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Ways to Reduce Holiday Stress

Has stress taken the fun out of your holidays? Here are some suggestions to put the “jolly” back into your holidays and create cherished memories.
  • Acknowledge that everything doesn't need to be perfect.
  • Start holiday planning and preparations earlier.
  • Simplify wherever you can when planning and holding festive celebrations.
  • Stick to your budget.
  • Scale down your holiday plans.
  • Ponder what you really want to do to celebrate the holidays.
  • Talk with family members and friends about what they want to do.
  • Plan celebrations that express what the holidays truly mean for you.
  • Identify old family traditions. Which ones do you love?
  • Opt to keep holiday traditions that bring you joy and happiness.
  • Give yourself permission to let go of old traditions that you don’t like.
  • Establish start and stop times for parties.
  • Take shortcuts like buying pre-made pies to save time.
  • Examine options for pre-made meals or catering services.
  • Promptly ask for help when you need it.
  • Discuss challenging issues in advance with the person who tends to create tension.
  • Use seating placement to avoid tension-filled holiday gatherings.
  • Short-circuit disagreeable family discussions by changing the subject.
  • Make a gift list, considering the amount of money you can comfortably spend.
  • Cut down your gift list.
  • Shop early and make notes about where to get low-cost gifts.
  • Consider giving gift cards to save time and precious energy.
  • Take time daily to meditate, even if only for a few minutes.

Stress-Free Holiday Traveling

  • Plan holiday travel itineraries in advance.
  • Travel during off-peak hours.
  • Start out well rested.
  • Build in extra money to your travel budget in case of emergencies.
  • Arrive at the airport or other station early to more easily take care of last minute challenges.
  • Expect to run into snags.
  • Pack light and carry on your bag, rather than checking it.
  • Allow extra time to travel from place to place and expect heavy traffic.
  • Send your gifts in advance or take gift cards.
  • Limit alcohol and caffeine.
  • Pack plenty of healthy snacks that travel well without refrigeration.
  • Bring plenty of things to keep the kids happily occupied.
  • Make waiting times go faster and regain a happy holiday feeling by meditating.
  • Use portable meditation props, like a favorite image on your smart phone or tablet.
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