Holiday Stress: Don't Go Through It
The holidays truly are "the most wonderful time of the year," but also tend to be the most hectic and time consuming. Most folks are pretty busy before the holidays, taking kids to afternoon events or weekend activities, working, doing paper work, even going to school, and then keeping up with house work and other family responsibilities. Add shopping for gifts, getting to all the necessary gatherings or events, preparing gifts, preparing foods, decorating for one holiday and then redecorating for the next, and still doing everything from before, it can become a lot to bare and may feel like there is no time to actually enjoy the holidays. Here are some helpful tips when it comes to the holidays. These tips will help you take time to relax and get lost in the glow of the tree lights. 
Tips for Holiday De-Stressing
Plan For the Holidays: It is always said plan not procrastinate and it is true. Most do not, but even the littlest bit of planning is better than none and can be a big help. Ways to plan include:
- Holiday Meal Plan: Start buying items for the recipes at the beginning of the month along with regular grocery items. Place a list of ingredients on the fridge and check off every time the items are bought. Not only does this help with stress, it can also be a money saver.
- Christmas Gifts: Shopping on Christmas Eve or even the day before is not ideal. That is the time to go browse and maybe buy a treat. Starting around Thanksgiving or right after, have the kids make a list and start making a list for other family members. Look for gifts online, price items if able, or decide to keep all shopping at one store, no crazy running around.
- Budget Friendly: Decide on an amount to spend for each person on the list, try not to go over. Staying within a budget can save tons of stress. Doing this for the holiday meals is also helpful.
- Keep a Calendar: As usual there are many events to attend, keep up using a personal planner or even a $.50 notepad/notebook.
Two events that are exciting and fun but often becomes the most stressful of the season is holiday baking and holiday family meals. Ways to keep it under control is:
- Baking Menu: List what is to or wants to be baked, decide on 3 or 4 items and set aside at least half a day to bake. Turn up the Christmas music, the lights, have the kitchen cleaned before hand and involve the children. After baking, clean up with the Children's help.
- Baking Party: Invite friends or family to bake cookies, cakes, or pies. There is a few ways to do this: work in pairs in the kitchen while others enjoy some tea or coffee or, if able, have areas for each person set up at a table or counter for preparation. Have guests bring their ingredients and cooking materials. If desired, cook for a cause, ask a local shelter or church if they would like to have these baked goods for people and enjoy some carols while driving to the location.
- Buffet Meal: This is by far the best idea when eating with family, especially for large families. As the host, do the meat or meats (unless someone else is just dying to do it and cooks well). Cook one or two more dishes and tell each member to bring one or two of their own (maybe one side and one dessert). The variety ends up being great and the best part is, after the turkey and ham are in the oven in the morning, all one has to do is turn on some movies, unwrap some gifts and wait for the family to arrive.
- Make a Menu: This writer tends to cook for 5 people like she is cooking for an army. In order to control that, make a menu, two sides (not including stuffing and cranberry, if including them make it four sides), one main meat, one or two desserts. The wallet will thank you.
Perhaps the real stress comes from shopping, traveling, and going to every event under the sun and moon at this time of year. Some helpful tips include:
- Start to Shop early, if shopping during the busy times, go late morning, mid afternoon, or around 7:30-8PM. By these times, most stores are clearing out for lunch or dinner or bedtime and it is not always so hectic.
- Travel early morning. Getting up and hitting the road before everyone else does, has great advantages (of course, if living in the D.C. area, that means leaving at 3 or 4AM, by 5AM people are starting to hit the road hard-speak from experience). This family has conquered the early morning travel to drive anywhere from 9 to 11 hours before. Now, thankfully, it is down to 1 or 5 hours. Anyways, the kids got to wear pajamas in the already packed vehicle, sleep at least half the way, eat a "healthy" BoJangles or Hardee's breakfast, and arrive at relative houses by lunch or a little after. This is huge and the best part is, the first night at the destination everyone is out by 8 or 9.
- Pack the night before or have everything ready by the door to be packed. Very big help.
- Make several stops during the trip. Traveling does not have to be a race, it can be enjoyed. Enjoy it. Enjoy the music and holiday sites, make it merry and do not be in such a rush that it ruins everyone else time.
- Make a list of events. Try to keep it to 4 to 5 events that are a must to go to. This means concerts, gatherings, parades, and, maybe, a Rudolph or Jingle Bell Run. School events are usually a must do along with church events, but if these take up a whole weekend or every weekend, lower the event count in order to give everyone a chance to relax and not feel so go, go, go all season long.
- Self Time. Yes!!! Take a day or a few hours to just walk around or even sit at home and chill.
- Volunteer. Take a few hours a couple times a week or during the month to help out at a local food pantry, animal shelter, animal adoption event, homeless shelter, or other area to spread some Christmas love to others and be a Blessing to those in need.
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