Your Caregiver’s Shortcut to a Calmer Holiday Season, With a Little Help from ChatGPT

Feeling like your holiday season is already in fast-forward? You’re not alone. But here’s something you might not have tried yet: asking AI for help. 

If you’re already feeling reluctant, keep reading.

It’s the middle of October — and if you’re anything like most sandwich generation caregivers, your brain is already doing laps.  I know I’m already mapping out the coming holidays, fitting in school parties, family events alongside work schedules, volunteer opportunities, and the gift list I start brainstorming…now.

It’s a lot. And it piles up fast because your everyday responsibilities don’t some to a stop because the holiday season is starting. 

But what if there was a gentle way to ease the pressure?  Easier holiday meal plans, a map to get ready for your holidays a little bit at a time, a fun gift giving list that meets your budget without endless hours of shopping (on-line or in person) … take back your time and put it toward the holiday activities you enjoy.

Let’s talk about how I’ve been using ChatGPT (and even Google’s Gemini) to make this season lighter. No tech background required, because I’m not tech savvy.  Just real-life relief for overwhelmed caregivers.

🤖 Why This Isn’t About Tech — It’s About Mental Space

Most people think AI tools like ChatGPT or Gemini are just for work or writing emails. But that’s not how I use them.

I use them to clear out the brain clutter that comes with caregiving during the holidays. Because the truth is, caregiving ramps up over the holiday season. Of course, you want the holiday season to be special for everyone — and when you’re a sandwich generation caregiver, that means finding creative ways to bridge the gap between multiple generations.

AI can’t bake the cookies or decorate your home for the holidays — but it can free up space in your mind so you can be more present for both.

This is a continuation of everything we’ve been talking about with the October Reset — slowing down, taking intentional steps, and creating breathing room before the chaos hits.

 What ChatGPT (or Gemini) Can Help You With This Holiday Season

Here are some examples of the prompts I will be using this holiday season so that I can enjoy the holidays a lot more, unless you truly enjoy compiling the recipes, making the grocery lists, and writing out your holiday decoration schedule. Personally, I’m happy to outsource those logistics.

🛒 Plan simple, inclusive holiday meals

“Create a Thanksgiving menu for 10 people (6 adults and 4 children) — include two vegetarian dishes without tofu, 1 kid friendly side, give options for complex carbohydrates, 1 seasonal salad option, keep turkey as the focal point.  Provide recipes that can be made ahead of time, warm up easily, with ingredients that are easy to source.  Keep it traditional but not complicated.”

You may need to tweak the menu but once you’re happy with the menu, you can ask for recipes curated for the number of guests. Next, tackle the grocery list categorized for you (this is my favorite).

🧾 Get a categorized grocery list in seconds

“Make a grocery list for the above menu — group it by produce, dairy, pantry, meat, etc.”

📅 Prep for holiday travel + family events

“Make a 4-week checklist to get ready for the holidays — include reminders for booking pet care, confirming travel, and prepping the house step by step, I only have 15 minutes per day to start prepping.”  

If you are traveling and struggle with packing, you can use ChatGPT (or Gemini) to create your packing list.

🎁 Find meaningful gifts

“Give me 10 low-cost, meaningful gifts for aging parents who say they don’t want anything.”
“What are some sensory-friendly stocking stuffers for a 9-year-old?

🧘‍♀️ Create tiny moments of calm

“Make me a weekly reset checklist for a caregiver with only 10 minutes a day — include ideas around journaling, mindfulness, and feel-good activities that are simple and easy to access.”

💡 Don’t Forget: You Can Use Gemini Too

If you use Gmail, Google Docs, or Google Workspace — you already have Gemini (Google’s AI assistant) built into your tools.

It’s free, easy to use, and great for:

• Making grocery lists
• Brainstorming gift ideas
• Writing holiday reminders or mapping out a holiday schedule
• Creating quick checklists and trip plans

🔎 What About Other AI Tools?

There are lots of options out there, and you don’t have to try them all. But if you’re curious, here’s what I’ve personally found helpful:

• ChatGPT (Free or Paid): My go-to for almost everything — planning, meal ideas, creating checklists, gift brainstorming, and organizing the mental load that comes with caregiving. I personally have the paid version because it’s faster and has access to the internet for more up-to-date info.
• Gemini (Google): Perfect if you already live in the Google world. Great for practical lists, calendar prep, writing, and holiday logistics. Built into Gmail and Docs for easy access.
• Perplexity: My favorite under-the-radar option — especially helpful for quick research or getting well-sourced summaries. It’s fast, free, and surprisingly smart. 
• Claude by Anthropic: Some people love it, but I’ve found the free version less intuitive for everyday tasks. It’s worth watching, but not my first choice for caregivers right now.

👉 Bottom line? Use the one that helps you feel less overwhelmed. You’re not picking the “best tech” — you’re picking the tool that makes your life feel lighter.

⚠️ A Quick Note About the Free Version of ChatGPT

Yes — the free version of ChatGPT (GPT-3.5) can handle all of the prompts above. But keep these in mind:

• You might get a “ChatGPT is at capacity” message — try early morning or late evening.
• Free responses are shorter and less nuanced than the paid version, but they’re still super helpful with the right prompt.
• Be specific. The more context you give, the more personal and usable the answer will be

🧡 Final Thought: Free Up Time for What Matters Most

This whole post? It’s not about becoming more productive. It’s about becoming more present.

When we talk about the October Reset, we’re not talking about adding more to your plate. We’re talking about setting things down — the mental clutter, the overwhelm, the pressure to do it all from scratch every year.

When you hand off some of the holiday logistics to tools like ChatGPT, you give yourself the gift of time — and energy — to focus on what matters to you.

For me? That’s finally starting the Christmas scrapbook I’ve been wanting to make for my mom for years. The kind with real photos and memories and those little captions that mean more than the gifts ever could. And now that I’m not spending hours writing out grocery lists or scrambling to organize every detail… I have time to make it!  My kids also love little scrapbooks that are a compilation of pictures from our favorite trips and activities.  These are the ones you can upload pictures and make on-line.

So, what about you?  What’s one meaningful thing you’ve been putting off because you’ve been too maxed out to get to it?

Let this be the year you finally make time for that one thing — by letting go of the parts you don’t have to carry alone.  Remember: friends, family, resources, plus tech that’s easy to use can be in your support circle.

Let me know — which prompt will you try first?
These tools aren’t just for work. They’re here to support you, especially during seasons when the to-do list gets long and the energy runs low. A tiny time investment now = more peace later.

P.S. If you missed the October Reset post, it’s a great companion to this one — you can read it here: https://caregiverscoffee.com/blog/