Tips to Stay Sane During the Holidays

Ten Ways to Lower Stress and Enjoy the Season of Peace

Nov 30, 2008 Suzanne Pitner

Feeling stress during Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Hannukah is common. Here are ten ways to lower holiday stress and enjoy the season.

The holidays are meant to be a season of peace, of joyfulness, and of spending time with friends and family. However, with so much pressure on people today, sometimes the holidays may seem like a burden. Here are some tips to make the holidays the joyful season they are intended to be.

Make a Gift List

Start as early as possible to make a list of people for whom to buy or make gifts. On the gift list, make a note of clothing sizes, hobbies, and favorite colors and foods. Set a budget for each gift item. Be sure to include a few hostess gifts for unexpected or impromptu invitations. This will save a mad dash to the store at the last minute.

Make a Food ListPlan holiday menus early. Don’t wait until two days before the dinner party to decide what to serve. Once the menus are planned, pick up a few ingredients on each shopping trip. On the food list, include items to take to potlucks and other get-togethers.

Make a Decorating List

Holidays don’t mean that every empty space in a house and yard must be decorated. Consider the time investment and decide how many decorations are reasonable. Involve the family in decorating the house and tree. Make hot chocolate, some popcorn, and turn on some music to make it a fun and memorable activity.

Make a Budget and Stick to It

The gift list should have a budget for each item. The food list should have an overall budget. If new decorations are needed, make a budget for these items as well. Most important, stick to the budget. Be creative if money is tight.

Shop Online or Through Catalogs

Avoid the lines, the hassles, and the rude people by shopping at home. The small price paid for postage and handling is probably about the same as the price for gas and parking.

Chunk Tasks into Small Pieces

Decorating, shopping, baking, and wrapping don’t all need to be completed in one day. To prevent burnout and exhaustion, chunk the major tasks into small time allotments. Wrap gifts for 15 minutes at a time. Doing this once or twice a day will get all the gifts wrapped in a few days. Decorate 15 to 30 minutes at a time. The house will be decorated in a few days. Write 5-10 holiday cards at a time. Doing the tasks in small chunks will make it all more enjoyable.

Make Time for Exercise and Pampering

Exercise is a natural way to feel better. When stress begins to creep into the holidays, take a 20 minute walk, or work out. If the budget allows it, get a pedicure, manicure, or spa treatment. When money is tight, do the pampering at home. The important thing is to take time to relax.

Don’t Overindulge

Overindulging in food, drink, and mistletoe antics can dampen holiday fun. Eating and drinking in moderation will keep stress at a low level.

Make Time to Enjoy Family and Friends

The holidays are about spending time with loved ones. Don’t allow stress to take away that enjoyment. Use these tips to relax and remember how precious time spent together can be. Decorating, baking, reading holiday stories, or watching holiday movies are great ways to enjoy time together.

Don’t Expect Perfection

Expecting a picture perfect holiday season puts unrealistic expectations on everyone. Nothing is perfect, and in fact, many wonderful memories come from minor misadventures. Allow things to unfold naturally. Remember that holidays are not about perfection, they are about peace and enjoyment.

Happy holidays!

The copyright of the article Tips to Stay Sane During the Holidays in Entertaining is owned by Suzanne Pitner. Permission to republish Tips to Stay Sane During the Holidays in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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