9 Ways to Enjoy the Holidays without Stress
Take back your holidays with just a few small changes
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I love the holidays! My family is together. We enjoy meals together, lots of laughter and conversation, and with Christmas gifts, I know that everyone is thinking of others in the family with love.
While the holidays have the power to bring some of the most joyful times in your life, they can also be the cause of a great deal of stress. The stress can stem from many different situations such as family disagreements, scheduling conflicts, and money issues.
No matter what situation your stress is coming from, it’s important to take a step back from the stress to hold onto your sanity.
Try following some or all of the following tips:
Get Your Shopping Done Early
This tip may prove more helpful next year, but getting an early start on your shopping can eliminate a huge source of stress. There’s nothing more stressful than shopping on Christmas Eve — unless it’s wrapping gifts on Christmas Eve.
When you get your shopping out of the way early, you can save yourself stress on a number of levels. You won’t be battling other shoppers during peak shopping times. You won’t have to worry about making split second decisions on gifts. You’ll also have the time to craft a budget to help make your money stretch to the best of your ability.
Take Time to Yourself
We often spend most of our time thinking of others during the holidays. While that’s very important to maintain, you can’t forget about yourself in the process. Remember to schedule “me” time and concentrate on winding down. In order to take good care of others, you first have to take care of your own health and well being.
Schedule in ample time for self-care. Whether it’s watching a favorite holiday special, taking a nap, taking a bath or reading a book, allow yourself the time to do those things you enjoy. This will allow you to take more pleasure in the joys of the holiday season rather than feeling frustrated and obligated.
