​​How to Do Halloween Right (Without Doing Everything) [Episode 36]

[00:00:00] Welcome to the Holiday Head Start Podcast, where we get intentional about kicking overwhelm to the curb and bringing the joy back to your holidays and every day. I’m Heidi. And I’m Emily. We’re two sisters and former elementary school teachers who’ve taken the simple strategies and practical tips we mastered in the classroom and put them to work in our personal lives.

And we are here to help you do the same. Join us each week as we share how with a little planning and a little prep, you can ensure that the days that make life special don’t become the days that make you stressed. You can check out the show [email protected]. Ready to get a headstart on your holidays.

Let’s go.

Heidi: Hey there, friends. Welcome back to the Holiday Head Start podcast. Today we are talking about how you can plan a stress-free Halloween [00:01:00] celebration and sharing a get ahead tip for managing gift buying.

Emily: But first we have a tradition spotlight traditions are an important tool in building a healthy, happy, connected life.

This week we have a tradition from Heidi.

Heidi: Well, I cannot take credit for this because it’s something I saw on Instagram. And this comes from De Michelle Perry, and I will link to her in the show notes. But I came across this post and I thought it was such a helpful reframe for the pressure that we often feel this time of year to do it all.

And she said.

This year I’m ditching autumn Bucket lists. Bucket lists can start to feel like to-do lists, and I don’t need any more to-dos. I want my seasons to be about where my attention is placed and not what I achieved. And I thought that was such an empowering way to look at everything that feels mandatory this time of year.

I have always resisted bucket list simply because of that pressure. I just did not have the vocabulary to explain it.

Emily: That’s so funny ’cause I was just sitting here thinking the same thing that like summer bucket lists are [00:02:00] so popular among moms. Yes. And I have always been like, no way. We are not doing that.

But I couldn’t really explain why they felt so stressful to me. So this has been an enlightening quote you’re sharing.

Heidi: Well, I’m glad it helps us. Hopefully it’s helping other people out there too, because I feel like maybe just ’cause of our personality type. It has to be just because of our personalities, but a bucket list feels like a pass fail endeavor.

Mm-hmm. If I fill it up with all the things I hope to do that just don’t fit the realities of the actual season that we’re in, then I’m gonna be disappointed or frustrated that I fell short.

Emily: Yeah, I won’t notice all the things we did do or were motivated to do. I’ll notice all the things we said we wanted to do, but we didn’t, so we failed.

Heidi: Yep. That is a hundred percent. Are we a little too uptight Maybe. I dunno what you’re talking about, Emily, but Michelle goes on to say in her post, I’m switching it up and creating a monthly joy list that’s accessible to where I’m at, adaptable to what I love, [00:03:00] affordable to what I have and anticipatory for something fun to look forward to. And as a side note, I’m just gonna guess that it really irked Michelle to not have all of the A’s and an BLE got to go accessible, adaptable, affordable. Anticipatory,

Emily: we’ll just call it anticip Anticip.

Heidi: But I really think that’s such a compassionate way to enjoy what matters without ignoring the realities of your life circumstances.

So in this season, with so much pressure to do all of the things, think about what joy actually looks like for you right now.

Emily: We’d love to hear what is on your joy list this season. So come join us on Instagram at the holiday head start.

Heidi: Well, before we get too far into this episode, Emily and I just wanna take a minute and thank everyone for their patience. We know this is rubber hits the road season when it comes to holiday planning and we are sorry that we have been MIA.

Emily: Yes, Heidi and I have been writing a book and wouldn’t you know [00:04:00] it, our deadlines have landed right in the middle of October, and so as we’ve been trying to manage that, ’cause it turns out it’s all out of work to write a book. Yes. Who knew? Something had to give and unfortunately it was this little podcast for a season,

Heidi: but we are hopeful that we can get back on track very soon.

Even if we couldn’t be back the way we want to, we just couldn’t let the whole month pass without checking in here. So since we cannot hit pause on the calendar, we’re going to do the next best thing and create a plan so that we all have a clear vision of how to navigate and hopefully enjoy

Emily: the next few weeks.

In order to do that, we’re sharing our 10 step system for a Halloween that feels magical instead of manic. And I promise none of these steps involve staying up until midnight hot gluing felt onto styrofoam.

