Thanksgiving is nearly upon us and I’ve written a column about the holidays— yes those holidays— making their entrance this time of year, dragging along cheer, gluttony, and in-laws. But before you've wassailed yourself into a stupor, read my column called Crabby’s Holiday Survival guide.

As I see it, there are five basic things everyone has to do during the holiday season.

Crabby's 5 issues to think about over the holidays

I’ll go into depth in my column about how to tackle each and every one, but here’s a quick run-through:

First you have to get out the “look at my perfect family” card. Is it going to be a newsletter? A simple card? A digital presentation? Whatever you decide, consider using an Office template — no need to start from scratch — you have enough to do already

Next, you must plan the perfect party. While they can be fun, they can also be rather stressful to attend, not to mention throw. Again, think of templates .

Now to all that addressing, printing and mailing — look into mail merge and services like stamps.com to help you out.

You can run, but if you have kids, you definitely can't hide. That's right, it’s gift season. Make your lists, plan your budget, and for heaven's sake, rein yourself in!

Finally, the morning — and weeks — after. Time to write the thank-you notes, balance the checkbook, and think again about that gym membership that seemed like such a good idea two months ago. Head back to the Office Templates and we’ll take good care of you.

A last comment: As you surf for gifts or grab the largest cart you can find at the mall, imagine an inch-tall Suze Orman is sitting on your shoulder, halo gleaming, insulting your every financial decision…

“"No self-respecting mother would run out of intimidations on the eve of a major holiday." — Erma Bombeck”

Crabby Office Lady

 

— Crabby

Listen to Crabby’s podcast