Tips for a Stress Free Holiday Season

by Jyl Johnson Pattee on December 8th, 2018 | No Comments »

Who can relate to feeling busy, overwhelmed, and like you need a holiday from this holiday season already? If you're nodding your head in agreement then these 10 tips for a stress free holiday season are for you.

Making Meaningful Moments With Those That Matter Most This Holiday Season

When Ritz offered me the opportunity to participate in their Ritz Parade campaign this holiday season, I won't lie... I immediately envisioned my overly full plate giving way due to the weight of everything on it. But, when I read through Ritz' encouragement for people to slow down, enjoy the season, and focus on what matters most, I knew the campaign was for me. I mean what brand has a website with both great deals (savings!), delicious recipes, AND the fun opportunity to build a float. Yep! You heard me right, The Great Ritz Parade is happening now through Christmas and your float can take part. And no stress! You don't have to do any manual labor. It's all online. (See mine below.)

So, after reviewing the website and getting into the message behind the campaign, instead of letting my participation add one more thing to my plate, I decided to refocus and re-evaluate what was on my plate in an effort to reduce, declutter, and re-prioritize so I could more fully and truly enjoy my holiday season this year, also you can use products like CBD oil for anxiety to help you feel more relaxed as well.

10 Tips for a Stress Free Holiday Season

What I walked away with was 10 tips I found to help me in my effort to more fully enjoy my holiday season, if you will like to take some supplements to boost your health, here you can find a link to buy now. I hope these tips for a stress free holiday season help you as well:

Add activities that get you in the spirit of the season. Attending a Christmas choir concert, visiting a live nativity, participating in a service project may add time to an already full holiday calendar, but they are all things that lift your spirit. Adding these types of activities to your schedule are just a few tips for a stress free holiday season that will help you have more joy this time of year.
Buy less. Feeling the need to buy a lot of gifts keeps us busy shopping. Reducing the amount of gifts we purchase naturally will free up the time we would have spent coming up with gift ideas, shopping, and wrapping them.
Get rid of the guilt. Following tips for a stress free holiday season means doing things differently. Because we feel pressure to take on more than we should be doing, this change in behavior can lead to feelings of guilt. Instead of feeling guilty for not cram packing your Christmas schedule and saying yes to everything, bask in the glorious moments of spending time with those that mean the most to you. Replace every guilty feeling with a feeling of gratitude for the important relationships in your life and your ability to strengthen those by cutting back this season and you'll be amazed at how stress reducing that is.
Give gifts of time. Instead of focusing the majority of your gift giving on things (products, toys, etc.), give the gift of time. This both helps decrease the time you would have spent shopping and increase the time you can invest in building quality relationships.
Go potluck style. Holiday parties and events are a great way to spend time with those you love most. Instead of taking the majority of the hostessing tasks on yourself, divvy out the responsibilities by hosting pot luck style. Have an appetizer dinner party and have each guest bring their favorite appetizer to share. Or, have a holiday dessert party or cookie exchange, and invite friends to wow you with their mad baking skills.
Limit activities. Look at your calendar. Assess each activity based on whether it will lead to increasing the stress you feel this holiday season or helping you enjoy a more stress-free Christmas. Delete as many "stress increasing" activities from your calendar as possible.
Make handmade neighbor's gifts as a family. Often, we spend so much time buying gifts that it takes away the time we could have spent with our loved ones. Making gifts is a great way to spend time together as a family all while serving others.
Make time for date night. Holidays can get in the way of traditional rituals like date nights. Keep those nights as sacred. Enjoy holiday events or shopping together as a couple. The holiday season offers so many fun and meaningful ways to strengthen your marriage, so don't miss out on the myriad opportunities to do so.
Plan shopping dates with your kids. Shopping is a part of the season. By planning a date with each child and taking them shopping with you, you maximize your time while investing in quality relationships.
Take a bath. Light some wax melts, shut the door, turn on some relaxing holiday music, and take a bath. You've got to shower anyway, so why not start or end your day with a relaxing bath instead?

Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Winter Solstice, or Kwanza, this is a busy time of year. Choose to enjoy it stress free by making meaningful moments with those that matter most, including yourself. All it takes is implementing these 10 tips for a stress free holiday season.

What are your tips for a stress free holiday season?

Bio
Latest Posts

Jyl Johnson Pattee

An active part of the Mom It Forward team, Jyl primarily writes about parenting, social good, and all things travel related. In a past life, Jyl was an award-winning copywriter and designer of corporate training programs for Fortune 100 companies. Offline, Jyl is married to @TroyPattee; a mom to two teen boys and a beagle named #Hashtag; loves large amounts of cheese, dancing, and traveling; and lives in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Topping her bucket list is the goal to visit 50 countries by the time she's 50.