Heidi: Well thank goodness ’cause , my hot glue gun skills peaked in 2015 and it wasn’t pretty even then.

Emily: Yeah, I think I still have some burns. So whether you’re someone who [00:05:00] goes all out with elaborate decorations or you’re more of a grab whatever you see at the store and call a good type, we have something for you.

Heidi: All right, let’s jump in with step one, which might be the most important, but I know you’re gonna wanna skip it.

Don’t do that. And that is to identify your purpose before you buy a single pumpkin or scroll through custom ideas, you need to pause and picture what you actually want Halloween

Emily: to feel like this year. Because here’s what happens when you skip this step.

You end up with a random collection of Halloween activities that you don’t care about and you feel guilty for not living up to what you’ve seen on social media, but we are not doing that this year.

Heidi: No. No, we’re not. So ask yourself what matters to you about Halloween? Do you want low key family time? Are you thinking of a big neighborhood bash?

Maybe you want over the top spooky excitement. You can have whatever you want as long as you take the time to figure out what it is you actually want.

Emily: Also, take a few [00:06:00] minutes to talk with your loved ones about what matters most to them. The pumpkin carving that was a highlight of the season a few years ago may seem seriously uncool to your kids now.

It’s funny how they changed their opinions. Yes, maybe it’s time to pivot from what you’ve always done and try something new.

Heidi: Now, don’t let that feel like a downer. The nice thing about Halloween is that it doesn’t come with the same pressures as Christmas, so take this opportunity to make your Halloween celebrations more aligned with what matters to you right now.

Emily: We talked about how to identify your Christmas purpose back in episode four. If you want some guidance for figuring out your Halloween purpose, you can go back and check it out. The holiday may be different, but the steps are the same.

Heidi: We know that spending time on this really can seem trivial,

but it’s how you ensure that the time and the energy that you’re spending on this holiday actually creates a celebration that brings you and your loved ones joy.

Your purpose becomes like a filter for every single decision you make from which decorations you display to how many activities you plan to, how much you spend on costumes.

Emily: And that brings [00:07:00] us perfectly to step two, which is to figure out the money situation. Let’s just get that out of the way. Now you need to decide how much you want to spend before that Giant Home Depot skeleton starts calling your name, which, which might be

Heidi: a little

Emily: spooky,

Heidi: but definitely make sure that you have giant skeleton money before you try and get that thing home.

Emily: Figuring out the money is the sort of task that makes me break out in hives. I hate dealing with the money. As much as I like to plan, I hate to calculate. But if we don’t want to blow all of our Christmas savings on Halloween costumes, we need to figure this out.

Heidi: So take a minute and think through what your Halloween budget actually includes.

There’s the obvious stuff like candy or trinkets for

Emily: trick or treaters, or if you’re doing the teal pumpkin thing, factor in alternative treats. Then there’s costumes and makeup, and keep in mind that even small accessories can add up quickly.

Heidi: And then add in tickets for hay rides or corn mazes or local events, plus any decor updates, pumpkins, extra lighting for safety or party [00:08:00] food if

Emily: you’re hosting. So the key is knowing your spending ceiling ahead of time so you can splurge on what really matters to your family and skip the guilt later when you see other people going bigger.

Heidi: Yeah, maybe you decide that costumes are worth investing in, but you’re keeping decorations simple. Or maybe you go all out. I’m visiting a different haunted house each weekend, but you save money by doing a costume swap with other families in your neighborhood. Either approach works as long as it aligns with what matters

Emily: most to you.

And speaking of what matters to your family, that’s step three. Make it special. By scheduling your traditions. This is where you list out the Halloween traditions you actually love. Not the ones you think you should do or the ones you’ve always done, but the ones that really make you smile. One of our favorite

Heidi: family Halloween traditions is a costume fashion show.

So a couple days before Halloween and these kids come over to model their costumes for the grandparents, and we enjoy apple cider and donuts.

Emily: This really is one of my October highlights, especially ’cause Heidi hosts it. So I do have to get the kids in their [00:09:00] costumes, but I don’t have to do the rest of it.

So if that helps. But as fun as it is, there are two bonus reasons for doing it. The first is that we schedule this in the afternoon, so we still have good light for photos. By the time you’re heading out for Trick or Treating on Halloween, it might be too dark to get any good photos.

