As the song says, it’s the most wonderful time of the
year…but it can also be one of the most stressful. Shopping, baking, wrapping,
attending concerts, recitals, parties—it’s a lot of extra activity to fit into
just a few weeks.
Everyone wants to have that perfect holiday, but you don’t
have to run yourself so ragged that you’re too tired to enjoy it. If you love
the holidays but don’t love the stress, below are a few tips for keeping it
under control this season:
Get organized. Sometimes
stress can come from lack of
planning. This year, start making lists for yourself and your family—write down
everyone you buy for (including your children’s teachers or close friends so
you’re prepared for any surprise gift exchanges, and service professionals
whose services you use regularly, like your hair stylist or baby-sitter), the
cooking and baking you need to do, the parties and events you’d like to attend,
and any other commitments you usually have this time of year. Plan your usual
activities but leave some flexibility for the unexpected event or activity
that’s bound to come up.
Start early. It’s easier said than done, but the earlier you start your holiday
prep, the less scrambling you’ll
have to do at the last minute. Many
of us wait until Black Friday or
Cyber Monday to take advantage of good deals for gifts; others shop all
year-round; others fall somewhere in between. Spend Black Friday and/or Cyber
Monday shopping for deals on big-ticket items; for others, start shopping as
early as you can. Or keep a stash of “emergency gifts” on hand so you’re
prepared for unexpected gift-giving. But
start early on other things besides shopping. Make some of your cookie dough
ahead of time and freeze it. Set aside a day just for decorating or taking
stock of your holiday décor, gift wrap and supplies, and gifts you may have
purchased throughout the year and set aside.
Take care of those little tasks early, which will free up your time
closer to the actual holiday.
Buy the same gift for
multiple people. Check multiple people off your list at the same time by
buying or making the same gift, but in a slightly different design or color,
for friends or family who are close in age. This will save you a tremendous amount of time
and decision making, and if it’s a trendy or meaningful item (maybe a copy of a
favorite family photo in a cute frame), the recipients will be happy to each
have one.
Simplify. There’s no reason why you can’t cut back
on some of your holiday activities if you tend to get overwhelmed or stressed
every year. Bake a few less dozen
cookies, tone down the decorating, buy fewer gifts, decline a few invitations and
take some time to enjoy some unscheduled time at home—that home you’ve been
working hard to decorate perfectly!
How do you keep your
holiday-related stress to a minimum? We’d love to hear from you in the comments
below!
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