Finding Joy During A Stressful Holiday Season
Let’s avoid feeling as if a stressful holiday season is unavoidable and make it joyful.
Between the school’s holiday shows and functions, work obligations, holiday parties, and gift shopping, the weeks leading up to Chanukah and Christmas can be a very busy and stressful time. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and rush through your busy days. However, this does not breed holiday joy. It does create a great deal of pressure for a holiday that is often headed by exhausted parents to be perfect.
[ctt template=”8″ link=”9kl42″ via=”no” nofollow=”yes”]It is time to stop, take a deep breath and enjoy all that the season has to offer.[/ctt]
When you’re busy, it’s hard to notice the fun little things.
Challenge yourself to stop at least once a day and “breathe in the season”.
Take a short little break and go look at lights.
Turn on Christmas tunes and sing and dance through the house.
Just stop and have some Christmas fun for a few minutes.
Perhaps you can even make some fun Snowflake Crafts.
Get Your Own Little Elves
Santa doesn’t do everything on his own, and neither should you.
Learn to delegate both at home and at the office (or the home office).
Make certain that everyone at home is pitching in. Even young ones should be. Chores teach responsibility.
No better time than the present to get good at delegating. This will help you to avoid a stressful holiday season
Making A List And Checking It Twice
Last but not least learn to prioritize. Make a list of what you need to get done today, this week, or before Christmas. Prioritize it and then go back and check it again. Strike out anything you don’t really need to do.
It’s amazing how freeing cutting tasks and things out of your life can be. There are a lot of things we do just because we’ve always done them. When you stop and challenge yourself to focus on the important things, it becomes much easier to cut out busy work. In turn, stress can be reduced or even avoided completely.
Follow Santa’s example and just like him, you’ll find joy in during this busy holiday season.
I would love to know how you keep your holiday tasks manageable.
Please let me know in the comments below.
And while we are at it, here are a few tips for how to handle family drama.
- Be Patient And Kind – Keeping things simple will make it easier it is to stay patient and kind. When we have too much on our plate, we get stressed out and irritable.
- Walk Away If You Need To – If a situation is spiraling out of control, get yourself out of there. Go take a breather and come back when you can get back to being patient and kind.
- Put Bad Feelings Aside – Enjoy the time with your loved ones… even the ones who are a little more challenging to love.
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40 thoughts on “Avoid A Stressful Holiday Season & Enjoy Joy Instead”
Thanks for posting good content. It really shaping me and my life. Thank you so much for doing this.
You’re welcome
awesome tips! I especially like the ones about making lists,prioritizing and taking a breather to stop amd enjoy the season. I think they are tips that are not only good for the holidays but life in general. 😀 The others though I haven’t thought about much but will try them out as well
I am quite pleased that you found value. I agree that many of the tips can be utilized year round.
I think we all need to pre plan how to manage for the holidays. These are great tips!
I streamline my menus to make prep and serving easier- I use the crock pot to keep things hot and serve, I have appetizers and sides that can be eaten at room temp and don’t need to be heated-I have everyone bring something and I do not overdo! I do take some time to “breathe” and take care of me.
It sounds as if you have it dialed in. Thanks for sharing what works for you.
Christmas seems to get more and more stressful every year (for the masses) and it’s such a shame because it’s supposed to be a fun time of year. We’re going on holiday for Christmas – no stress at all!
That sounds fun. Enjoy.
Well I plan on taking it easy … no stress .. just bliss and being grateful for my life and those around me… much to be happy about
Bliss sounds just perfect.
Christmas season shouldn’t be stressful, but that’s not the case most of the time, isn’t it? Haha. As much as I enjoy this time of the year, there are so many preparations to think about. This post somehow helped me try and put things in perspective. I wouldn’t want to spend Christmas filled with worries and anxieties! 🙂
I am so pleased to hear that this post provided some perspective to you.
This time of year does get so stressful and there is SO much to do. I’m a single working mum which makes it hard but luckily my daughter is very helpful and good at doing any jobs I need.
That is wonderful that your daughter is helpful.
I love this list and reminder to breathe in the season and to enjoy! I’m always stressed during the holiday season. I hope to just breathe and enjoy it this year! Thank you for this great post!
You’re welcome. Now breathe 🙂
Love these tips, I always try and make a list of everything that needs to happen to ensure that it all gets done before the big day! x
That is the best way.
I like your idea, “breathe in the season.” That will I do for this coming Christmas. Spend time for myself and I can enjoy days with my kids. Thanks for this post.
My pleasure.
I have been trying to destress around Christmas for years. I’m getting better and trying to plan in November which helps. WE now always get our Christmas tree at the beginning of December and we slowly decorate the house right up to Christmas eve which helps.
That actually sounds very fun.
Great post! I love this time of year, but when it comes to buying presents I always make a list so I can stay organised.
That is tremendously helpful. A budget is too 🙂
These are great tips, I get as much done as possible before December then I can enjoy the holiday season rather than rush around x
I am always impressed with folks who get all of the shopping done ahead of November.
We keep the holidays manageable by buying Christmas gifts throughout the year and putting all our must dos on the calendar whether they be the Christmas pageant of spending an afternoon baking cookies. We put it on the calendar so we don’t have to stress about fitting it all in.
I have not yet mastered the shopping throughout the year. I am impressed though.
We’ve decided not to do a traditional Christmas dinner this year but make something we all like instead, less pressure and more fun!
That does sound fun. We usually go out to eat and then on Xmas Day we cook treats and chill as a family.
Great tips! I really like the idea of making priority lists. I’m already feeling overwhelmed by the season. I need to stop and remember to enjoy the season.
I believe that if you make the list you will begin to remember to enjoy the season.
These are great reminders! So often, we go through the motions to complete all of the tasks necessary to make everyone else’s holiday experience perfect, but forget about ourselves.
Yes, and I so want us to stop forgetting ourselves.
Can you arrange some elves for me? All of mine are grown and gone. But great advice – they used to be a big help when they were little!
I can do my best. 🙂 Mine are in the transitional stage. Half in and half out of the home.
I hear you. The holiday season can get stressful and it is important to find some elves that can help you out LOL! I definitely agree with making a list as it can help us prioritize tasks in order!
So now where are those elves? 🙂
Great tips. I used to work in the pastry kitchen so holidays are the busiest time of the year. We often resort to 12-hour work day (or till whenever we finish) of running around the kitchen all day long. Even when we had recruited more elves, that was still the pace we were doing — icing thousands of sugar cookies, buckets of eggnog, cakes and pies everywhere. I am glad I am not in the kitchen anymore and have a more relaxing holiday.
That sounds like a very high-stress environment. I am glad that you found your happy place.