And also you might be stressed at that point or the kids are anxious. Yes, definitely anxious to go. And they don’t wanna stay in take pictures. I’ve had that happen many times, so this way we’ve already got the pictures done early and we don’t have to sweat it on the evening of Halloween. Yeah, it’s

Heidi: so nice to have that out of the way before the big night.

But the second bonus of this tradition is it gives us a chance to make sure that everything fits and feels comfortable. There’s nothing worse than discovering on Halloween night that someone’s costume is scratchy or too tight or impossible to walk in.

Emily: The inflatable unicorn year was a little bit, oh, yes,

or you might discover that the costume won’t fasten or an accessory is missing. It seems like every year we have to troubleshoot at least one costume problem. This way we have had time to make any adjustments or order anything that might be missing, and we [00:10:00] have a chance to test out any makeup or hairstyles ahead of time.

Ideally, it’s best if we can do this like. Five days before Halloween, but a lot of times it’s the day before. ’cause that’s when we can find time. The older my kids get, the

Heidi: harder it is to schedule this. We really do recommend everyone do a test run of costumes before the big night, even if you don’t turn it into a whole family event.

But besides that, there are so many other fun activities this time of year. Maybe you love a pumpkin carving night or a scary movie marathon, or your neighborhood’s chili, cookoff.

Whatever matters most to you, make sure that you’re leaving time and energy to put toward those activities.

Emily: And to do this effectively, you need to work backward. If you want fresh pumpkins for carving, when do you need to buy them so they’re not scarce, but also not moldy? If you are hosting a chili Cookoff, when do you need to send invitations?

Heidi: If something’s need advanced planning, do you need to reserve tickets for that Haunted hayride? Should you RSVP for the neighborhood party? Whatever it is, get it all [00:11:00] scheduled now.

Emily: Which is step four for planning a low stress Halloween. Figure out your calendar and coordination now because October fills up incredibly fast.

Oh, it really

Heidi: does. You’ve got school parties, trunk or treats, neighborhood festivals, work events, family events, and that’s not including all of the extra errands needed to pull all of those

Emily: activities together. So grab your calendar and get everything written down. Include those family photo sessions or pumpkin patch trips.

Check if you need to schedule time off work to attend school events, or if babysitters should be booked early.

Heidi: And definitely coordinate with friends or extended family if you like to celebrate together. There’s nothing like assuming everyone’s free for your big Halloween party, only to find out that they’re all at other events.

Emily: Uh, yeah, that’s the worst. Now let’s talk about step five food planning. Obviously the big one for this category is what candy you’re handing out if food allergies are a concern in your neighborhood. This is also when you’d plan for teal pumpkin treats or clearly labeled options.[00:12:00]

Heidi: Or if you’re not going to hand out candy, what are you handing out? I am doing ramen noodles this year. The kids are gonna love that. I’m jealous that I’m not doing something

Emily: cute this year. Just

Heidi: boring old candy.

Emily: Oh,

Heidi: well I’m sure they’ll get over it. Two years ago I handed out potatoes and it was so fun to see the kids’ reactions, so I wanted to keep them on their toes.

Last year I handed out plastic forks and spoons. I also had a candy option. I was like, yo, you can have this, or you can have what’s in this bowl. They’re like, what’s in the bowl? I’d be like, it’s a fork. And then I ran outta forks. So the kids took the, for. Oh, uh, one boy ran out to his mom yelling, I got a fork.

This is the best night ever. So the pressure is on to deliver this year?

Emily: Yeah. Well, maybe now that my neighborhood’s starting to get a little bit older, I can switch into a funnier thing. Maybe next year. I already bought candy this year, but maybe next year I’ll start getting creative with my handouts.

Well, I think that’s

Heidi: the key that it. Works well for the older kids. I learned [00:13:00] after the first year just to have something normal for the little kids. I usually do stickers or some candy. The little ones just did not get the joke and they were so confused.

Emily: Oh, they’re probably just what is going on.

This whole night is already so bizarre and it’s this lady’s giving me a potato.

Heidi: Oh, the looks on their faces. So I do keep it simple for the little ones. And I think you did slap bracelets

Emily: one year, didn’t you? I have done slap bracelets, but I’ve always had it in addition to the candy and the slap bracelets did all go.

