5 Tips for a Stress-Free Holiday Season

We experience a combination of stressors related to the holidays, including financial pressure, family and friends coming to visit, and trying to have the perfect holiday meal. If you feel the pressure of the holidays, here are 5 tips to simplify the stress and keep the holidays jolly.

• Ask for help: Know that you don’t have to do everything on your own. If your holiday card list is too long, ask your husband to help you address half the list. If you are hosting a holiday meal, ask each person who is coming to prepare a dish or a dessert without feeling guilty about it. Remember that many hands make light work, and take advantage of those hands this holiday season.
• Simplify: Try not to do everything on your to-do-list and learn to live with “good enough” instead of “perfect.” To simplify the holidays, try cutting the gift list; remind yourself that the world won’t fall apart if you don’t do x, y, or z; buy a delicious dessert instead of baking; or cut back on the cleaning – don’t worry about the dust bunnies in the third extra bedroom!

• Enjoy yourself: Forget about the rest of your to-do-list when baking cookies with your kids or choosing your gift at the Yankee Swap with your book group. Savor the moment and take joy in being with your friends and family. Give yourself permission to relax and have fun!
• Take care of yourself: During the busy holiday season, we get so caught up in setting the perfect table or decorating the house that we often forget about ourselves. Take a break from the holiday rush and focus on yourself: schedule a manicure; go to lunch with a friend; or take a hot bubble bath. The more time you set aside just for yourself, the happier and healthier you will feel during the holiday season.

• Extend the holiday season: There is no rule that says every celebration must happen between Thanksgiving and the New Year. Schedule a get-together with friends after the family has returned home. Or make a date with co-workers after the tree is down. You will be able to relax and really enjoy their company after the mad rush of the holidays has slowed down.