The holiday season is the most stressful time of the year for many people. The crowded malls, last minute shopping, Christmas parties, cooking, cleaning, wrapping, planning, and traveling all combine to weary even the heartiest souls. Don’t let this holiday season drag you down. Be prepared with these ten tips to beat holiday stress.
Tip #1
Start shopping early. Beginning your shopping early can reduce the amount of time spent in crowded malls and department stores during the holiday season. Any time before Thanksgiving is the perfect time for shopping. Begin in January purchasing gifts and before you know it you will be through with your Christmas shopping.
Tip#2
Make a list and check it twice. Know what you want to buy before you go. By having a list of people to buy for as well as their clothing sizes or favorite colors, you can cut your shopping time in half.
Tip#3
Shop online. Online shopping is growing by extraordinary rates. Billions are being spent every year on online purchases. By shopping online you can bypass the mall mob and complete your gift buying in the comfort of your own home, stress free.
Tip#4
Avoid door-buster sales. Door-buster sales are designed to draw in the crowds. With crowds come long lines, irate shoppers, and stress. Is that half-priced juice mixer really worth the hassle? If you’re going to go, go later, after the crowds have subsided. Chances are there will be plenty of wonder juicers left!
Tip#5
Cook in bulk. Cooking during the holidays can take up a lot of precious time and add to your stress. If you have several holiday meals or parties to attend and you are expected to bring a dish, offer to bring the same dish to each affair. If your specialty is pumpkin pie, make all of them at once and then refrigerate them until you need them. By getting your cooking done at once, you can spend your extra time relaxing.
Tip#6
Use a gift wrapping service. You’ve seen them, those booster and band clubs from are high schools who set up shop in the mall during the Christmas season just begging to ease your holiday stress by gift wrapping your gifts for you. Use them! Just be sure to write the name of the person on the bottom on the gift after it is wrapped so you don’t forget.
Tip#7
Give gift cards. Get the perfect size, shape, and color every time with gift cards. You can complete all of your shopping in just a few minutes and then spend the rest of the season sipping eggnog and watching animated Christmas stories on TV.
Tip#8
Hire a maid. Tis the season to treat yourself. With all you have to do this holiday season, hiring a maid makes perfect sense. Have a cleaning service come in after all the decorations are up and the presents are wrapped. A clean home will do wonders for your stress level, especially when you don’t have to do the cleaning yourself.
Tip#9
If you go, go early. If you must travel, leave early to avoid the holiday travel rush. That extra day will make a world of difference and give you extra time to spend with your loved ones.
Tip#10
Take time to be thankful. The holiday season is about giving, sharing, and loving. Be sure to take some time to meditate on all that you have to be thankful for. If you think shopping and cooking are stressful, think about those with no money and no food. Now that’s stressful!
You should enjoy the holiday season and you can do it if you follow these simple tips to beat holiday stress.