And they were excited about that. So I mean, it’s good to remember that on a night where they get so much candy. It’s not that I’m like, oh, I’m the sugar police. I don’t want you to have more candy. It’s more that I want you to get something that you’re excited about from me and you’re not that excited about the candy.

Heidi: Well, all of that is to say, figure out what you’re handing out. But you also need to think about any other special foods you want in October. Are you doing special snacks for movie nights? Maybe a special spooky dinner. And what about Halloween dinner itself?

Emily: This is so easy to forget about. You want something [00:14:00] fast and easy, something that will fill them up so they’re not snacking only on candy all night.

And something that can be ready before costumes go on. Growing up, we always had chili, which was hardy and easy, and I did try that with my kids, but it was not a hit. So after a few years I moved on from that one. You do pizza now, right? We do pizza and I just get it from Papa Murphy’s.

So it’s the cook at home kind, but it’s pumpkin shaped and I have found it easiest to put in the order the night before for an early pickup. And then after I drop my kids at school, if they’re open that early, I go and pick up the pizza. And that way I’m not over there in the afternoon where.

Everyone’s picking up their Halloween pizza and it’s a nightmare over there. I also do take and baked pizza for a heart shaped pizza on Valentine’s Day. And the same thing applies. ’cause if you wait, it is insane over there, at least near us. That one, it is always so, so busy with people on the holidays picking up their [00:15:00] dinner.

So plan ahead to pick it up earlier in the day.

Heidi: Yeah, that really makes such a difference if you wanna pick something up or also if you want it delivered.

Emily: Mm-hmm.

Heidi: Lots of people are also gonna want deliveries at the same time. And there’s likely to be a shortage of drivers ’cause the drivers are gonna be out doing their own thing.

So plan ahead for that now. Plus the traffic in the neighborhoods

Emily: for the delivery drivers. Yes. Like it’s just tricky. So yeah, plan ahead and then consider what happens after trick or treating. Do you want hot chocolate to warm everyone up? Maybe some real food to counteract all the candy. Just make a list now so that you can stock up on groceries before the seasonal stuff sells out.

Heidi: All right, let’s look at step six in our Halloween planning, which is to figure out costumes and photos. And I know this is where some people start to panic.

Emily: Yes, and it’s okay. You’ve got this. If you can decide on costumes early so that you can order or thrift while sizes are still available,

Heidi: and

Emily: if

Heidi: you’re making costumes, first of all, way to go, but also get everything.

Now, [00:16:00] craft projects always, and I do mean always take longer than you

Emily: think they will. I can’t believe our mom used to sew our costumes. I know, and I think most of the moms in, . Those days did. ’cause there weren’t a lot of costume options. Yeah. The

Heidi: alternative was like these plastic, like almost like garbage bag type

Emily: Yes.

Costumes. That

Heidi: was it.

Emily: And that’s why we had such cute costumes and sometimes we would share them with our cousins. I know I wore a cousin’s costume one year. Oh yeah. Just you’d have to pass stuff around. Yeah. Well plan ahead and then schedule the dress rehearsal a few days before Halloween so you can test the fit and makeup and comfort.

Make sure nothing is dragging on the ground. That’s a big one I’ve had to deal with. Or making it hard to walk. So then you can use safety pins to make it shorter. Or if you have one of those stitch guns, you can use one of those to make a shorter hem. Well,

Heidi: that’s a good idea. And this is also a good time for a safety check.

Add reflective tape or glow sticks for visibility. I remember it’s probably gonna be chilly unless you’re, you know, in one of those crazy states where it’s still be 80, 90 degrees. So figure out jackets or coats that work with costumes. [00:17:00]

Emily: Yeah. I’m still trying to figure out how to make a K-pop demon hunter costume warm when it has no sleeves at all.

Oh, no. And it does not cover the tummy, so something has to go underneath. Especially because for school she would have to have something underneath. Oh, yeah. But yeah, still figuring that out. Not ideal. And don’t forget to track down the treat bags or buckets ahead of time. Heidi can tell you all of the years that I’ve been like, oh my gosh, where are the blinken Halloween pumpkins?

I cannot find them. And so many years ago she got me a set of Halloween, reusable bags. What are those called? Yeah, I mean, that’s there. ’cause they like roll up small. Yes. It’s like a bagu bag, but I don’t think it is bagu. No. Um, and then you got me like a tin to keep them in. So I have this emergency and I, most years we need the emergency one ’cause I can’t find the actual, and actually as my kids get older, they prefer the bag to like the loud, clunky, jack of lantern buckets that [00:18:00] we’ve always used.

