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Top Tips to Avoid Holiday Stress This Christmas

Nowadays it is easy to get bogged down trying to attain that “perfect Christmas” we see in social media and movies. If trying to get everything done usually leaves you with serious holiday stress, you are not alone!

Holiday Stress Be Gone!

Try not to get swept up in the bedlam of the season. Christmas is a time for joy, happiness, and coming together as a family. When you feel yourself losing it, come back to these practical tips and take a deep breath.

Plan and prepare Christmas dinner in advance

Organizing Christmas day dinner is one of the biggest sources of stress for a lot of people. Being as prepared as possible can make a huge difference to your stress levels on the big day.

Holiday Stress

Write out a simple menu far in advance so you can gradually buy groceries instead of rushing around on Christmas Eve. Keep your list stuck on the fridge and take a quick look now and again to see if there is anything you can cross off.

When making your menu, try to think of as many things as possible that can be made in advance. Anything that will keep a few days in the fridge, or better yet a few weeks in the freezer, will be a huge help.

If you are hosting dinner for a lot of guests, ask them all to bring a snack or side dish along to ease the load on Christmas day.

OR make reservations and avoid cooking altogether

Better yet, avoid cooking altogether! If budget allows for it, treat yourselves to a nice meal out on Christmas day. Book in advance and simply forget about it.

Just think…..no cooking…….no dishes……no mess!! Absolute bliss!

Set rules around gift-giving

holiday gifts holiday stress

Setting some rules around gift-giving with friends and family can take a huge burden off your shoulders. Here are a few examples to help alleviate stress:

  • No “filler” presents – do you usually get a million pairs of socks you don’t need? Does the gift set that clutter up the house? Be clear with people that you don’t want them to buy you gifts just for the sake of having something to give. Tell people you appreciate the sentiment but you are trying to declutter and their love and friendship are enough of a gift!
  • Set price limits – there is always that one friend or relative who goes way overboard. Whilst it’s a lovely gesture, it can lead to you feeling anxious that you have to find something equally as expensive and impressive.
  • Help those who need it most – why not tell friends or family you are going to help someone in need this Christmas instead of buying unwanted gifts. You can make charitable donations online in everyone’s names and completely avoid holiday shopping!

Delegate, delegate, delegate

Sick of running around silly whilst your partner and kids sit back and enjoy a relaxing day? It’s not uncommon to feel like you are doing everything whilst other people enjoy themselves around you.

Make sure to give everyone small jobs to get ready for Christmas and on the big day. Get your partner involved in wrapping presents. Have the kids help with putting the decorations up. Even ask people to come round half an hour early on the day to help prep veggies and cook!

Just be clear and delegate roles in advance so there is no crazy rush on the day.

Don’t feel guilty about saying “no”

You do not have to feel obligated to attend every single party and get together!

If you try to rush around and see everyone in a day or two you will end up feeling burnt out and cranky! That is the perfect definition of holiday stress in action!  Give yourself a break and only agree to a realistic schedule.

Indulge without guilt

It’s Christmas and everyone is entitled to indulge. Unfortunately, the stress can come afterward when you overthink that extra glass of wine or second serving of dessert.

Christmas ornaments holiday stress

Be kind to yourself over the holidays.  It is the perfect time to indulge, so celebrate anything you have achieved during the year.

Done is better than perfect

Try to remember this golden rule when things don’t seem to be going to plan.

Chances are that on the big day you’ll be the only one who even notices if things aren’t totally perfect anyway.  I hope this holiday stress-busting tips helped!

Top Tips to Avoid Holiday Stress This Christmas

48 Comments Filed Under: Holidays

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tara Pittman says

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    I always have to set rules with my husband about gifts. He tends to spend too much money.

    Reply
  2. Nyxie says

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    I think we could all do with reading this. The holidays can be so awful. They’ve always been stress-inducing for me, even more so this year.

    Reply
    • Valentina Meza-Kohnenkampf says

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      Love this so much! I just copied the link and save it because I’m going to need it in a few weeks!

      Reply
  3. Amber Myers says

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    These are some great ideas! I never want to deal with drama. Usually it goes pretty smoothly since we don’t have a lot of family around us.

    Reply
  4. Brianne Tursi Manz says

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    The holidays shouldn’t be stressful, yet, it seems to a lot of people to be the case. Hopefully people will use these tips to avoid the stress.

    Reply
  5. Tasheena says

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    I really enjoyed this post. These tips are really helpful. I can’t wait to implement some of them this holiday season.

    Reply
  6. kita says

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    I plan on skipping the cooking. I haven’t cooked in years so that is one thing I will be avoiding. Doing this for Thanksgiving also

    Reply
    • Dana says

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      I don’t blame you, Kita! Cooking is a big stressor holiday time.

      Reply
  7. Pam Wattenbarger says

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    These are great tips for avoiding stressors this holiday season. I always make as much food in advance as I can.

    Reply
    • Dana says

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      Thank you, Pam! Preparing and cooking food ahead of time is a great time-saving and stress-reducing tip!

      Reply
  8. LEES says

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    I like the idea of setting price limits for gifts and delegating! I never decorate in my house which makes this muuuuch easier!

    Reply
    • Dana says

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      That is definitely a popular “rule” and really does help reduce stress!

      Reply
  9. Melanie says

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    I hope to have a stress free holiday this year. I am planning ahead in order to try to accomplish this. Thank you for these tips!

