Four Tips for Making the Best of a Holiday Move to Houston

By Julie DeLong, A-1 Freeman Moving Group 

Set Up A Tree. Or 2.

Your house is a mess with moving materials anyway, so why not set up a tree and place stockings by the fire and a wreath on the door? In the event you end up with a live tree, so what about dropped needles? You're moving anyway. Get the youngsters included in decorating and go all the way --leave no branch untouched. In the event you've not shopped up to this point, wrap empty containers with last year's leftover wrapping paper and take lots of pics. Create a playlist of everyone's favorite Christmas tracks and blast it as you deck the halls.

For those who have youngsters, wrap a couple of their items and place them beneath the early tree as a surprise. Teens and spouses will certainly appreciate this gesture as well.

Bonus--you will learn which bulbs work when you arrive to your new residence.

Coordinate a Friendsgiving

When your Thanksgiving resembles an anonymous lunch at a diner on the highway, have an early special event. Friendsgiving is a current trend for which you commemorate with neighbors and friends, hence what about a farewell meal prior to going? Ask a close friend to host for you and prepare the dinner together--this is a great opportunity to share dishes. Try not to skip any traditions--play cards, watch a sporting event on TV (there's always on demand, if required) go look at lights, or even go shopping at midnight--you'll find plenty of 24-hour retail establishments to continue the tradition, and you are less apt to get trampled.

Again, there exists a bonus--the silver's already polished.

Make Decorating Your New House A Goal

Once you arrive at your new house in Houston, do not pass "Go" with your decorating boxes and bins--have the moving company team drop them right in the family room where you are putting up your tree. Then, get to it--trim the tree, hang the stockings, and light up the night--you could unpack your closets any time. You will have already got the playlist, use it and sing along--it provides a good transition from the previous home to your new one.

Launch New Traditions to Keep the Magic Alive for Youngsters

Moving to Houston is hard for the entire family, but it might take a toll on youngsters more than adults. You have had familiarity with new places, and most youngsters have not. You'll want to retain as many traditions as you can, and also to get started on some new ones. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

· Take advantage of different weather conditions --hike, ski, swim, or drive to the seaside. Show your kids the benefits of their new location with some new fun-filled activities.

· Via social media, find out exactly where the best Santa is, the best light displays, along with other community traditions, are and make a night of it.

· Likewise, by way of google, look for special activities--concerts, plays, live Nativity scenes, parades, and New Year's Eve happenings. Many towns coordinate family-friendly block parties for New Year's, where the ball drops around 9 and there are lots of fun-filled activities for your children.

· Accept your internal tacky--if you've always gone right past the blow-up Santas and reindeer, regardless of how hard your youngsters beg, this could be the year to let it go and buy whatever yard ornaments your children wish. If that means light-up reindeer alongside a snow globe as well as the Grinch, get out your air pump and spotlights and just stop trying to be Martha Stewart this year. Here's a secret--several years from now you might be sad if those blow-up figures break.

Handling a holiday move to Houston doesn't have to be the toughest thing ever; give attention to your family, the season and the celebrations--it will be a sure way to help you fake it until you make it.