The holiday season is so stressful for me. It is tough for me to calm down and relax between the kids' activities, the volunteer projects, my work schedule, shopping for gifts, and hosting parties. I don't think I am alone in this.
I found these tips to make me more relaxed through the holidays. They are tasks that I love to do throughout the year, especially when I am busy servicing others.
Tips to make your Christmas Less Stressful
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF FIRST!
Do exercise. Walking, running, or doing yoga are excellent ways to let go of stress. If you are creative, even doing craft projects will make you relax.
Treat yourself to a Massage, Facial, Mani, or Pedi; even a bath would help you relax - one of my favorite ways to treat myself.
Clear the clutter from a room and make it a quiet room only for relaxation. Remove all electronics except for a radio to listen to music. Only put your favorite things in the room.
Make sure you get enough sleep. Sleep will help keep you healthy and boost your immune system.
Visit our other posts to help you take care of yourself.
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CREATE LISTS TO KEEP YOU FOCUSED.
Make lists for each event to keep track of every task. I do this, especially when I can't sleep.
Visit our Holiday's Tradition free sheet to help you plan for events.
Visit our collection of Free Checklists and Printables for more help.
TAKE TIME AND BE AROUND IMMEDIATE FAMILY.
Gather together and watch a favorite Comedy show or holiday season movie. Order a pizza and enjoy each other's company. A game night is another option during this time of year. Laughing is a beautiful way to let go of stress.
BE REALISTIC WITH YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY.
Admit you can't do it all and pick the things you value the most and do them over the other things you may 'want' to do.
You can even picture the Christmas that you want. Be realistic when deciding what you want to include and what you are OK with not having it this year. Write down the goal of your ideal holiday to keep it at the forefront of your mind when situations and events come up.
PLAN A BUDGET FOR HOLIDAY GIFTS.
Plan a budget for each recipient. You can use our free Christmas gift sheet to help you jot down the cost of it all, or you can make your own. This checklist includes a section if you use reward points to buy gifts. Dividing it up by event and when they occur creates an order of importance and helps determine what gifts you need to buy first. And, don't forget the birthdays in December.
You can also ask the teenagers what they want out of a list of 5 things. Informing them that they may get two or three of them will allow them to be surprised and will not have you go into debt.
SIGN UP FOR YOUR FAVORITE STORE'S NEWSLETTER.
They will automatically send you any deals that are happening. These email lists give you the option to get emails every day or once a week. If it is too much, you can always unsubscribe. It will also save you money and time to see what they are running specials on instead of heading to the store to see for yourself.
MAKE EASY HEALTHY MEALS DURING THIS TIME.
You don't need to do anything special during this time of year when you most likely will be hosting and going to events and parties. Keeping your weeknight meals easy but healthy will go a long way in keeping your holiday season stress-free. Browse our recipes on our Recipe Index page for many easy and healthy weeknight meals for you and your family.
REQUEST DONATIONS INSTEAD OF GIFTS.
If you struggle with clutter in your home, request donations to be given in your name to a cause you are passionate about instead of getting random stuff. When the loved one asks you what you want for Christmas, mention why you would prefer a donation sent to them. You can even give them the website, so they do not need to hunt for it online.
OFFER CLEAR COMMUNICATION TO ALL FAMILY MEMBERS WHEN HOSTING A PARTY.
Keep the communication clear with all the family members. You can't change a person, but you can reassess if you want them to attend your event. Remember that as a host, you have the right to set boundaries.
IT IS OK TO SAY NO.
If you don't feel up for doing a particular family activity, it is OK to say no, thank you. Not all events need to be attended by everyone. Be true to yourself.
IT'S OK IF PLANS ARE CANCELLED.
Sometimes events with family and friends are canceled. Dealing with sadness and being honest with yourself is essential. Disappointment is a real thing, and it is OK to feel this way. Read more about it here from Harvard Business Review.
By doing all these tips, you will be well on your way to a memorable stress-free holiday season. I hope your holiday season isn't too stressful. If it is, I hope you can use some of these tasks to help you control the stress.
LOOKING FOR MORE TIPS TO MAKE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON RUN SMOOTHLY? VISIT THESE POSTS I FOUND ONLINE.
24 days and ways to a more relaxed Christmas by Today's Parent
10 Steps to a Less Stressful Holiday by Parents
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Lucy Kelly
Requesting donations instead of gifts is such a brave and effective way to buck the Christmas/Holiday system a little bit and help reduce incoming clutter. When you ask, as you suggest, you free the giver to give you what you want. So many wins all around!
Janet Schiesl
Self-care always goes out the window first and then the holiday gets stressful and we don't really enjoy any of it. I try to do less between Thanksgiving and the new year. I purposely make doctor's appointments and take the whole day off for the appointment. It's a little self-care, but I still accomplish something.
Julie Bestry
These are all stellar tips, but what I most love is that amid the actionable, practical ones, you included setting boundaries (for guest behavior and for yourself, giving people permission to say "no" when necessary).
I have to say, every year when I read posts like this, I feel more and more relieved that I only do Thanksgiving and New Year's (because Hanukkah is celebrated mostly through cooking, at which I'm at utter failure, and with tiny humans, of which I have none), because everyone always seems so worn out by the most wonderful time of the year!
Jonda Beattie
Lists help me feel in control and therefore more relaxed. Love this post! A big thing for me is the "It's OK if plans are cancelled". Since I love to plan and know what is happening and when this one is a hard one for me but I have gotten much better at it. I even have on my vision board "Plan to go off the plan!"
Hilda Rodgers
I live from lists during Christmas! It's the only way I can feel relaxed because I'm not worried about forgetting something. Great tips for relaxing during the holidays. Thanks!
Linda Samuels
This is a beautiful list. I've used all of these as ways to take care of myself during stressful times...and even non-stressful times. It's a funny thing about the lists. I think for some it makes them feel more stressed because the tasks seem insurmountable. For me, it helps to get the ideas out of my head and organized into actionable items. But the best part is that rush of dopamine I get when I cross things off. I'm also looking forward to using a spa gift certificate that I received for my birthday. I've been saving it for this month when I knew I'd especially appreciate using it.
Stacey Murray
Lists help me relax, too! If it's out of my head and on paper, I feel less anxious about remembering a holiday-related task. Crossing off the task is a good feeling, too. Not as good as the suggestions in #5, but still good!
Janet Barclay
I've done most of these and agree that they are relaxing. With crafts, it can go either way. When a knitting project goes badly, it is the exact opposite of relaxing!
Sabrina Quairoli
Good point, Janet. Some hobbies/crafts can give you more stress than you want this time of year. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Seana Turner
Paying attention to yourself is so important at this time of year. After all, it is meant to be a time of joy and gratitude. I love your idea of watching something that makes you laugh. We can be so tense that we forget to laugh, and laughter really is restorative!
Sabrina Quairoli
I totally agree, Seana, thanks for stopping by and commenting.