Mastering Holiday Stress: 3 Essential Tips for a Joyful Season

I like to approach the holidays with a plan. I learned many years ago that if I don’t have a plan then I feel out of control. With my plan, I’m able to enjoy the holidays to the fullest.

Around the holidays especially it can feel like our to-do list is forever long. There are holiday parties to attend (possibly to host), special dinners to make, traditions to maintain, and gifts to purchase (and wrap).

And don’t forget the pressure of making the holiday season “magical.” Sometimes we get so caught up in making the holidays special for others that we forget to make it special for ourselves.

We just give and give and give. 

Your holidays don’t need to be like that. Here are three things I started doing to keep the stress and pressure of the holidays from swallowing me up. 

Tip 1: Plan your holiday calendar.

Yes, there are thousands of events happening in December: family traditions, dinners with friends, work parties, and community gatherings. However, you are not required to attend them all. Prioritize the events that matter the most to you!

Your time is yours to give, and you don’t have to share it with everyone. When we agree to every little event (especially those we don’t care about), we limit our time for things we enjoy.

So, this holiday season, schedule all the events you love and want to do, and kindly say “no thank you” to any that don’t fit.

Tip 2: Organize gifts.

I used to have a hard time keeping track of how many gifts I had bought for everyone, and how much I had spent on each person, and I was exhausted. I usually ended up overspending because I was worried people would feel less loved based on what they got.

Now, I create a spreadsheet where I keep track of everyone. Every time I purchase a present, I make a note of it. This has eased so much stress because I know exactly how many presents and how much I’ve spent on each person.

In addition, I had to overcome the concern that people wouldn’t love me as much depending on what I got them. Or that people would change their love for me. The people who truly matter and love me will not change their opinions based on what they get for Christmas.

Tip 3: Don’t forget about yourself.

During the holidays it can be easy to focus on everyone else and make sure they are having a good time, and we forget about ourselves. You must pinky promise me that you will work to not forget yourself this year.

When it comes to young children and grandchildren it can feel like there is a lot of pressure to infuse the month with “magic.” Not to mention the pressures we might feel from social media influencers who seem like they do everything perfectly.

When we wear ourselves too thin for others, we miss out on the real magic. The magic of spending time with loved ones. 

So, find ways to make this holiday season special for you as well. This may look like watching your favorite Christmas movie from when you were young or making special cookies.

By putting these three tips into practice, you can reclaim the joy of the holiday season for yourself. Remember, it's a time for you to enjoy yourself too. So, plan, organize, and most importantly, cherish every moment of the holiday magic. 🎄✨