Let’s be honest: The holidays can be a stressful time of year. While movies depict happy families laughing around the kitchen table or in front of the fireplace, that’s often not the reality we face as mothers. During this time of year, we are often more stressed and busier than ever. I know I’m falling into a trap, but every year I vow to focus on what’s really important and try to manage holiday stress.
I want the holidays to be filled with warm memories for my family, but it’s easy to get caught up in the festivities of this season (just kidding). We often have so much to do that it is difficult to be with our loved ones. Do you ever feel like you’re losing your mind during the holidays?
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There has to be a better way!
Can it be simplified? holiday season?
For many years I have been looking for ways to make the holidays special while giving children traditions and memories that bring them joy. Things that have worked for us include prioritizing experiences over material gifts, limiting the number of gifts per person, and focusing on the spirit of giving rather than receiving. .
That aside, despite our best intentions, it’s hard to recognize external forces acting on us. There are so many things on our to-do lists and so much pressure to make our vacation perfect. However, I believe that we can resist some of the stress and pressure that social media and society puts on us.
refuse holiday stress for us mental health happiness
As the holiday season approaches, we are bombarded with panic-inducing messages like “X days until Christmas!” With marketing starting as early as October, from TV ads to social media to store displays, it’s easy to feel your stress levels rising. This kind of holiday stress can’t be good for us or our mental health.
This is an unwanted vacation for our family. You don’t want to rush or panic about buying enough and running enough. Instead, we all long to spend time with our loved ones, create memories, and spend time together in less stressful situations.
So I say…Let’s take Christmas back this year! This may not be the year to magically make the holidays the living embodiment of an article in Real Simple magazine. But this could be the year you and your family create enough space to form and enjoy holiday traditions.
Don’t we owe it to our children to create safe, stress-free holidays, deal with stressors, and remember them as the most wonderful time of the year? Maybe it doesn’t take that long. yeah.
Manage holiday stress through minimalism
Our family has become big fans of minimalism. This has allowed us to define what’s really important to us, and made it easier to remove what doesn’t add value. Minimalism also helps our schedules. We know our family values, so we only say yes to things that align with those values.
One of the biggest ways to simplify the holidays is to gift only one material per person. Some may think this is extreme, but over the years I have found that experiences mean more to my family than material gifts. Not only does it fit with our minimalist lifestyle, but it also helps with the financial stress that sometimes creeps in during the holidays.
There are many opportunities for fun and festive events during the holidays, but we don’t participate in them all. It’s impossible to attend every holiday party or festival, so choose the ones that are most meaningful to you. This lifestyle choice has removed some of the stressors from an already busy season.
7 steps to simplify your holiday season
There are so many fun activities and things you don’t want to miss that you can’t cancel everything. I find it helpful to create realistic expectations and set boundaries. I use these steps to help me focus on my family instead of “all the things I have to do.”
1. Evaluate your favorite traditions
Look back on past Christmases. What is your most cherished memory? What did you enjoy doing and what do you always look forward to? These are from when you were a child or spent time with your children maybe.
Perhaps the best memories are not about things, but about time spent with loved ones. Maybe you made cookies with your family or made a DIY tree garland together. Or maybe he was drinking homemade hot cocoa and driving his car, looking at the lights.
Take note of anything that stands out as a tradition you would like to recreate. And share your ideas with your family. Ask if there is anything they would like to do during this time.
2. Schedule your essentials
Create a “to-do” list using a list of your favorite holiday memories as inspiration. Keep this list short (3-5 items). Narrow down to what really matters most.
Of course, these essential traditions change over the years as your family grows. That’s the beauty. There may be special circumstances (such as a newborn baby, travel plans, illness of a relative, or a tight budget). Reevaluate, adjust, and limit yourself to what brings you the most joy this year.
Prioritize traditions that help you connect with friends and family. Mark it on your calendar now. Remember, the key to managing holiday stress is to create intentional downtime. Say “yes” to things that bring you joy and “no” to everything else. Your future self will thank you for giving yourself some leeway in your schedule.
3. Identify stress triggers
We all have little habits that rob us of joy. You may find yourself shopping online in the middle of the night when you can’t sleep. At 10pm on Christmas Eve, it might be the urge to rush to the store to buy more presents. Or your digestion may be slowed down by overeating. Or maybe you’re staying up late to get it all done.
If we could identify just one or two things that stress us out each year and eliminate them, that would seem like a kind of good minimalism. Decide what you’re going to say “no” to this year (and tell someone to hold you accountable).
Four. Manage holiday stress with a budget
This is pretty common advice, I know. But I can think back to years when I didn’t do that, or at least didn’t commit to anything more than a vague idea of how much was “too much.”
Giving gifts brings joy and is a worthy tradition. But it’s important to be intentional about what you buy.rather shocking statistics That means in the United States, only 1% of the products we buy are still in use six months later. Yes…only 1%! That makes sense, right? It only takes a moment to get excited about something new.
In fact, we tend to remember and value experiences more than material things. These become the stories we tell and relive. Setting a budget and choosing the types of gifts you give carefully can help you feel less overwhelmed and appreciate what you have.
5. Specify a day or week of “give back”
Children often feel distressed when they make space for what they receive or focus on giving rather than receiving. You say you’re getting rid of something and suddenly it becomes their “favorite.” am I right?
Designating a “give back” day (even a week if you like) gives everyone a chance to get in the right mindset and know what is expected of them. This article has some helpful tips to help children get involved.
6. Keep track of purchased gifts
If it’s in the back of your closet, it’s easy to lose track of what you’re giving away or what you’ve already bought. I like to take photos and keep the album in a safe place (where kids can’t access it) so I have a digital record. Use an app like Evernote or Remember the Milk, or save it to Dropbox. google keep folder. Don’t forget to keep track of small items such as stocking stuffers. You can save screenshots of the Experience Gifts you purchase.
Before purchasing, please allow a cooling period to look at the album and decide if it is the right choice. You can also move images to new albums or folders to keep track of returns and gifts that didn’t qualify but might be considered next year.
7. When things go wrong, express gratitude.
Traditions develop little by little each year, sometimes without any prior planning. By learning to let go of memories and let reality take its course, we make room to share our experiences with those we love most. Be grateful for what you have and give your children and yourself the greatest gift of all: contented parents who live in the moment.
How do you stay grounded during the holidays? What traditions would you like to make space for?