Happy Holidays everyone! As much as we all love the holiday season, I know that sometimes it can be incredibly frustrating. But who says it has to be? This year has been stressful enough without stressing yourself out more for the holidays! I know we all want everything to be perfect for the holidays (especially us parents, am I right? haha!) but sometimes we must remember what the true meaning of it all is. So with that in mind, I wanted to share some tips to stress less this holiday season that I hope everyone can use to have an amazing Holiday and start to the new year! Let’s check them out shall we?
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Here are my 7 Tips to Stress Less This Holiday Season
1. Shop early- Not only is waiting until the last minute stressful, it also limits you options when it comes to gift giving. I honestly start shopping months in advance. I buy a few gifts a month through out the year that way I’m not rushing at the last minute to find everything. Plus, if you do it this way you can also save some money by buying things off season! It’s a win-win, ya’ll.
2. Spend some time planning- By planning out your events, your menu, your gifts, and your time, you won’t feel as stressed with not being able to remember what else you have to do. And you don’t even need any fancy way to do this. I keep a holiday notes section on my phone with everything we are doing, what we will be eating, and who all I need to get gifts for and just check the items off as I get them done. Super easy and makes me feel on top of things.
3. Get the whole family involved- I don’t know about you, but I am awful at asking for help, but I’m getting better! I used to take on the entire holiday “burdens” all by myself. You don’t have to do that! Bring the family in and get everyone involved. Let the kiddos plan the meal, and let your spouse pick out the gift for their own parents this year, ha! It’s more fun for everyone when everyone has a job to do.
4. It’s ok to say no- Don’t feel pressure to say yes to every single holiday event and activity. Running from house to house, event to event, and baking cookies until you feel like your arms are going to fall off is just more stress than it’s worth. It’s ok to tell someone that your calendar is full. Plan to make your top priority events and activities, and don’t forget to pencil in some time to relax.
5. Simplify the “stuff”- The holidays are not all about the stuff you get/give. I have found that once I cut down on the gifts, and increased the experience, everyone was happier. After Christmas was over I would look around and just be surrounded by new stuff, which sure, is fun for a bit, but after that it can become overwhelming quickly. That’s why we switched out big gifts for experiences throughout the upcoming year. It was less mess, and something to look forward to after the holiday was over.
6. Set a budget, and stick to it- Money is one of the biggest holiday stressors. Over spending, buyers remorse, and not keeping track of how much you spend can all cause unneeded stress. So make sure you take a little time to set a budget for gifts, meals, events, and decorations before you get started. And once you have spent your budget, stop!
7. Be realistic- Don’t get caught up in what can’t be done. Whatever works for you and your family IS the perfect way to spend the holidays. Don’t go into debt for a one time event. Don’t compare yourself to others, and most importantly, remember what the holiday means to you. If you are happy and healthy, that’s what matters in the end right?
What tips do you have to help others stress less during the holiday season? Share them in the comments below!
Looking for more holiday tips? Check these out:
- 10 quick and easy crochet holiday gifts
- How to clean up after the holidays
- Out of the box gift ideas for women
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