Planning for Christmas can be a fun but overwhelming task. From organizing your to-do lists to tracking gifts and meals, it’s a lot to manage. Luckily, Google Sheets offers a simple, customizable way to keep everything on track.
Why Is a Christmas Planner Important?
A Christmas planner can be a lifesaver when managing all the holiday chaos, helping you keep track of everything from gift shopping and meal prep to events and decorating. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the endless to-do list, a planner breaks it down into easy, bite-sized tasks, giving you a clear plan.
It also keeps your budget in check, so there are no surprise expenses and helps you manage your time, making room for both festive fun and some well-deserved downtime. It’s your go-to for a more organized, stress-free holiday season.
Step 1: Open Google Sheets
First, log in to your Google account and go to Google Sheets. Click the “+ Blank” option to start a new spreadsheet. You can also rename your spreadsheet with “Christmas Planner 2024.” This is your workspace for all things Christmas.
Step 2: Create Your Tabs
A good Christmas planner has multiple sections to cover everything you need. At the bottom of your sheet, click the “+” icon to add more tabs. Name each tab based on what you want to keep track of. Some useful tabs might include:
- Gift List
- Meal Planning
- To-Do List
- Event
Step 3: Set Up Your To-Do Tab
Keep all your holiday tasks in one place with a To-Do List tab. This can include things like decorating, sending out Christmas cards, wrapping gifts, and prepping meals. Add columns like:
- Task
- Due Date
- ✓ (Checkboxes)
Setting due dates will help you stay organized and avoid last-minute stress. This sheet will be your go-to place for tracking everything you need to accomplish before the big day.
Create a To-Do List with Checkboxes
Start by making a list of tasks you need to complete. Select the column where you want checkboxes to appear. Go to Insert > Checkbox to add checkboxes next to each task. In the next column, type your tasks.
Strikethrough Done Tasks Automatically
To give a visual cue that a task is complete, use conditional formatting to strike through the task when the checkbox is checked. You must highlight the task column and go to Format > Conditional formatting.
Under Format cells if, choose Custom formula is and enter: =$B11=TRUE (replace B with the column of your checkboxes). Choose Strikethrough as the formatting style and hit Done.
Create a Summary Table
At the top of your task list, create a summary table to show how many tasks you’ve completed:
To count checked boxes for “Done” tasks, use the formula:
=COUNTIFS(B20:B39,TRUE) + COUNTIFS (F20:F39,TRUE) + COUNTIFS(J20:J39,TRUE) + COUNTIFS(N20:N39,TRUE)
To count unchecked boxes for “To-Do” tasks, use:
=COUNTIFS(B20:B39,FALSE) + COUNTIFS (F20:F39,FALSE) + COUNTIFS(J20:J39,FALSE) + COUNTIFS(N20:N39,FALSE)
Visualize Your Progress with a Chart
Create a chart to see your progress. Highlight your summary table and go to Insert > Chart.
Choose a pie or bar chart to compare your done and to-do tasks visually.
Step 4: Create a Gift Tracker
In the Gift List tab, create columns to organize your gift ideas. Here’s a simple layout:
- Name
- Gift
- Category
- Expected Cost
- Actual Cost
- Difference
- Notes
Use Dropdown Menus
Create a dropdown to streamline columns that require repetitive entries, such as the Category column. To do this, go to Insert > Dropdown, then enter the options: Family, Friends, and Coworkers.
Calculate Your Spending
Track your spending by subtracting the actual cost from the expected cost using the formula: =D7-E7 (replace D and E with your cost columns).
Then, apply conditional formatting to easily see which gift you overspent. To do this, select the Difference column and select Format > Conditional Formatting. Then, choose Less Than and enter 0 in the value field. You can also customize the formatting under Formatting Style.
Visualize Spending by Category
To see which category has the most items, create a chart. Highlight the Category column and go to Insert > Chart. Select a pie chart to show the breakdown of gifts by category.
Set Up a Wishlist Table
At the bottom of this sheet, create a wishlist where you can jot down gift ideas. This wishlist can help you choose what gifts to buy for a specific person. For the Wishlist table, you can use columns such as:
- Name
- Gift
- Link (Shop Link)
- Price
- Notes
Step 5: Prepare Your Meal Plan
Plan out your Christmas meals and keep track of your shopping list all in one place. You can use the following columns for your meal plan:
- Date
- Day
- Meal Type (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Dessert)
- Food
- Notes
Use Dropdown Menus
Add a dropdown with options for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Dessert by going to Insert > Dropdown, then enter your options.
Create a Shopping List with Strikethrough
On the bottom part of this sheet, set up your shopping list with columns like:
- Checkboxes
- Item Name
- Category: (Fruit, Vegetable, Meat, Beverage, etc.)
- Quantity,
- Unit,
- Price Per Quantity
- Total Price
Create a List with Checkboxes
Start by making a list of items you need to buy. Select the column where you want checkboxes to appear. Go to Insert > Checkbox to add checkboxes next to each task. In the next column, type your tasks.
Use Dropdown Menus
Add a dropdown for the Category column by going to Insert > Dropdown, then enter your options.
Calculate the Total Price
Knowing how much you need to spend for each item can help you manage your budget. To help you with that, all you need to do is to calculate total costs with the formula:
=Quantity*Price Per Quantity.
Strikethrough Bought Items
To give a visual cue that a item is already bought, use conditional formatting to strike through the task when the checkbox is checked. You must highlight the item and other columns and go to Format > Conditional formatting.
Under Format cells if, choose Custom formula is and enter: =$A38=TRUE (replace A with the column of your checkboxes). Choose Strikethrough as the formatting style and hit Done.
Step 6: Build Your Events
Christmas is a season where there are a lot of gatherings, parties, and special events. With that, let me help you by building an event tracker inside your Christmas planner.
You can use the most commonly used columns for events, such as:
- Date: The date of the event.
- Time: The time the event starts.
- Event: The name of the event (e.g., Christmas Eve Dinner).
- Location: Where it’s happening.
- Notes: Any extra details or reminders, such as dress code or gift exchanges.
Get the Free Christmas Planner Template
Get a copy of the free Christmas Planner Template. I’ve already populated some cells as examples, but you can customize them as needed.
Final Thoughts
Using Google Sheets as a Christmas planner makes the whole season less chaotic and more enjoyable. It’s simple, flexible, and keeps everything—gifts, meals, events—in one spot.
No more scrambling to remember who needs what or where I’m supposed to be. Having a clear plan lets me actually enjoy the holidays without the last-minute stress, and honestly, that’s what makes the season feel more joyful.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I create a summary table to show completed tasks?
To track the number of completed tasks. Use =COUNTIF(B:B, TRUE) to count checked boxes. Use =COUNTIF(B:B, FALSE) to count unchecked boxes. This creates a summary of what’s done and what’s left to do.
How can I add festive designs or decorations to my planner in Google Sheets?
While Google Sheets has limited design features, you can still add some festive touches by using colors, borders, and integrated images. You can also insert festive clip art or images via “Insert > Image” to make your planner visually appealing.
Can I set up reminders in Google Sheets for important tasks and deadlines?
While Google Sheets itself doesn’t offer direct reminder features, you can link it with Google Calendar to set reminders. You can create events in Google Calendar and include notes or links to specific tabs in your planner.