So plan ahead, make sure you’ve got the bags you need.

Heidi: And you know, also thinking about the photos. Do you want those golden hour shots a day or two early? Or a theme backdrop at home planning now means you actually capture the memories instead of rushing around trying to get the pictures on a dimly lip porch, as the kids are trying to get down the steps ’cause they wanna go and yeah, just save yourself from that.

Emily: You know what I just realized? It’s sad that you didn’t do porch pumpkins this year. Now that there’s services that come and do porch pumpkins ’cause those would be perfect. For Halloween pictures. Oh, and I don’t have steps like you do, so you’re gonna have to do that in the future. For our Halloween photos, have to, yeah, just start budgeting.

Just letting you know. Just letting you know now. So step seven is home prep, which can be as simple or as over the top as you want it to be. Start by deciding what kind of decoration vibe supports your Halloween purpose. Are you putting out a pumpkin and calling it good?

Or are you building a tribute to Disney’s Haunted Mansion on your front lawn?

Heidi: Next, choose your decorating date. When do you wanna have [00:19:00] everything up? And also when are you gonna take it all down?

Emily: Ugh, that’s the worst part. Alright. We’ve reflected on what matters. We figured out the budget and the activities and gotten everything on the calendar. We’ve started shopping for food and costumes. We’ve got a plan for photos and decorations.

Now it’s time for step eight, where we figure out logistics.

Heidi: And this is where having your plan made really pays off. Figure out what needs to happen for each of your activities. Who needs to be where, when, and with what supplies

Emily: An event that might need some attention. Is your plan for Halloween night if you’re trick or treating, do you have a route that you follow? Do you have a backup plan for bad weather? Are you going to brave it in the rain or do you have an indoor option?

Heidi: Decide who’s handing out the candy at your house and who’s walking with kids or what you’re gonna do with candy if there won’t be anyone at your house to greet, trick, or treaters.

If you’re meeting up with neighbors or friends, get all of that sorted. Now

Emily: you might wanna wagon or backpack if you’ve got little ones who will get tired, or if you are the designated coat [00:20:00] carrier. Actually, I’m sad. None of my children need the stroller anymore because I appreciate when they’re like, oh, I got a two liter of soda at this house and I don’t wanna carry it around.

Yes, that has happened. That if I have a stroller that I can just stick it in. So maybe I need to get a wagon. There you go. Get a wagon. You can decorate it. Make it cute.

Heidi: Yeah. And I always, the parents come by with their arms loaded down with all the stuff, coats or whatever the kids don’t want. Carry.

Yep. If you’ve got older kids, confirmed party times, transportation and curfews for everyone. Prepare flashlights, extra batteries, and a way to carry water or jackets. Taking some time to manage the details now can be a huge lifesaver in the middle of the chaos of Halloween night.

Emily: Yeah. Not only are you gonna have a dozen decisions to make that night, kids will be driving you nuts because they are so amped up.

I can feel what it feels like the, the crackly tension in the air when we’re trying to get out the door for Halloween. It’s a lot. So since we’re trying to reduce stress, let’s take a look at step nine, which is your game plan for the big day [00:21:00] itself. This is where you sketch out a rough timeline.

What can be done in advance to make Halloween night easier? Are there things that can be done a few days early?

Heidi: And what about any morning or afternoon prep? Think food, makeup, maybe some early photos, and find out what time trick or treating starts. If you are new to your

Emily: area as you’re scheduling, make sure to build in buffers of time for any surprises.

It’s almost guaranteed that a costume will malfunction. Someone will need a bathroom break once they’re already in their costume and someone else will need a snack or a quick warmup drink cut down on your headaches. Now by leaving time for these little hiccups

Heidi: when we are planning ahead, the goal isn’t to have every minute planned out.

We’re not trying to optimize the perfect night, but we wanna have a general flow to save us from the last minute scramble. Being able to enjoy your holiday largely comes down to doing the work and figuring things out in advance.

Emily: And this is where step 10 comes in. Make your to-do lists and get it all done.

