Holiday Stress? Tips for staying sane this season

December is flying by....and your to-do list is probably piling up - decorate, shop, bake, clean, Christmas cards, parties to attend, line ups, no parking, weather issues, can't find the gifts you want, can't find the sizes you need and more....the Christmas season is so much fun but it's also a lot of work and stress.



Here are some great tips from Parenting Expert Alyson Schafer on how to keep it together during this busy time of year.

1.  If traditions aren't fun or working for you, change them.  with life changes like renovations, crazy work schedule and kids, life gets busy and some traditions just don't work anymore.  When i was younger, my family used to have a Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas dinner and then a Boxing Day dinner.  What a nut house!  My parents would be so stressed with cleaning the house, making the dinner, dressing us up etc...and you know what they didn't have any fun because they we so focused on making the house and dinner perfect.  Eventually, my parents said let's do one dinner and rotate households every year and Boxing Day can be a 'bring your left overs' party and bring anyone.  So much easier.....and fun!

2.  Don't be afraid to speak up.  Others may be thinking the same thing and don't want to speak up.  So if you want to just get gifts for the kids and forget the adults, if you want to have a potluck style dinner or do a gift exchange, talk about it.

3.  If it's worth doing, do it but it doesn't have to be perfect!  The Holidays should be about fun, friends and family not having a Norman Rockwell Christmas dinner.  So if something burns, or is under cooked relax and don't judge.  Get together with some food and wine (who says you have to have turkey, why not pizza or lasagne?)  Keep it easy with jeans and why not have fun with goofy Christmas sweaters. 

 

4. Prepare for the unexpected.  There is always someone who surprises you with a gift, so buy a few generic gifts like wine, chocolate, a calendar and candles are great examples.  Keep them in the basement and use them if you need too. 

5.  Manage your attitude.  Nothing is perfect, the Holidays won't be totally smooth - there will be a snow storm when you plan to shop, you won't find a parking spot or the right size of that sweater....Go into the Holiday season with the right attitude and don't get negative.  Remind the whole family that there will be stress but no one will react negatively to it, you will make the best of it. Try not to meltdown...remember the holidays are supposed to be fun!