Dealing With Holiday Stress

The holidays are supposed to be a time for crackling fires, cookies, and family memories…according to the movies anyway.  The reality is that the holidays often turn into a stress-filled to-do list.  The suck-y {that’s a word} part about stress and the holidays is that it really zaps your love for all things holiday.  So, this year, vow to stress less and find your holiday zen with these quick stress-busting tips:

1. Set realistic expectations.  This single bit of advice should radiate into every aspect of your life, not just the holidays.  Unrealistic expectations will just lead to disappointment.  Disappointment is stressful…and well, disappointing.  You can’t expect to complete EVERY holiday tradition ever invented, or have them all go without a hitch.
2. Set a budget and stick to it.  A lot of holiday stress comes from over-spending.  I know the feeling of wanting to give your kids the world–but it’s usually at the expense of your finances for MONTHS to come, so do yourself a favor, buy only what you can afford, and do your best to create lasting memories.  That’s good enough.
3. Use the holidays as a time to enhance relationships.  Instead of getting wrapped up in the gift-giving/receiving frenzy, use the time to evaluate the relationships in your life.  The ones that are important should get real attention this time of year.  This is the time to gather with friends and family {unless you don’t like them :)}  Do your gathering potluck-style, so that the stress of throwing a party doesn’t outweigh the reason for throwing it.
4. Be selfish.  Yep, I said it.  I know that telling you to be selfish during Christmas seems like the worst advice ever, but what I mean is that just because something has been a tradition out of obligation for years, doesn’t mean you have to stick with it.  Stick to the traditions that you actually find joy in and ditch the rest.  Happier you will equal a happier family, I promise.
5. Plan ahead.  Look at your schedule and set aside a couple of days for cooking, shopping, wrapping…whatever.  Then, rather than feeling overwhelmed at all you have to do, you will have a concrete idea of WHEN you will get to it.
6. Plan CHEAT days.  The holidays usually result in a little weight gain {I am convinced that is the whole reason New Year’s Resolutions came about}, but rather than plow through them with reckless abandon {like I do}, plan out the days you will indulge…maybe the company Christmas party…or Christmas Eve?  Give yourself a free pass once or twice throughout the season and stick to business as usual for the rest of the holidays.  That way, you won’t carry around the stress of guilt.
7. Cancel Christmas and head out of the country.  Kidding.  Kind of.

Those are the big ones that I try to remember during the madness.  What do you do to limit holiday stress?

~Mavis