Here are my tips for a hassle free christmas.
1- Shop at Walmart between 1 thru 5am as it get closer to christmas. There is almost never a line, even on Dec. 24th.
2- If you must go to the mall, hit it at opening time or about 1 hour before they lock the doors, know what you want and where to get it.... even call a day before and make sure they have it in stock.
3- If your kids are old enough, get them involved. My son and I did a project on plywood that we traced, cut-out and put on top of the house. Now every year he totes it up on the house and I help set it in place, then I say "boy some lights on the house sure would look good with that", and I "let" him hit the small eves of the house while I "slowly" take care of the high parts.
4- Put the tree in the stand outside (if a real tree) while your son/daughter/wife retrieves the lights and ornaments out the attic, then string the lights on the tree outside. Carry the tree in and set in place and say "hey, can you start putting the ornaments on while I get something to drink". After you fix your "alcoholic beverage, you stand in the kitchen for a few minutes shuffling through the cabinets (while downing that drink), then fix another and go to the shed/garage/car or anywhere far from the tree area with drink in hand. When you return after about 45 minutes and they say, where did you go, were ready to put the star on top, you just give the blank look and say, I have been looking for the candy canes to put on the tree, have you seen them?
These are tried and tested by yours truly and never gets old!!
Attached is the pic of what we traced and cutout that adorns our roof every year!!
Merry Christmas....Sly style