    Reply
  10. Ice Cream n Sticky Fingers says

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    This year the holidays look a bit different for me. I’m not really sure what to expect but I actually get to spend time with my own family for once. I haven’t planned any of the details yet as it’s still far enough away and we haven’t even made it through Thanksgiving yet. I just know that I don’t want to end up home alone.

    Reply
  11. Leeann Brown says

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    The holidays are so stressful ! Thank you for all of these tips to handle the stress and to make the holidays more enjoyable.

    Reply
    • Dana says

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      Leeann, my pleasure!

      Reply
  12. Paula Schuck says

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    Done is better than perfect. I wholeheartedly agree with that! LOL. Also give yourself permission to say no to stuff. I need to remember that too.

    Reply
  13. Betty @ Mombrite says

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    The holidays should be a time to spend time with family and friends and not stress. These are great tips to avoid holiday stress and just enjoy Christmas. I especially like setting rules and price limits on gifts!

    Reply
    • Dana says

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      Betty, that has to be my favorite and one that I stick to year after year!

      Reply
  14. kumamonjeng says

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    Cooking can be very stressful especially if you are preparing for a big party. I totally agree to get some catering service to ease our pain. This is what I do during our Chinese new year celebrations.

    Reply
  15. Ashley Rollins says

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    I love these tips! People place too much stress and anxiety on themselves when they’re giving gifts. The holidays should be about spending time with loved ones!

    Reply
    • Dana says

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      I am so with you, Ashley! Holidays should be about family, making memories…

      Reply
  16. Shelley King says

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    This article is really true. I have avoided a lot over the years to avoid stress. I will not cook with my family because it always is stressful. Not that we fight or anything like that I just get anxiety. I also have to say NO! When I was little we were in the car almost the whole Christmas holiday because we lived out of state. We would stay with my grandparents and we never spent a Christmas eve or Christmas morning in our own home. I refuse to do this to my kids. It is not always a great subject but I stick to my guns!

    Reply
    • Dana says

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      Shelley, I am super proud that you stick to your guns about what you want with your family over the holidays!

      Reply
  17. Krista Lynn says

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    Rules around gift giving would be a really great idea to limit stress. Otherwise, I love this time of the year so much it’s hard to be stressed! What about having someone entertain your kids during all the off days? 🙂 http://www.recoveringsuperwoman.com

    Reply
    • Dana says

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      Entertainment on off days for the littles is GENIUS, Krista!

      Reply
  18. Kathy says

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    These are some really good tips. I know how stressful the holidays can be. I usually hold at least one holiday party myself. Being the host can really be stressful too.

    Reply
  19. Diana @ Nanny to Mommy says

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    These are great tips! I am always looking for ways to reduce my holiday stress.

    Reply
    • Dana says

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      I’m glad they are helpful to you, Diana!

      Reply
  20. Rachel says

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    We sort of have a rule in my house. I shop, my husband wraps. I think in the end i still put more time in but my job is more fun.

    Reply
  21. Genny Gall says

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    Good point. No stress at all; Although, the RSVP is always to be a hassle for me. People do not answer on time

    Reply
    • Dana says

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      It amazes me, Genny! When I get an invite, I check my calendar. If I have plans I RSVP no, if I am free, I RSVP super fast. It’s not that hard, right?

      Reply
  22. Fatima Torres says

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    I always wish more people would set rules about gift-giving. We have family members who go above a beyond when it comes to gifts.

    Reply
  23. Marysa says

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    We are trying to start our holiday planning this year. These are great tips – holidays shouldn’t have to be so stressful!

    Reply
  24. Acupofassamtea says

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    That’s a great round-up, not just Christmas also for any other Holidays. A holiday can be really stressful if you don’t plan ahead.

    Reply
    • Dana says

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      You are so right! If there isn’t planning ahead of time, stress is usually lurking around!

      Reply
  25. Rika Livingston says

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    I love these tips! Holiday stress is real! I usually ask my husband to find gifts for relatives.

    Reply
    • Dana says

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      I’m so glad you like the tips, Rika!

      Reply
  26. Ana says

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    These are some wonderful tips to beat holiday stress! I also think of asking for help as sometimes it is too much work and asking help from family is a great alternative instead of doing everything on our own!

    Reply
    • Dana says

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      Asking for one or two things to be done by someone else will alleviate a lot of stress!

      Reply
  27. Yeah Lifestyle says

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    I agree, getting everything prepared in advance whether it is presents or food is so important for a stress free Christmas.

    Reply
  28. Enriqueta E Lemoine says

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    Ahhhh the holidays… we have them around the corner… i think Im going to save this and apply most of your advise… but the eating outside… there is no place like home for Christmas…

    Reply
  29. Khushboo Motihar says

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    I think we stress ourselves too much during the festive season. It is important to relax and bond with our families.

    Reply
  30. Amber Killmon says

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    Fantastic tips! The holidays can be really stressful, so finding ways to reduce that stress is key.

    Reply
    • Dana says

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      Thank you, Amber! I hope these tips help out!

      Reply
  31. Cindy Ingalls says

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    This is such a great reminder that you don’t have to do everything yourself. Share the holiday load. It’s more fun that way.

    Reply
  32. The Frugal Samurai says

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    Oh dear! Is it Christmas talk already, NOOO I haven’t achieved what I wanted to this year yet! Hahaha, great post and thank you for sharing, quality tips there!

    Reply
  33. Viva Glow says

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    Agree to everything! There’s so much hassle that comes with the holidays but if it is well planned out and everybody chips in on helping out, it would be a great celebration for everybody involved! Thanks for the tips!

    Reply

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