Reducing Holiday Stress – Three Basic Steps
Reducing Holiday Stress – Three Basic Steps
So, this may be a little late for this Christmas season 
but we can apply these tips to any event we have coming up in the future and of course for all holiday seasons to come…
It goes without saying, most of us love the holidays and want to them to be a wonderful and enjoyable time. As a result, I think we tend to spend a great deal of time and effort engaging in various activities trying to make the holidays extra special. Our desire to have the best holidays ever often delivers a result a little more different that we expect. Instead of enjoying the holiday season, we tend to spend it worrying about how to make our holidays perfect.
One of the main causes of holiday stress is that feeling that the things you must do are going to be greater than your available time. Shopping, cooking, packing, wrapping and decorating suddenly take over what used to be your free time. Special holiday events and parties may begin to take over your schedule, too. Haven’t you ever feared being the crazed shopper banging on closed shop doors on Christmas Eve or are certain you will be forced to take the family out for a Chinese dinner because there is simply no way to get everything done? That’s what I’m talking about…
There are tons of great resources providing quality hints and tips to reduce holiday stress, and if you feel yourself experiencing a great deal of pressure during the holiday months, you should definitely find some of these resources and consider the myriad of great ideas to make your days easier. In addition to the many great suggestions these sources provide, there are a few basic steps you can take to make your to-do list seem more manageable and to reduce your stress level.
Adjust Your Expectations
Some may benefit from simply readjusting their expectations of the holidays. The media and advertising industries can lead us to believe that any holiday celebration that doesn’t end up resembling a Currier & Ives print is a failure. This, of course, is not the case. It’s fine to strive for a wonderful holiday season, but it’s not necessary to create THE perfect holiday. Instead of concerning yourself with every Christmas detail, you can reduce your stress level by focusing on the parts of the holidays that are most meaningful and important to you and placing less emphasis on other aspects of the season.
Start Early
We often laugh at the fact that Christmas decorations tend to go up in stores right after Halloween decorations disappear. Although we don’t necessarily need to take the not-so-subtle message of holiday commercialization to heart, we can learn a little something from the early decoration trend. By starting our holiday preparations early, we can reduce the amount of pressure and stress of getting things decorated at the last minute. This year I started after
Thanksgiving and put a little up everyday. The house looks wonderful and there’s no rush or pressure.
Follow Santa’s Lead
Santa Claus, as the song tells us, makes a list and checks it twice. If he left delivery of millions of toys up to his memory, he would probably be the North Pole’s most stressed resident. You can learn an important lesson from Santa Claus and can create your own organized list of holiday tasks and chores.
Although you may not want to over do it, it is a good idea to make a detailed list of everything you’ll need to do in preparation for the holidays. If you can produce this list early, you’ll be able to schedule out everything in a reasonable manner, making sure you are not caught up in the hustle and bustle that makes the holidays so frustrating for some people. Tip: Save this list in a safe place for the following year, just make adjustments as necessary.
The holidays can be a wonderful time for fun and enjoyment. Unfortunately, they can also become a high-pressure race for those who are not adequately prepared. By carefully assessing your holiday needs and expectations, starting early and keeping an organized to-do list, you can make your holidays fun!
Happy Holidays!!
You’re exactly right about holiday stress Brenda. I think time is second only to finance this time of year when it comes to causing stress.
One of the things I’ve started doing to reduce stress is following Nancy Reagan’s phrase “Just Say No” – to family and friends that is. Everyone wants our time this time of year and I’m not just giving it away. If I did I would be eating three Christmas dinners in a couple days. Thanks but no thanks, I’m on a diet and we’re just going to relax this holiday
Brian D. Hawkins@Grape Seed Extract Benefits´s last blog ..Grape Seed Extract Benefits Explained
Stress, by definition is a mental issue. You are thinking too much about it. Make a list of all the things you really want from Christmas and do that. You are right about everything you stated. You should just tell these people you don’t have the money this year. Good luck.
All three basic steps to reduce holiday stress are very useful and informative good post thanks.
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Myself and my other half can only afford a one week holiday so rather than jet-off to another country we generally stay in this country and avoid the additional stresses of all the sorting of travel to and from the airport, the travelling for 2 days of the holiday etc. etc.
What i do is stay away from family. it is only my kids for x-mas and we never freak out.
LOL I guess that’s one way to reduce holiday stress!!
Great tips! Thanks for sharing. Well planning will reduce stress,saves time and money.
I’ve got this colleague, she buys stuff (inlucing presents) for Christmas holiday during January and Easter sales. What a clever woman! The only stress she has is how to hide things from her family
There’s the pressure to buy gifts for everyone and finding the money to do this. There’s the pressure of spending time with family, either spending too much time with ones who have serious issues or not getting time with the ones you really haven’t seen at all and miss the most.
The purpose of a holiday is to celebrate some event or person that has in almost all cases nothing to do with school. Books are not a burden they are the opportunity to learn.
I will prefer spend holidays reading Charles Dickens in my study room as its my own taste. Every one needs to fulfill his wishes in such days.
Such a great bit of advice with reference to keeping stress levels down on a holiday. The idea is to unwind and let go of all that bothers you in an average day.
I do agree with the starting early step A LOT! simply because the earlier its done, the faster it is off the brain and off the agenda.
Great post. Thanks