The holidays are the most wonderful time of the year. But, they can also make you into a walking stress case! All the stuff that needs to get done, shopping, baking, wrapping, decorating. And there’s only so much time to accomplish it all within that 30 day (or less!) window.
So read on for a few tips on how to have a stress free holiday this year. After reading this I’m even thinking about making new motto: “Stress free under the tree!”
Get Your Shopping Done Early
I know, this is easier said than done (hellooo, Black Friday sales can be overwhelming!). But if you get the shopping out of the way early, you’ll have less stress when the holiday comes closer. This means more time spent with friends & family, and isn’t that what it’s all about?
And, are you like me and want to get the perfect, most thoughtful gift for everyone? I sometimes stress so much about getting the perfect gift that it ruins the whole process of giving the gift!
So, bottom line, just don’t be that person stressin’ out over gifts. Trust me, it’s the thought that counts.
Learn to Say No
Speaking of friends & family, you’ll probably be invited to lots of events and gatherings during the weeks leading up to the holidays. And while these can be lots of fun, if you feel too stressed out about trying to fit them all in or make them work with your schedule, it might be best to skip a few, or reschedule them for the new year.
For example, a group of my friends do a secret Santa gift exchange every year for the holidays. We always have a hard time agreeing on a day to meet because we’re all so busy with our individual schedules. So this year we voted to do it in January because we know how hectic the month of December can be. And it also gives us something to look forward to after the holiday season is over! It’s a win/win.
Furthermore, for the events that you do go to it would be a great idea to have some conversational quips ready to steer the conversation away from stressful or unwanted chit-chat. You should consider reading this article and others on different forms of conversations that you can turn people’s attention to.
Keep a Daily Routine
In order to maintain sanity and ensure the rest of your daily tasks and commitments get done on time, it is important to keep somewhat of a daily routine. Keep going to the gym, keep your weekly appointments, keep up your house cleaning schedule, etc.
If you’re the unlucky lucky one who’s hosting the party this year, you should look into prepping the house cleaning early so it will be clean & tidy and the planning will be that less stressful. Which means more time to pick out your holiday party outfit and get your bubbly on!
Get Enough Sleep
Obviously, we all need enough sleep. But during the holidays, waking rested is even more important due to all of the above reasons. Shopping and attending parties takes lots of energy, ya feel?
But seriously, doing all of your day-to-day tasks (work, cooking dinner, etc) PLUS doing things like shopping for gifts, decorating your house, wrapping presents, baking cookies, stringing the lights on the tree (those damn lights!)…all those take even more energy. So getting lots of sleep will ensure you have enough pep in your step to get everything done and feel less stressed about fitting it all in.
There is one good reason to miss getting some extra sleep though. You might be very interested to hear that sex is actually a great stress relief, so occasionally staying up a bit later at night to do the deed will actually help to make your feel less stressed! It’s important to find a balance – if you are shattered, you need to sleep. If you have slept well, but are feeling stressed, maybe it’s time to hop into the sack for other reasons. There’s no need to fear if you don’t currently have a partner either; you can find something that will more than make up for your lack of company on the Lovegasm website. You might even find the very interesting choice their staff make as to their favourites very helpful as well.
Whether it’s sleep or sex, bedroom activities are important over the holidays – because, most importantly, nobody wants to deal with a grumpy Grinch.
Cut Back on Sugar
Wait, did I like, just say that?
And now I’ll wait while you click off this page, never to return to this blog, because I’m clearly not a rational/thinking person. And if, by chance, you’re still there and haven’t exited out of my life completely, just hear me out.
There’s no doubt that cutting back on your sugar intake during the holidays will make you feel better overall. Even though sugary sweets may give you a temporary burst of energy, it usually leads to an even bigger sugar “crash”.
And *ahem* you still need to make sure you have enough energy to put those damn lights on the tree.
I know it is extremely difficult to skip the sweets when it comes to the holidays. Even I let my guard down when it comes to all the sugary goodness this time of year. Homemade cookies, hot cocoa, fudge, peppermint bark, ALL.THE.DESSERTS.
It’s enough to put anyone in a diabetic coma. Which is exactly why last January (after Christmas) I started my journey to cut out all added sugars in my diet. And yes, I was actually successful! You can read all about my 30-day results right here. (It has to do with fitting in my pants again, so yeah, it’s worth a read…)
Not to mention, you’ll have a jump start on all of your friends making their New Year’s resolutions AND more energy than they do to hit up all the best Xmas parties.
I will be tackling this in full force again very soon, so stay tuned for more updates!
{shop my deconstructed soldier boy look}:
So I hope that reading these tips leads you to a relaxing and stress free holiday season. What are some other ways you stay “stress-free under the tree?” (LOLZ.) Let me know in the comments below!
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3 Comments
These are such great tips! And of course, your outfit is to die for!
Liz
http://www.lizzieinlace.com
Thanks so much, Lizzie!
Xx