Top Christmas Tip: Use a Script to Save Your Sanity on the Big Day! [Episode 14]

Heidi  0:50

Hey there, friends. Welcome back to the Holiday Headstart Podcast. Today we are talking about how to plan the upcoming holidays so that you don’t forget any little detail, and sharing a get ahead tip for making Christmas morning a little smoother.

 

Emily  1:04

Traditions are an important tool in building a healthy, happy, connected life. This week, we have a tradition that Heidi is going to share with us.

 

Heidi  1:12

Well, I can’t take credit for this. This is from my friend Kaylin. So as their kids have gotten a little bit older and not in the little kid phase anymore, on Christmas day, they check into a motel that has a pool and they spend the night. So the kids have something fun to do, something to look forward to, and she said it’s great because she and her husband can just lounge by the pool and watch the kids. Takes all the stress off, the kids are busy, they’re tired, they have this fun little adventure of staying in a hotel or motel, and it’s just a fun way to wrap up Christmas. And we tried that a couple years ago. We didn’t do it on Christmas Day, I think we did it like, I don’t know, the 27th or 28th or something. And it was fun for the kids.

 

Emily  1:51

It was more fun for the kids. I just, but I also think we’re homebodies, so we just like, I’d rather be cozy at my own house, but the kids loved it, so, there’s that.

 

Heidi  2:01

Yes. As a word of warning, if you do try this, figure out meals ahead of time, because she said they run into problems sometimes, expecting that, like the restaurants near the motel would be open and they’re not, because it’s Christmas.

 

Emily  2:14

Oh, yes.

 

Heidi  2:15

Yes. So take that into account when you’re planning.

 

Emily  2:18

That’s a fun tradition, I like that. Maybe we’ll try it again sometime.

 

Heidi  2:23

If only we could bring our own beds with us. That would be the clincher.

 

Emily  2:27

That’s the thing is like, how about we go to a hotel but then come home and sleep in our own beds? Does that defeat the purpose?

 

Heidi  2:33

No, it’s great. It’s fine.

 

Emily  2:35

We’d love to hear about your favorite traditions. Come join us on Instagram @theholidayheadstart.

 

Emily  2:41

Let’s start by taking a little journey way back to 2001 when the timeless rom com, The Wedding Planner, debuted.

 

Heidi  2:50

Yay. We love a rom com around here, and The Wedding Planner is a classic.

 

Emily  2:55

Oh yeah, I will hear no Wedding Planner slander around here. That is a top tier rom com. At the beginning of that movie, if you have watched it, you know Jennifer Lopez’s character is pulling together all of the last minute details for a wedding. She’s soothing cold feet, fixing dresses, coordinating the flower girl, and finding the missing father of the bride. Everywhere she turns, there’s another task that needs attention, but she’s equipped for all of it thanks to her meticulous preparation.

 

Heidi  3:23

And as the holiday demands ramp up, that is what we are after. We need a multi-person team carrying out all of our tasks. We need in-ear communication to keep everyone on track. We need a tool belt stocked with a sewing kit and band aids and crazy glue. And of course, we also need Judy Greer is our personal assistant.

 

Emily  3:43

But sadly, we don’t have any of J Lo’s resources, and no matter how often we invite her, Judy Greer fails to show up when we need her on Christmas Day, so as we head into the thick of the holidays, it’s just us and whatever we’ve managed to plan.

 

Heidi  3:58

That means that if our plans are the only thing standing between us and a sea of chaos and exhaustion, then the quality of those plans really matters.

 

Emily  4:09

So to help make sure your plans are as robust as they need to be, we are letting you in on one of our best teacher secrets that you’re going to love. For big days when there’s a lot going on, you need a script.

 

Heidi  4:23

Now we are not talking about a list of stage directions and dialog. This kind of script is more of a minute by minute outline of how things need to unfold.

 

Emily  4:33

If you have ever taught school before, you know that the first day of school isn’t a day as much as it is an event, and that’s why we start the new school year with a highly detailed script to help us move through the day without forgetting anything.

 

Heidi  4:46

A script is super handy for the first day of school, but it’s also vital for any day where there’s a lot to do and you’re out of your routine.

 

Emily  4:55

And I think we can all agree that one of those big outside of your routine days is Christmas Day. When you’re in the moment trying to keep track of dozens of tasks, like a line of dominoes that need to fall in a certain order, it’s challenging to remember it all.

 

Heidi  5:08

And that’s why we have a script. It can hold the billion and one details you need to keep track of so that your brain doesn’t have to. And so with the goal of being very intentional, we’re going to share the three reasons why we think a Christmas script can benefit you.

 

Emily  5:24

That’s a tongue twister, Christmas script.

 

Heidi  5:26

It really is.

