The Christmas season is upon us, and we know there are still a ton of things to complete on your to-do list to ensure the Yuletide goes off without a hitch.

For the busy Jamaican it can be difficult to find time to prepare adequately for Christmas but Observer Online is here to help. We have compiled a Christmas checklist that should take some of the season’s pressure off.

Get ready for Christmas with these 10 activities:

Make your budget: Christmas season is a very expensive time of the year. With gifts to buy, a fancy dinner menu to plan and several activities for the season, it can become overbearing on your pockets…and let’s not forget the long ‘winter’ in January until your next pay day. With all this in mind, the first and most important preparation step for the holiday season is to make a budget. Assess how much money you can comfortably allocate to Christmas shopping after paying your bills and find the best deals and most cost effective solutions to spread joy to your loved ones.

Paint your house: The holiday season tends to bring a feeling of newness and giving your house a facelift with a fresh coat of paint amplifies this. There is the option of repainting your home in the colour it was before, but it is also the perfect time to try out the pattern you have had in mind for a while, or the one that caught your eye while driving home one day.

Deep clean your home: While the house is cleaned regularly throughout the year, the holiday season traditionally calls for a little extra elbow grease when it comes to cleaning. The refrigerator and sofa are moved and beneath them are cleaned, furniture are dusted and polished and the ceramic plates are taken from cupboards and washed for when guests visit. All these can be done by the occupants of the home but there is always the option of having a cleaning service get the job done.

Change curtains and bed linens: This is the final touch to getting your home ready for Christmas; pulling out the special curtains and bed linens that were set aside for the holiday. Not everyone can afford to purchase new house dressing, so traditionally there is one bed sheet set, with matching comforter and curtains that complement the aesthetic of the room. The living room curtains and matching cushion covers will need to be pulled at this time.

Plan your menu: Another important aspect of your preparation for the holiday season is your meal plan because, while Christmas is the season for giving and reconnecting with Jesus and your loved ones, it is also a season of eating. Start thinking about what you want to prepare for dinner with your family on December 25. Some menu items are a given like ham, fruit cake and sorrel, but you’ll also want to decide on your salads, pastas and meat kinds from early.

Go market shopping: Now that you’ve created your cooking plan, it is time to go to the supermarket/market to purchase your menu items. It is recommended that you visit the market in your areas on market days, when produce is fresh, and there is a chance that you could haggle (bawl down the price) to get the best bang for your buck, which will help to keep you within your budget. While this is harder for the supermarkets, look out for deals that may be offered, and use the loyalty points that you have been accruing all year to offset costs.

Soak your fruits: Traditional Jamaicans would have had fruits soaking from last Christmas season but if you are late to the party then don’t worry, you can still have a delicious fruit cake on your dessert table for your family. Set your raisins, prunes, cherries, cranberries, and mixed peels to soak in your favourite rum and Red Label Wine for a few days and get ready to bake your scrumptious, moist Christmas cake.

Decorate your house: Christmas decorations add to the magic of the holiday and all your home preparations are not complete without this step. While there are houses with their Christmas decorations already on display, it is not too late to join in. Put up your Christmas trees, add the string lights around your home and, if you are feeling fancy, around the manicured shrubs and trees in your yard as well. To cut down on electricity cost, you could use solar lights.

Buy and wrap your Christmas presents: With the many sales and deals during the Christmas season, it is recommended that you capitalise on these as early as possible to purchase the gifts on your list. Now is also the time to wrap them and place them under the Christmas tree, or hide them in the closet. This way the tedious task can be checked as completed on your Christmas preparation list and you can focus on the other items to be done.

Organise your Christmas playlist: The perfect Christmas playlist adds to the joy and happiness of the season. You could use a premade Christmas list, for example from Michael Buble, Mariah Carey or Celine Dion, or curate your own playlist with some of your favorites, including classic Christmas songs, carols or more up-to-date versions of these.