It’s December, let the baking begin!  Every year I have intentions to not let the month of December go by without planning out my baking.  Every year I get to somewhere around the 20th and proceed to freak out.

I was going to make such fun things this year!

I was going to have the kids involved!

What about decorating the sugar cookies!?!?

This year I have a plan!  I’m going to choose the recipes I want to make at the beginning of the month.  I’m going to record them on this printable and I’m going to have a baking schedule!

How do you do with managing your Christmas baking?  You might want to try some of these ideas so the baking doesn’t overwhelm you at the end of the month:

• Fill out the above printable at the beginning of December.
• Set aside one day (or afternoon) a week throughout December to make one or two recipes.
• Choose some recipes that can be frozen, those can be the ones you make at the beginning of the month.
• On baking days, have a very simple dinner plan (take’n'bake pizza, crockpot meal, leftovers, or a frozen dinner).
• If your children are old enough, have them rotate through who cleans up on each baking day.
• Set aside one afternoon close to Christmas to assemble all of the goodies for friends and relatives.
• Some cookie dough can be frozen and baked much later.  Chocolate chip cookies can be mixed and portioned, then set separately on wax paper and rolled up.
• Use this holiday planning printable to plug in your baking dates, and all other holiday-related festivities!

Please add to this list!  What tricks have you learned that help you get the baking done and delivered?