How to Enjoy a Stress-Free Holiday Season

The holiday season can be a special time …seeing friends and family, gift-giving, parties, and quiet moments to contemplate one’s faith. Yet too often the holidays become a blurred rush of activity – too many people to see and places to go, shopping, cooking, wrapping – and not enough hours in the day to get it all done.

Holiday stress can be caused by a lot of different things, but having too much to do, fatigue, financial concerns, and unrealistic expectations are at the top of the list. Fortunately, there are ways to eliminate a lot of the issues that bring on the holiday blues.

• Deal with finances right up front. Determine how much you can spend, make a holiday budget (gifts, food, etc.), and then stick to it.

• Don’t expect a fantasy-perfect holiday. It rarely happens. Just try to enjoy each good moment as it comes along.

• Prioritize your commitments. You can only do so much. Decide which activities mean the most to you and say “no” to the rest.

• Take care of yourself. It’s fine to enjoy holiday treats, but try to eat right, drink water, exercise, and get a good night’s sleep. It will work wonders toward relieving stress and keeping you in top shape – mentally and physically.

• Make time to relax. Take a few minutes to sit and admire the tree lights with a cup of hot cocoa; take a long, hot bath with calming lavender bath oil; or read a Christmas story to your children before bedtime.

• Remember to breathe! A nice deep inhale/exhale will relieve stress almost instantly.

• Keep laughing. According to the Mayo Clinic, laughter relieves mental and physical stress, makes you feel relaxed, and improves your immune system.