 

Emily  5:28

The first reason why a Christmas script is so valuable is that it’s your safety net. During a normal day, you have the power of your routines and schedule to carry you through from one task to the next. But that doesn’t work on a day like Christmas, when you’re so far removed from your regular schedule.

 

Heidi  5:44

Yeah, when you don’t have a routine to rely on, let your script do the work of keeping you on track and reminding you of the details that you need to remember.

 

Emily  5:52

This may sound a little rigid, but a script actually is what allows you to be flexible. It frees you to be present with what’s happening, instead of having your mind race a mile a minute trying to keep track of what comes next.

 

Heidi  6:05

If you have ever forgotten to preheat the oven or forgotten the salad that you were supposed to bring to dinner, you know the importance of getting the details out of your head so that you can clearly see what you need to remember.

 

Emily  6:17

Which brings us to the second benefit of a Christmas script. Besides being a safety net, a script offers you support. It’s like Judy Greer right there filling in the gaps and reminding you that you’ve got this. It’s such a comfort knowing you have a well-thought-out roadmap for a festive day.

 

Heidi  6:33

Plus a script supports you by preserving your energy. If you have made most of your decisions in advance, you’re reducing a lot of the decision fatigue that can quickly drain your battery on a big day like Christmas.

 

Emily  6:46

And if you’re getting to the end of Christmas day even slightly less tired, we’re going to call that a win.

 

Heidi  6:53

A Christmas script really is a clear source of support, and I wouldn’t want to try to navigate the holiday without it. But I think the biggest benefit of a script is the freedom it provides.

 

Emily  7:04

Yeah, it might seem strange to associate a detailed plan with freedom, but that’s exactly what it is, really.

 

Heidi  7:11

There are so many details to keep track of on a big holiday. Just to get breakfast on the table, you need to have your recipes figured out, and hopefully you can do a lot of the prep work in advance, but you need to time heating up dishes so that everything is warm at the same time. That’s such a hassle. Do you need to set the table, manage juice and hot chocolate and coffee, feed already overtired kids, and work all of that around opening gifts?

 

Emily  7:35

It is a lot to keep track of all at once. If my brain is trying to remember the 55 steps it’s going to take to get ready for breakfast. I can’t be the kind of mom I want to be on Christmas morning with my kids. I want to be connecting with them and seeing their excitement when they’re opening their presents. I don’t want to be distracted trying to remember what needs to go in the oven when.

 

Heidi  7:56

A script gives us the freedom of being able to focus on actually enjoying the holiday, because all of the details are out of our heads and on our papers.

 

Emily  8:04

Just think how great it’ll feel to get to Christmas night feeling you were protected by your safety net, supported through a draining day, and had the freedom to be present and engaged with the people you love.

 

Heidi  8:16

So hopefully that convinces you that you want to give a script a try. So let’s talk about what a script might look like. And there’s no right or wrong answer here, like with all of our other holiday planning, it comes down to whatever works for you. For me, I like to plan on the computer because I prefer to type instead of handwrite, but then I print the page so that I can easily reference things without having to, you know, open my phone every time I need to check something.

 

Emily  8:38

If you’re looking for a starting place to write your own script. Grab the holiday Head Start playbook. Section nine is all about keeping on track for the big day. Scroll past all of the pages for the minimum upkeep plan and go back to Episode 13 if you want details on how to make your own minimum upkeep plan. But stop on the sheet that says, big picture.

 

Heidi  9:00

When we get stressed, it’s easy to lose sight of what all of the wrapping and baking and cleaning and decorating is for. Before you get into the thick of it, take a few minutes to pause and remember what’s important. A year from now, what will have mattered and what won’t?

 

Emily  9:16

And then, with a focus on your priorities, start with the timeline. We’ve got dedicated pages to plan for December, 23rd, 24th, 25th, and 26th, but you may want to duplicate those pages for any other busy days in December.

 

Heidi  9:30

Right, if you have got multiple events back-to-back on December 14, you may want to create a special plan for that day to help you get from Breakfast with Santa to the Nutcracker matinee, to the holiday work party that night.

 

Emily  9:43

Oh, that sounds like a rough day.

 

Heidi  9:45

Saturdays in December, man.

 

Emily  9:47

Right? For our big days, the first thing we need to figure out is a timeline. Add the times to one side of the sheet. I like to go by half hour increments, but you could go up to full hours or down to 10 minutes, if that’s more helpful.

 

Heidi  10:00

And then start plugging in your scheduled events. What time does the movie start? When are you going caroling? And you can add all of that into your timeline.

 

Emily  10:08

After you have all the scheduled events listed, then ask yourself, what needs to happen before and what needs to happen after each event. So if you’re trying to make it to Zoo Lights, what needs to happen before you leave? Maybe it’s getting the kids fed early and getting them bundled up and making sure everyone goes potty. Maybe you need to move the stroller from one car to the other. Maybe you need to make a detour to pick up your favorite auntie.

