Magic-making is something a lot of mothers are familiar with. We spend so much time thinking about the holidays, the gifts, the wrapping, the budgeting, the family logistics.
And honestly, I know women who have their holiday shopping done by June. And I mean, fully done. Every gift purchased, wrapped, and labeled before most of us have even thought about pumpkins.
And the reason for that? Because it’s so much work.
A few years ago, I remember hitting a wall. I was juggling work, motherhood, and all the invisible planning that comes with the holidays, and I just couldn’t handle the mental load anymore. I needed something to help me keep it all straight.
So I opened up a blank spreadsheet.
At first, it was nothing fancy (it still isn’t), just a few columns to track what I bought, who it was for, how much I’d spent, and where I was in the process. But over time, it’s evolved into a system I still use (and now share) every single year.
My partner and I both use it, which has been a game changer. Because one of the best ways to share the mental load is to first make it visible, and second, to have systems and tools that help you manage it together.
This spreadsheet does exactly that, and I can’t recommend it enough.
How We Use Our Holiday Spreadsheet
I made this holiday spreadsheet to help me track all the little details that used to live only in my head:
✅ who I’m buying for
✅ what I bought
✅ how much I’ve spent
✅ where I bought it (with the link)
✅ tracking information (if it’s shipped or delivered)
✅ whether it’s been wrapped or hidden
The Notes Section
In the document there is a section for notes about each purchase.
In the Notes column, I jot down things like:
“Hid this in the upstairs bedroom closet.”
“Splitting cost with my siblings, already Venmoed my brother, waiting on my sister.”
“This gift is for the teacher and the classroom aide.”
🏠 How We Organize the Tabs
We have separate tabs for each category of people we buy for.
1. My Family: grandparents, siblings, nieces, nephews — everyone on my side.
Each person has a row with gift ideas, what we purchased, and whether it’s been delivered or wrapped.
2. His Family: same setup, just his side.
It helps us split the cost and see what’s already covered.
3. Our Kids:
This one gets its own tab, and the most attention.
I follow a version of the method I probably saw on social media years ago. I will share more below!
4. Teachers & Helpers:
This tab covers everyone from teachers to bus drivers, dance instructors, and speech therapists. Small gifts, gift cards, or notes, all tracked here so nothing slips through the cracks. It basically covers anyone who’s part of our family’s village.
Because let’s be real, it’s so easy to forget someone, and then you feel terrible later when you realize you left out the after-school director who sees your kid every day (I did that last year, she was so gracious, but still).
5. My Partner:
I have a tab for my partner as well that I “hide” so hopefully he does not go snooping!
For the Kids
Inside the spreadsheet, I have a tab just for my kids’ gifts. This one gets most of my attention!
I follow a method I probably saw on social media years ago, there are a few versions of it floating around, but it’s simple and keeps me grounded:
Something to wear. Something to read. Something you want. Something you need.
And I always add one extra category: something special.
It helps me make sure each kid is getting a thoughtful mix of things, and that I’m staying on budget, not going overboard, and buying gifts that are both meaningful and practical.
For example, last year my daughter’s list looked like this:
Need: New Boots
Wear: a Barbie shirt
Read: The Dragon Girls series
Want: a guitar
Special: a crochet kit she’d been begging for
I also have a little tradition of adding something small on top of each kid’s gift pile — last year it was a a Squishmallow themed to something they love (Harry Potter, Moana, cats, Glinda, etc.).
And every year, I wrap each child’s gifts in their own wrapping paper, usually something tied to their interests, Barbie, Spider-Man, etc. It makes it easy to tell whose gifts are whose, and adds a little magic when they come downstairs in the morning.
Nothing extravagant, but it brings order (and joy) to the chaos.
Pro Tip
Always, always save your spreadsheet from years past.
It’s a lifesaver when you can look back and see what you bought someone the year before, I’ve definitely almost given the same gift twice (whoops).
Why It Works
This spreadsheet makes the invisible work visible.
My husband and I can both open it anytime and see exactly what’s done, what’s pending, and what’s still on the list.
It’s not about making the holidays perfect, it’s about making them manageable.
And having a shared system means the mental load doesn’t fall on one person.
If you’re already feeling that holiday chaos creeping in, I hope this helps lighten the load. It’s simple, free, and easy to customize, tweak it however you need.
Here’s to lighter mental loads, shared systems, and actually enjoying the magic of the season.
Love the idea of writing down where you hid the gift! Clever!
THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS