Every one of us feels additional stress during the holidays—even children of all ages! Will Santa Claus really come down the chimney? And you may be feeling new levels of stress this year if you’re helping your elderly parents move into a new phase of their lives after the Holiday Season.
Here are 8 ways to not let holiday stress get you down!
- Hold on to every day rituals. If you read a book 10 minutes before you go to bed or if take a nightly bath, don’t skip these activities to write a card or wrap a gift.
- Make food you’ve made before—are you the Mom of mashed potatoes or the Baker of Bundt cakes? Then don’t make those roll-up cookies for the first time because you saw the recipe in a magazine. Go with your tried and true traditions.
- When shopping, always ask if the store offers gift wrapping. Many stores offer this time saving opportunity and some even offer it free if you’re a preferred customer or as a way to beat their competition. You should also take advantage of non-profit gift wrapping centers.
- Shop online and ship online to out-of-town relatives. Many retailers offer online shipping and wrapping services—a few clicks and a few dollars extra can save you a ton of gas money and time.
- Keep “all occasion” gifts on hand. Create a box in your closet full of “universal” gifts. You never know when you will need a gift at the last minute. These gifts can include candles, scented soaps, ornaments, and thank you notes/stationery,
- Schedule some personal time. Pencil in a walk, gym workout and even personal reading time into your calendar.
- Don’t over-schedule the season. Don’t go out to parties three nights in a row. Pick and choose the events that have the most meaning to you and be sure to pace yourself.
- Get enough sleep! If you don’t sleep your 7-8 hours a night, you’ll be more susceptible to colds and the flu, plus you’ll be more likely to eat more unhealthy food. Keep up your energy and maintain your good spirits by getting to bed at the same time every night!
And finally, don’t fool yourself that the holidays don’t happen the same time every year. Instead of running around December every year trying to get everything done, why not plan ahead for Holiday 2013 by stocking up on wrapping paper, decorations and Christmas cards? A little extra planning will save your sanity next year!
We wish you the warmest of Holiday Seasons!
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Photo: Luigi Diamanti, courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net
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