Christmas you can spread out the expense. Shop with a list. And reward yourself if you beat the budget and come home with some of your money still in your pocket. Retailers want to make you believe that once it is gone it is gone but don't kid yourself there will always be the after holiday discounts and Spring sales. Is your kid really going to ride a new bike in the ice and snow? Maybe you buy the helmet for Christmas and buy the bike when they can ride it.

My kids r back for the school holidays. But, we don't go on holidays, just spend it together at home. My 15 years old princess is such a baby

Holiday budgeting boy is that a must lol especially when my oldest birthday is in October and Halloween is coming up. Fortunately the school asks parents to bring in clothing so clothes can be exchanged at the school some churches do the same. Also a church near by has a program every year were you bring in a financial donation and a child brings a list of items they want to give to family, friends and pets then a elf takes the kids to the already purchased items in the church to pick what would be an appropriate gift. Teaching children that Christmas is not about just receiving. During that time there is also other items to be purchases like bake goods, crafts, a draw and so on something for the parents to do while the kids are shopping. Of course Santa and Misses Clause is there for pictures.

Community Care has a tree of angels were you can pick a name of a child that is an age of your choosing then buy them a gift. Community Care has other programs during the holidays as well. There is a Santa clause parade that the boys enjoy watching.The kids and I like to bake cookies ,decorate Christmas decorations and spend time with family and friends. I enjoy cooking dinner as well :)

Sorry oP.. I couldn't make it all the way through your topic introductory..
... the Bible was a quick read.. LOL JK ..

so I'm going with... I tell my boys Santa Claus slipped off the last roof He was on and broke his neck..
so there won't be any presents this year.....

. and on a side note why don't women ever see Santa Claus is a woman .. and the Easter Bunny male or female..?. I mean they're always saying God could be a woman as well



and as far as the Easter Bunny goes..
I usually cook up a lamb chop..
and while they're eating it.. I tell them.. oh yeah boys about Easter this year.... I accidentally ran over the Easter Bunny over with my car....
.. but the good news is.. I'm putting his body to good use... now pass me the gravy this Easter Bunny's a little dry

OMG PHd reminds me of a funny story. Sorry all mine are long.

My kids were kind of leery of Zombies at one time and with Halloween coming up I wanted them to maybe jump at some of the haunted house props but not be completely terrified and dislike Halloween. So we went to the Halloween store and looked at props, handling them ect.. A good way to keep the Terror tears out of Halloween.

Well my Child who is disabled was desensitized/enamoured by a stuffed arm stub so he bought it and it became his comfort pillow that he would harmlessly play pillow fight with his brother's Hulk pillow. If he wanted to play he would with limited vocal skills say "hit you with a bloody stub" but it was often his way of saying lets get out of here and go home where he kept it on his bed.

Well some novice teacher thought he was being violently threatened/bullied at home and they had to call in the shrink and investigate interviewing the kids in seclusion. Terrifying my kids; especially the child who didn't know why he was being punished, crying inconsolably until his "twin" finally gave him his "pillow" out of his back pack. Admin of the school had egg on their face but we also became more aware that things are interpreted so we were a little more careful how we joked around.

But as it became a signal that people were not getting what was going on and the family should close ranks.

Budget tip; the drought has been hard on the pumpkin crops here in California so prices will go up but you can substitute mashed sweet potatoes in most pumpkin recipes with only a mild taste difference. If pumpkin pie is a must for your holiday table buy early.

As fall clearance on garden stuff usually means bargain prices it can be a good time to snag some goodies to make gift baskets. A patio table set is often more sturdy and water friendly for family with kids. Want to furnish a basement with a hammock it can the most popular guest bed or story couch.

Warning Read bedding labels because some cozy blankets will disintegrate in the washing machine if you use a combination soap with bleach product.

Want to make cheap Halloween costumes? Hit thrift stores for blankets and old party dresses in various colors and prints for yards of affordable fabric. Want to make dinosaur or a dragon costume cutting triangles from butter dish lids will make non droopy spikes.