--- title: "STYLE Savvy: Christmas, One Step at a Time" description: Lisa Hess tiptoes into Christmas. What's your Christmas-spirit schedule? image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/christmas-one-step-at-a-time-f.jpg ---                                           [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2018/12/12/style-savvy-christmas-one-step-at-a-time/#) [HOME](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/tag/home) # STYLE Savvy: Christmas, One Step at a Time Dec 12, 2018 4:30:35 PM  |  by [Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess) ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/christmas-one-step-at-a-time-f.jpg) Image credit: [Pixabay.com](https://pixabay.com/en/christmas-holiday-ornament-1911635/) (2016), CC0 Public Domain[/caption] It's December, which means that my husband is ready to start preparing for Christmas. I, on the other hand, am not. Don't get me wrong -- I'm looking forward to Christmas -- especially the part where my daughter comes home from college and hangs out with us. I've even done a little Christmas shopping -- the kind I can do online in my PJs while watching television. You might say I'm not quite motivated yet. Sometimes, though, we can't wait for motivation to strike. We have to pave the way. So, here are three things I need to do so I can catch up with my husband's Christmas spirit. **Make room. **We'll put our tree in the mudroom, which, when it doesn't house a Christmas tree, is something of a drop zone. As you can imagine, when someone with a drop and run organizational style uses a space as a drop zone, a little decluttering is in order before there's space for holiday cheer. **Make lists. **At this time of year, writing things down is both helpful and overwhelming. Once I make the lists, some things will get assigned times (trimming the tree, for example) and others will get done in pockets of time or as the Christmas spirit strikes. **Make progress. **The second step in the STYLE process, **T**ake small steps, is an especially useful one for me at this time of year. I enjoy the holiday preparations when I do them a little bit at a time, which is good since work obligations make things challenging through the middle of the month. Instead of spending one entire day decorating, I'm more likely to pull decorations out a little at a time and slowly transform things. Not only does taking small steps allow me to let the season unfold slowly, it also jump starts my holiday spirit. Once all of these things have been done, I'm on my way to making merry. How about you? Are you more like me, taking things slowly, or more like my husband, ready to jump right in to Christmas as soon as the last morsel of pumpkin pie has been consumed? --- *Copyright 2018 Lisa Hess* ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2018%2F12%2F12%2Fstyle-savvy-christmas-one-step-at-a-time%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2018%2F12%2F12%2Fstyle-savvy-christmas-one-step-at-a-time%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2018%2F12%2F12%2Fstyle-savvy-christmas-one-step-at-a-time%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=STYLE%20Savvy%3A%20Christmas%2C%20One%20Step%20at%20a%20Time) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2018%2F12%2F12%2Fstyle-savvy-christmas-one-step-at-a-time%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2018%2F12%2F12%2Fstyle-savvy-christmas-one-step-at-a-time%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Lisa%20Lawmaster%20Hess.jpg) ### [Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess) Transplanted Jersey girl Lisa Lawmaster Hess is the author of a blog compilation, three novels, and three non-fiction books, including the award-winning Know Thyself: The Imperfectionist’s Guide to Sorting Your Stuff. A retired elementary school counselor, Lisa is an adjunct professor of psychology at York College of Pennsylvania. She blogs at [The Porch Swing Chronicles](http://l2hess.blogspot.com/), [Organizing by STYLE](http://www.orgbystyle.blogspot.com/), and here at Catholicmom.com. [Read all articles by Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess). [**](https://www.facebook.com/L2Hess/) [**](https://twitter.com/orgbystyle) ## Related Blog Articles [ Christmas Break STYLE Savvy: I Don't Wanna Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/christmas-break-style-savvy-i-dont-wanna) [ STYLE Savvy: Listing Toward Christmas Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/style-savvy-listing-toward-christmas) [ STYLE Savvy: Getting Creative with Everyday Organizers Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2017/02/01/style-savvy-getting-creative-everyday-organizers) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! Sign up to receive our free daily digest email. Copyright © 2026 CatholicMom.com. All Rights Reserved.