Heidi: Yes, lists are your friend [00:22:00] here. If you’re not sure where to start, you can’t go wrong with a shopping list, A to-do list and a coordinating list

Emily: on your shopping list. Include everything you need to buy, not just groceries. So think candy, decorations, costume pieces, meal ingredients. You also may want to include any needed tickets as well.

Heidi: And if you don’t put tickets on your shopping list. Make sure that they are on your to-do list. This list also covers decorating Erin Saran and all of the necessary steps to pull together your holiday activities.

Emily: And your third list, your coordinating list is for everyone You need to touch base with think friends who are joining you for trick or treating family.

You’re inviting to hocus pocus, movie night, babysitters. You might need to schedule work schedules to manage party hosts you need to check in with, and anyone else involved in your celebrations

Heidi: While you’re figuring out your coordinating list, add deadlines to your calendar and reach out to anyone who’s involved so that you’re not chasing down the details. On October 31st,

Emily: the whole goal [00:23:00] here is to handle everything early enough so that on Halloween night you can light those jack of lanterns, grab a cider or a cup of coffee, and actually savor the evening,

Heidi: and when it all gets a little bit crazy because it will.

Yourself that your kids aren’t going to remember if your decorations were perfect or if they had the most elaborate costumes on the block. They’re going to remember that you were present, that you seem to be enjoying it too, and that Halloween felt magical instead of stressful,

Emily: and you so deserve to have that kind of experience.

You deserve a Halloween where you get to see their faces light up instead of being so stressed about logistics that you can’t enjoy the moment. So

Heidi: to recap our 10 steps, identify your purpose, budget your money, make it special. Calendar and coordinate details. Plan the food. Take care of costumes and photos.

Prep your home. Figure out logistics. Make a plan for the big day, and write your lists. And then all you have to do is get it all done.

Emily: Don’t let the length of that list overwhelm you. Even if you just pick a few of these [00:24:00] to focus on, you’re going to feel so much more prepared and so much less frazzled.

The

Heidi: goal isn’t to control every variable so that the night goes off perfectly. Trying to do that is a surefire way to melt your brain. Instead, let’s focus on managing what can be managed ahead of time so that you have the time and energy to celebrate the spooky season in a way that matters to you. We hope this helps you plan a Halloween that feels magical instead of manic.

And if you try any of these tips, we would love to hear how it goes, and we would love to see your Halloween photos. So connect with us on Instagram at the holiday Headstart.

Emily: Now it’s time for a get a ahead start tip. Each week we leave you with a small actionable tip to help you get started on your holiday planning.

This week’s get a Head start tip is inventory your gift stockpile. Tell us more about this, Heidi.

Heidi: Well, now that we have had this podcast for a year, I can say this is your annual reminder to figure out what you have already bought before you start shopping. If you’re someone who buys Christmas gifts throughout the year, take a little [00:25:00] pause before your gift buying ramps up and inventory what you already have stashed away

even if you’ve been diligent about keeping records of what you bought, it’s still a good idea to double check your stockpile. Odds are pretty good that you grabbed a book or a candle at some point and you forgot to write it down.

Emily: Oh yeah. I have learned that the hard way, and I recently did do a stockpile check just a couple days ago.

I pulled out the big garage storage bags that I use to have gifs in there. I have been keeping a list of everything I’ve bought so far, but I hadn’t added to the list things that were leftover from last Christmas or birthdays that I ended up not giving them. Oh. So there was quite a bit more in there, but it is, uh, very lopsided of who has a lot and who doesn’t.

So it, it was a good check-in for October. That is very

Heidi: good, especially ’cause you got a birthday

Emily: coming

Heidi: up too.

Emily: Yes. Luckily that’s one of the ones that has more, one of the children that has more things in their bag. So

Heidi: very smart to check. And of course if you need a central place to keep notes about gifts, there is a [00:26:00] sheet in the holiday Head Start playbook for recording all of your gift inventory.

As a way to keep ourselves accountable and to give you some ideas of what you can do in advance for your own celebrations. We’re sharing what’s on our to-do list. Emily, what are you working on this week?

Emily: I am getting started for my Youngest’s birthday. It’s a little less than a month away, but I think we’re doing a party this year and I think it’s gonna be at home.

We usually, I have become a mom that does a party out of the house whenever possible. I think this year’s gonna be at home and I think it’s gonna be K-Pop demon hunter related, so I’ve already been working on that.

