How to Have a Stress Free Christmas

The holiday season is upon us. For many, it feels like once that turkey is carved we’re in a downward spiral until the New Year arrives. I doubt its sugarplums they have visions of when they close their eyes! But this season doesn’t have to be the stress-filled joy-sucking season so many have turned it into. Read through these simple steps, tweak them to fit your family and enjoy the season as it was originally intended: surrounded with family and friends, filled with love, joy and peace and celebrating the birth of Jesus.

Reduce Holiday Stress

Many people feel they have exactly one month to fulfill the Christmas dreams of their family, extended family and friends. You don’t. You know as well as I do that that is an impossible task. There is always going to be some unhappy camper. So, take a minute and think about who and what is the most important to you during this time. Most will say their children, spouse and some very special traditions. Make a list of the things you absolutely cannot have Christmas without and things you’d like to do, but won’t be the end of the world if they don’t happen. Then, add to the list some new things you’d like to try this year with your family. Next, prioritize that list in terms of what needs done early, what takes the most time, etc. My list would look something like this:
MUST HAVE’S:
• Decorate Christmas Tree- Week of Dec. 7
• Nativity Set-Week of Dec. 7
• Christmas Eve Dinner-Christmas Eve, 2pm
• Christmas Eve Gifts-Christmas Eve, 4pm
• Christmas Eve Church Service-Christmas Eve, 7pm
• Christmas morning at home-Christmas morning
• Bake Cookies-Week before Christmas
• Church Service Project-TBA
• Christmas Shopping-ASAP, online works great!
Would Like To Do:
o Caroling with the church
o Attend 2 Christmas parties
o Decorate the house
Like To Try:
• Cookie exchange
• Host a party

As you can see, my list of must haves is quite a bit longer than the others. But they’re spread out over a period of time that will help reduce the stress of trying to cram everything into the week before Christmas. Let’s look at the “would like to do’s” and “like to try’s.”

Caroling with the church. It’s something I’ve always enjoyed, but if it is scheduled on the same night as you had planned to decorate the tree or bake cookies with your children, nix it. It’s not the end of the world if you don’t get to carol this year. Determine which is more important, spending time with family or caroling?
Next, Christmas parties; they may be the source of the most stress during this season. Invitations are pouring in and you’re stuck deciding whose party to go to. If it were up to the invitations, you’d be out every single night. Set a limit on the number of parties you go to. Somewhere between 2 and 4 is a good number, because really, how many nights can you get a babysitter and how much candy cane punch can you stomach? Determine whose party you’re attending. You can probably skip parties thrown by people at work-you see them everyday. If your sister is throwing a party, but you’ll see her and her family Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day, explain to her that you’re going to go to a friend’s party you don’t see very often. Once you have your parties narrowed down, RSVP immediately. The earlier in advance people know you are, or are not coming, the less stressful last-minute excuses you have to come up with. Finally, write down whose parties you’re attending this year and make a note to do a party rotation-if you declined Bill and Lisa this year, accept next year and decline John and Sara. Remember, though, always decline graciously and with a truthful reason. A fake one will come back and bite you in the hind end.
Decorating the house is fun, but takes a lot of time. Decide which rooms are used most-the formal living room or the family room? Deck out the rooms that you open gifts in or will be spending the most time in. Who cares if the den, that no one outside you, your spouse and your children see, is decorated? You can probably skip bathrooms, too. It’s a little weird to have a Christmas tree or village in the bathroom. A nice, scented candle would do. A winter potted plant or poinsettia will do in other rooms that are used less often.

Next up are the ‘like-to-try’s.’ This is where I like to start a new tradition or give a fun idea a whirl. Since I love baking, I think a cookie exchange sounds fun, but if no one else in the family or my group of friends is in to it, I’m not going to push it. Absolutely do not try to force people to do something they don’t want to do! Nothing causes more stress during the holiday season than a feud. The other thing on the list is to host a party. This is a great way to get together all of the people who have invited you to a party that you will be unable to attend. Throw your party at least a week and a half in advance of your family’s big celebration. And if you’re going to be hosting more than one party, do them the same week/end. Who wants to do all of that food prep, house prep and cleanup more than once? Doing the major prep before the first party leaves you with just a bit of sprucing up to do before the second.

Holiday Stress Reducers
My next major suggestion is enlisting the help of those who will be celebrating with you. Start with your spouse. Ask him/her to help you decorate or determine which parties to attend. Remember, though, that their priorities may not be the same as yours. Your husband may just be pleased as punch simply to see a buffet at the party, you however, may envision perfectly set trays of hors-d’oeuvres being passed. Communicate what you envision, determine if it is realistic and make a plan of attack. Splitting up jobs so that everything isn’t resting on you will go a long way in keeping you jolly and from pulling your hair out! Give your spouse input as to the jobs they will be doing. Don’t just simply task them with cleaning or entertaining the kids while you’re off shopping. Perhaps they’d like to give shopping a go, just supply them with a good list! During that afternoon you’re entertaining the kids, enlist their help for decorating! They’ll love it, you won’t have to lug every Frosty and Wiseman to their spots and you’ll be spending time with your kiddos- a great 3 for 1!

And last, but not least, don’t lose sight of why we celebrate Christmas. Remind yourself that you wouldn’t have the joy of Christmas parties and decorations had Christ not been born. Keep Him at the center of your holiday season, take some time to plan, don’t be afraid to say ‘no’ and you too can have a stress-free Christmas!

Keep a look out for my ‘25 Days of Cookies’ hubs, starting December 1st!