 

Heidi  10:33

After Zoo Lights, maybe you want to factor in time to grab hot chocolate to warm up, and you also need time to drop off that favorite auntie.

 

Emily  10:40

Is this your way of hinting you want us to go to Zoo Lights, Heidi?

 

Heidi  10:42

Not even a little bit.

 

Emily  10:44

I figured not, but just checking. Block out the time before and after each event to address what needs to happen. That way, you know what time to start fixing dinner and rounding up mittens and hats for everybody.

 

Heidi  10:57

Once you’ve got your timeline mapped out, there are a few other boxes to help you plan your big day. You can plan out your meals, list any traditions you need to make sure that happen on those days, make a to do list and a list of the things that you can let go of.

 

Emily  11:11

Using your filled out plan, it’s time to start on the actual script. We’re going to pull together the information from our day plan and any action plans and task lists into a central location. In the Holiday Headstart Playbook, there are pages for your Christmas Eve script and your Christmas Day script, but you can duplicate and edit those for any other big days you’ve got in December.

 

Heidi  11:33

On the left side of the script page list your first event of the day and when it’s happening, and then list all of the pertinent details of that event. On the right side of that page, list all of the supplies you need to remember to make that event happen. So when I tag along with Emily and her kids to go drive to see the lights, I like to make little treat boxes for the kids, because I am the favorite auntie. But then I have learned I also want to remember, like, little water bottles, not big water bottles, because we don’t want to stop her bathroom break, and bags to throw away any treat wrappers. But then I also want them to have extra bags so the kids can take their leftover treats home, and I can have my snack box bag so I’m not having to track it down next year. It’s a lot to remember. So all of that goes on my script.

 

Emily  12:14

And I thank you for not sending those snack boxes home to my house to get lost, and then it becomes my responsibility. So I appreciate this foresight. If you’re used to carrying all of this information in your head, it can feel like a lot of work at the outset to get this all written down.

 

Heidi  12:30

But the nice thing about this kind of planning, especially if you’re doing it digitally, is that you can reuse it. When you’ve done the work once, you are set up for next year.

 

Emily  12:40

And even if you end up changing your holiday events, a lot of your plans can be reused and modified for your new activities.

 

Heidi  12:47

Another bonus of a script is that it gives you a set place for collecting any notes about your big day. You can use those reflections to tweak your plans and then just keep perfecting your script year after year.

 

Emily  12:59

Plus, this prevents you from lying to yourself that you’ll remember what you did this year, because you won’t. So taking the time to write everything down now will help you this year and for lots of years to come.

 

Heidi  13:10

We would love to hear if you try a holiday script this year and if it helps you out. So connect with us on Instagram @theholidayheadstart and let us know how it goes.

 

Emily  13:19

Now it’s time for a Get a Headstart Tip. Each week we leave you with a small, actionable tip to help you get a head start on your holiday planning. This week’s Get a Headstart Tip is make a Christmas morning basket. Tell us more about it, Heidi.

 

Heidi  13:33

So if you do the big opening presents on Christmas morning thing, that I think most people do if there’s kids around, put together a basket of useful items to help make that morning go more smoothly.

 

Emily  13:44

And it doesn’t have to be a basket. You could use a bin or anything else that’s handy. I have a little caddy with a handle that I use for this.

 

Heidi  13:52

You just need something big enough to hold your stuff and something that isn’t going to look at a place in your photos. So in the Holiday Headstart Playbook, right after the Christmas Day script, there’s a sheet called Christmas Morning Basket. We’ve already filled in some suggestions for you, but tweak it to fit your needs. You will probably want batteries, of course, in multiple sizes. But you also might want things like scotch tape for taping gift cards to larger items so they don’t get lost, or post it notes for noting anything that might need to be returned. Emily, what’s in your caddy?

 

Emily  14:23

Well, I always keep a screwdriver in there. I like one that has interchangeable tips, so that if I need to take off a battery compartment on a toy in order to put a battery in, I’m not scrambling to find the screwdrivers. I like to keep my electric scissors in there, so that when the kids toys come in those awful, like clamshell plastic nightmares, we can just zip cut them open. It’s so much faster.

 

Heidi  14:50

I feel the cuts on my fingers just thinking about that.

 

Emily  14:53

I know, they’re the worst. I also have like, zipper bags in there for when one of them gets a toy that has pieces to it, so that we can immediately put the pieces into a zipper bag.

 

Heidi  15:06

So smart.

 

Emily  15:07

I mean, obviously I keep like, little box cutters in there, and I think like Sharpies, just in case I need to, like, if they all three get the same thing, then I can label whose is whose on Christmas morning. That’s especially common of things that come out of their stockings that they get three of something. I’ve got to label whose is whose. Whose mini jar of Nutella is whose.

 

Heidi  15:07

And if you’re going to be opening presents for a while, you might want some snacks, like granola bars in there, or some water bottles. I’ve noticed the last few years, a lot of toys need to be charged with a USB charger. Might wanna have that on hand. There’s so many things to think through. And we did put all this on the list already, so you’ve got a good head start. Just add anything else that you need for your particular needs.

 

Emily  15:50

Yeah, let us know if we’ve missed some brilliant thing we need to add to our baskets.

 

Heidi  15:54

Yes, we would love to be able to pass that on to anyone else who might be in the same boat.

 

Emily  15:59

Now it’s time for what we’re working on this week as a way to keep ourselves accountable and give you some ideas of what you can do in advance for your own celebrations, we’re sharing what we’re working on this week. Heidi, what’s on your to do list?

 

Heidi  16:11

Well, I’m doing pretty good on getting everything ready, feeling in a good space. I do need to finish up getting groceries for our Christmas Eve raclette dinner. I am usually further ahead on that one, but I’ve got a few weeks to catch up. Need to stock up on the cheese.

 

Emily  16:27

It’s a lot of cheese, that meal. It’s not Christmas without cheese.

 

Heidi  16:32

Emily, what are you working on this week?

 

Emily  16:34

I’m working on teacher gifts.

 

Heidi  16:36

So fun.

 

Emily  16:36

So I prefer to give gift cards, because as teachers ourselves, we know that gift cards are what teachers really want, but I still can’t get over the feeling of like, I can’t just give you a gift card. Has to have something with it. So, you know, some years I’ve done like, little bags of Ghirardelli squares or something like, it’s just gotta, I gotta have something. So I’m still deciding what that something will be this year, but I have three teachers we have to do for this year. I don’t do it for my daughter, who’s in junior high, because she has a million teachers, and she doesn’t even know most of them that much. But we have sometimes picked up, like, drink gift cards, like, just like $5 ones that she can take in. So like, Starbucks or around here, we have Swig, so we usually do Swig cards. So at least to the teachers that she does feel connected with, she can take those in. So I have done nothing for any of this yet, but I’m thinking about it. So this week I’m gonna work on it.

 

Emily  16:37

There you go. Every test starts with thinking.

 

Emily  16:41

That is so true.

 

Heidi  16:44

To wrap up the show, we’re sharing our nice lists. Emily, what’s on your nice list this week?

 

Emily  17:46

I have the new Jimmy Fallon Christmas album on my nice list. It’s called Holiday Seasoning, and it’s so fun. It’s just nice to have a new Christmas album that has like, new songs on it, not just covers of the same songs we hear over and over, and it’s just fun because it’s Jimmy Fallon, so it’s really light hearted, and the whole family likes it, so putting that on my nice list.

 

Heidi  18:08

Well, that’s a win.

 

Emily  18:09

What’s on your nice list, Heidi?

 

Heidi  18:11

Okay, I’m putting the Netflix show Hot Frosty on my nice list. So if you somehow missed the buzz around this, it’s about a hot snowman who comes to life and immediately falls in love with Lacey Chabert, as, of course, you would.

 

Emily  18:26

As one does, as one snowman does, I assume.

 

Heidi  18:29

I heard her on, I think I heard her on Fallon talking about it, and I thought they were joking. And this movie is as ridiculous as it sounds, but it works because the movie doesn’t take itself seriously, like the movie is in on the joke. So everything is a bit tongue in cheek. It has the best supporting cast I have ever seen in a TV Christmas movie, and I’ve seen a lot. So it has Craig Robinson from the office, and he is the overly vigilant sheriff in the town. And then Boyle from Brooklyn Nine Nine, he’s kind of the big hearted, bumbling deputy.

 

Heidi  18:55

Oh, I love him.

 

Heidi  19:04

And Katie Mixon from American Housewife, is the town doctor. Lacey Chabert takes the snowman into the doctor to be like, Oh, he’s so cold. And the doctor’s like, well, he says he’s a snowman, that tracks. Unconcerned by any of this. So it is the best kind of silly humor, if you’re looking for something that is festive but bonkers.

 

Emily  19:26

Well, I mean, I know it’s on my to-watch list this weekend.

 

Heidi  19:30

You can’t miss it.

 

Heidi  19:32

That is it for today’s episode. Take a few minutes to write a script for your upcoming big days, and remember our get ahead tip for filling a Christmas morning basket.

 

Emily  19:41

Thank you so much for joining us today, and we really hope to see you here again next week. If you enjoyed this episode, it would be so helpful if you gave us a five star rating and review on Apple podcasts. As a new podcast, we really need every bit of positive promo that we can get.