As we come upon the end of the year and the beginning of the holiday season, we are reminded that Project Management is an applicable life skill. There are three critical life objectives during this fun, but stressful time: Holiday Scope, holiday budget and holiday contingency. Otherwise, you might as well consider your holiday on its way to "hell time" instead of fun. Oh, you know what I mean, the over budget, the late, the way, way out of control holiday season. That nightmare day of all of holiday years, the one where we say, "Next year, we won't do that again!"

As good Project Managers, we must narrow our holiday scope, lest we try now, in December, to attempt the "perfect" holiday, which, by all accounts in a true project plan, using good finish-to-finish relationships, and appropriate lead times, should have started being planned in early July. Our scope must be reduced now. Let us not try to perpetuate bad behavior! We must begin to accept the less-than-magnificent holiday of movie-magic. Ah, see, with acceptance, stress is reduced already! ;)

By using good Project management skills throughout this season, you can save yourself agony:

• We use our skills to organize Thanksgiving dinner. That dinner is the perfect example of a Finish-to-Finish dependency relationship.
  • Turkey takes six hours to cook Starts at 11 finishes at 5 pm
  • Potatoes take one hour to cook ½ hour to mash start 3:30 finish 5pm
  • Etc.
• For Christmas, we use Project Management to send out holiday cards, thank you cards, replies to social invitations, and to ensure we've purchased the right gifts for the right people, and send the right thank you notes to the right people afterwards. Create your task list.
• We use planning skills to plan for decorations to go up inside and out at the right times. Plan for them to come back down on a certain Saturday day later in January.
• At my house, Christmas Dinner always consisted of two meals: Christmas Eve a bouillabaisse. For Christmas, a Standing Rib Roast with Yorkshire pudding. We get out the right dishes, that of course must be hand washed, but look so festive.
• Finally, we use people skills to make sure we or the people we've invited are all in the right place on the big day, whether by plane, car or hook or crook.
• We have the big day, and later wonder if it was worth the effort.

I've seen this happen over and over again: Holiday rebellion. Expectations set so high from prior generations. Our generation is exhausted. A person cannot do the planning and execution individually. We need a project TEAM to pull this off! What a concept! Now I know why my mother had so many children! We were her team.....built in, already trained....Pre-punished and fully aware of all consequences from senior siblings. But it was a team, and everyone knew his or her job, and got it done.

So the trick is to go back to basics. What meets the needs of this customer? Which parts can we easily do without and make our own while not losing our family Christmas traditions? The formula that worked for our mother wasn't necessarily what worked for her mother. It is time to make the generational change and set expectations differently to manage this project accordingly. My sister Sharon is the cook, so luckily, I still get Standing Rib Roast this year.

On one Thanksgiving, Sharon and I were alone without other family members. As we waited for the turkey to cook, we were both hungry. I looked at her with glee, and said "You know, Mom is not here. We can have pie first!" So we did. We still laugh about that. It was an impromptu change of plans to prove we could, but makes my point. It doesn't always have to be the way it always has been. Later, we didn't save the green beans. A friend told me she had had a holiday fight with her sister, because the sister insisted her deceased mother always cut off the end of the roast, and that's how it had to be done. When my friend asked her aunt why her mother had done it, she found out her mother's roast pan was too small. Some traditions are worth discontinuing. Be willing to be flexible!

So my Scope for Christmas this year is:

• No Christmas cards this year. The people I keep in touch with I do so regularly.
• There will be monetary gifts for the grandnieces and nephews. I learned a long time ago that I can't remember all of there ages. They like money better, and like me more because of it. There will be a lot of family fun in finding cute stocking fillers for the young children.
• For decorations maybe a small ornament tree in my house since the main holiday event will be at my sister's.
• Plan time to be grateful. Make time to teach the next generation to be appreciative. I demonstrate this through acts of charity. I often program monetary gifts in as automatic giving, but make a point to recognize it during this time by talking about the family I sponsor in Indonesia with my grandnieces and grand nephews.
• Help prepare for the big day at my sister's house.

Budget: Approximately $1500, depending on holiday spirit, sales, and timing.
Contingency: 25% ($500). Depending on holiday spirit, sales and timing. If there is something great for someone or me, I won't pass it up. (Yes, I give to myself too!)

So I've reduced the scope of Christmas this year, my task list, and my stress level, by a little planning and understanding the stakeholder needs (mine!). This year my sister bears the greater burden of the meal, cleaning, etc. and I could have elaborated on how to go through that, but I think you get the idea, planning and resource allocation are key. Indenture your children, your spouse, your siblings, friends or whatever it takes to resource level, so that the load isn't entirely yours, or reduce the scope and have take out!

But be sure the main deliverable has not been lost, and that is quality stress free time with the family and friends to bond with them, love them and share with them. And maybe even tell them about the Project Management fairy of Christmas to come!