Now that the holidays are well and truly over, it's time to step back and take a look at what went well and what didn't. Taking a few hours of thoughtful reflection over the next week will make next year's celebrations richer and less stressful. Two quick points before we start: 1) When I say "holidays," I mean everything from Halloween through New Year's Day. 2) I really recommend that you keep a notebook or file for the holidays (paper or digital). You aren't going to remember 10 months from now.

Budget:

• Did you budget enough to cover holiday costs?
• Did you go into debt to buy presents, travel, entertain, etc.? (Borrowing to cover holiday expenses is a no-no.)
• What areas of your holiday budget need more/less money allocated?
• Where can you save money?
• How much do you need to save each month to have sufficient funds available for the 2018 holidays? How are you going to save that much?

Food:

• Did you have too little/enough/too much treats for Halloween?
• Which recipes worked well for your holiday meals/entertaining?
• What recipes did you come across that you want to try this year?

Decorations:

• For which holidays will you decorate?
• What rooms need more decoration?
• Which decorations can you forgo?
• What decorations or accessories (e.g., extension cords) do you need to purchase?

Travel:

• Did you travel too much/too little/just enough?
• When is the right time to make travel reservations?
• Where will you travel this year?
• Do you want to travel this year?

Entertaining:

• What holiday entertaining did you do?
• Do you ant to do more/less?
• One big event or several smaller ones?
• Who do you need to see during the holidays?

Crafting:

• Did you make any gifts or decorations?
• What worked and what didn't?
• What supplies do you need to replenish (including wrapping supplies)?
• What crafts would you like to try this year? How much time should you set aside to work on them?

Time:

• Did you feel rushed during the holidays?
• Did you schedule time to be with your family, to relax, to enjoy the season, to visit local holiday events?
• Did you schedule things early enough?
• Did you find yourself cutting back on sleep to get everything finished?
• Did you engage the entire household in preparation and celebration?

Spirituality:

• Did you leave time to pray?
• Did you attend your services of choice for the holidays?
• Did you participate in any home devotions (home altar for Dia de Muertos, Advent wreath, hanukkiah) ?
• What role do you want religion/spirituality to play in your holiday celebrations?

As you reflect on these questions, you may find that others will come to mind. Write down your answers to those as well — and share them in the comments!