It’s the most wonderful time of the year?!
Maybe you think it is if you are one of those people who love the holidays, the fresh scent of Christmas trees, the excitement in the air, the hustle and bustle, the food, the family. On the other hands you might think of the holiday season as a stressful time. So, here are some practical suggestions which can help you reduce your 'Christmas stress'.
Keep it simple.
Probably the No. 1 reason for out-of-control stress is trying to overdo it. Does your daydream holiday feature you as the ideal hostess presiding over a magazine-style home? Forget it! Going for perfection could be a recipe for disaster. It’s better to focus on your friends and family, and leave being the super-hostess to the professionals. Don't set yourself unrealistic targets and deadlines.
Plan.
Get organised, prioritise and plan your days. This is easier said than done, but making a list of jobs that need to be done can help you take on one thing at a time. Recognise when something is done or finished and feel good about it.
Pace yourself throughout Christmas and by the time Christmas eve comes along give yourself permission to say 'what isn't done now, won't get done'. Believe these words and relax!
Delegate
Delegate some of the tasks. Christmas is not just down to one person, everyone shares in Christmas. When you feel the stress creeping in, let other members of the family know how stressed you are feeling
Give the gift of time.
This year, put "quality time" at the top of your to-do list: quality time with your family, friends, and neighbours. Just taking a quiet moment to tell someone how important they are to you can mean so much more than any gift.
Consider organizing a casual potluck dinner for your friends - each can bring their favourite holiday dish, and perhaps you can spread the spirit by carolling after the meal.
Make a list, check it twice.
Make a list of all the gifts you wish to buy before you go shopping. If you wait for inspiration to strike when you are actually doing the shopping, you could be wandering aimlessly around the shopping centre for hours. You'll probably save money if you do all the shopping yourself, but if you don’t have the time to start early, the Internet can be a great place to shop too. Sit back, relax, sip your eggnog, and watch your tree while the gifts are delivered to your door. Oh, and buy a few extras, such as chocolates, just in case you forget somebody or you have unexpected guests bearing gifts.
Don’t forget the most important person.
It's fun to give to others, but in doing so we often forget to treat ourselves. So go ahead and schedule a 30-minute massage. Plan a quiet evening at home with that special someone. Enjoy some candlelight, watch the lights of the Christmas tree, watch your favourite Christmas movie, and buy that beautiful gift you saw for yourself.
Take the time
Write up a Christmas card list and keep it in a safe place so that you can refer to it (and add or delete names) year after year. Plan to write your Christmas cards in early December. Book a date in your diary so you don't forget
Enjoy.
Don’t forget to enjoy the holiday season!
6 comments:
Well yes I did plan to write the Christmas cards in early December (one of my friends lives in Australia so I ought to get hers off early) but somehow it always seems to slip!! I'm good at planning, not so good at execution.
Incidentally, I can comment again now that it doesn't ask me for a google account, when for some reason it also refuses to accept my blogger password. It's a mystery why some blogs change from one to another (for example, I can't comment on Boo's at the moment..!).
my list is simple: eat & sleep alot. heh.
i wrote out my cards last month & sent them out before december else they would be late knowing the postal service.
other than that i'm having dinner with the bf & his family on christmas day.
thats it.
hope your holidays will be warm & stress-free :)
Oh yes, like it!
I was getting a bit stressed about Xmas earlier this month, but it's 90% done now :)
I have a list on the PC and update it every year with cards to send, addresses and what I've bought for who over the years etc.
I don't know what I'd do without it!
It is a mystery to me too, Qaminante. I haven’t changed a thing, so I can’t help it but I wish I could :)
I am pretty good in both planning and the execution of my plans, but I recently discovered a gadget that helps reminding me of stuff so things can’t go wrong :). It’s a little Firefox extension called Reminder Fox
Oh my, you are so organised, Boo. You have got everything all planned out already. Way to go girl :)
And……. another well organised person! But I already knew that, DoGGa :) I’ve a card list on my PC too, but I am not keeping track of all the gifts. I must say, it is a great tip!
Hmmz…. I am not sure you actually were following my advice before I wrote it, Lord Hutton……I wrote this 2 weeks ago and had planned to put it online sooner…..but then my PC fell in a coma!
I've not started Christmas yet.
There is a time and place for everything, Kat. No one says you have to start now and have to be finished two days before Christmas….take your time :)
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