Heidi: Too bad when they’re putting it back in. The theaters isn’t closer to her birthday. Do you can

Emily: just do it.

Oh, I know. I was like, dang, that would’ve been perfect, but no such luck. What are you working on?

Heidi: This is not a very exciting holiday task, but I will be very grateful. I did it in December, so I am stocking up on all of my non-holiday household essentials like tissues and toilet paper, and medicines and shampoo and toiletries.

I seriously [00:27:00] bought enough boxes of my sinus RINs that I like to use to get me to February. Like I figured that on purpose. It’s all stuff I’m definitely going to need. But the nice thing about stocking up on this is that I don’t have to worry about it spoiling between now and December. ’cause you know it’s not like it’s dairy or something.

Emily: Yeah.

Heidi: And this frees up money closer to Christmas for all of the holiday essentials. And it saves me from having to like add in those extra errands when I’m already stressed about everything else. So I found I’m so smart. A good little step for me to do mid fall. Good idea. All right, to wrap up the show, we are sharing our nice list.

Emily, what made it on your nice list this week?

Emily: I’m putting the classic TV show Dancing With the Stars on my nice list. So I think I started watching this about 10 years ago because I was living with my parents when we were building this house, and my mom likes this show. She’s, our mom likes this show.

She’s always like this show. I started to really enjoy it. Then I don’t know that I’ve watched every season since then, but the [00:28:00] more recent seasons I have, I have to say this season is knocking it out of the park. It’s such a good season. It is so well cast. It has so many really good celebrities on it, and a lot of celebrities who are good dancers, so it’s much more fun to watch than like, yes, when you get the people on there who just can barely shuffle a few steps and it’s just like, oh, this is so dumb.

So good. And I have to say, I think the cherry on top is that all of these pros and celebrities are making tiktoks and reels all the time. Oh, so you’re seeing all these fun, hilarious. Behind the scene things about how Ezra Sosa is in love with Dylan Ephron. And who is not in love with Dylan Efron? Oh, no

Heidi: joke after Traitors.

Emily: Oh, that man. He’s got a bromance with every man on the show, and like he’s so, it’s just so much fun. It’s so much fun. So I am all about dancing with the stars right now and enjoying everybody’s social media posts about it too.

Heidi: Well, I’m so glad. It sounds like a lot of fun. I guess I’m missing out.

Emily: You are missing [00:29:00] out.

You should check it out. What’s on your nice list, Heidi?

Heidi: I am putting Clay Mo on my nice list. So if you have not seen the Instagram ads for this, they are kits for like cute little clay animal figures. Think like BLEs or mini Lego sets. They’re very small, just like little one-off figurines. And I ordered a bunch for Eloise, Emily’s youngest for Christmas.

Right. Right before she told me she didn’t want a craft kit ’cause she never finishes them.

Emily: Well, she’s being honest. She doesn’t finish them very much of the time. Most of the time.

Heidi: Well, hopefully she forgets that conversation took place ’cause it’s too late now.

Emily: Well, she did get a clay from mom and she did not finish it.

Because she, I let her start it too late at night Uhhuh when she was gonna get tired and grumpy, which is exactly what happened. So now I will make sure she doesn’t start it when I know she’s got zero frustration tolerance in her. It’s gotta be earlier in the day. Yeah. But she was so excited about it.

Gets tired. Yes. She really does. [00:30:00] Like her clot goes off in the evening and it’s just like grumpy city. So from now on, no crafts after 7:00 PM but she was so excited about it when she got it from mom. So I do think she’ll be excited about those kids. And they’re so cute.

Heidi: They’re super cute. I got a bunch of fun little ocean animals and a unicorn.

The unicorn is so cute. It comes with all the little tools you need. And hopefully the fact that it’ll be over Christmas break, she’ll have some time to Yes. Work on it. Yes. Okay. That’s it for today’s episode. Use these 10 steps to plan your ideal Halloween, and don’t forget to inventory your gift stockpile.

 

Thanks for tuning in today. Use this week to get a headstart on planning for what’s ahead. And remember, don’t get it perfect. Get it going. Come follow along on Instagram at the holiday headstart. We would love to hear from you. If you liked this episode, head to Apple Podcast and leave us a review. We’ll see you here next [00:31:00] week.