For such a beautiful season, Christmas can be stressful. It’s the time of year when we are bouncing from parties, social events, workplace gatherings, and family get-togethers. There’s the planning, the shopping, and the prepping. The thing is, we bring stress upon ourselves, making more work than we should. Saying yes to all the invitations when we know our time is limited. How can we have a stress-free Christmas, when we have people to see, places to go, and tons of things to do?
We know Christmas arrives on schedule every year, but for whatever reason, we tend to procrastinate, putting off what we should do today and leaving it for tomorrow. Before you know it, you have only but a few days before Christmas, and you didn’t even get your shopping started, not to mention your baking… just saying. Talk about stressful. The key is to start prepping early, pre-plan. Write everything in a notepad, from gifts to entertainment, from what you’ll bake, to the ingredients you’ll need. It will keep everything in one place.
CHANGE IT UP, FOR A CHANGE
In the past, I was all for decorating the entire house in a Christmas motif. But this year I opted for the one room only rule. Who’s rule? Who cares, besides, what I discovered is I prefer the minimalist approach to decorating. The “less is more” concept works well, for this year, that is.
What about breaking free from tradition? Not that difficult, you just have to decide this is the year for changing it from how it was and if you want, just revert back, next year. Instead of baking, why not head for a local bakery? How do you feel about a catered venue? Potluck anyone?
If you are hosting Christmas, why not get the help you need? What about a task draw? On slips of festive colored paper, write the chores, for example, clear dishes from the table, wash dishes, dry dishes, load the dishwasher, empty dishwasher, etc. You get my drift. Place these pieces of paper into a Christmas basket for each guest to draw from. Easy-peasy. Oh, and where’s the host? She’s in her favorite chair by the fireplace (no fireplace, substitute candles) with her favorite beverage… ah, nice.
We will be more successful in all our endeavors if we can let go of the habit of running all the time, and take little pauses to relax and re-center ourselves. And we’ll also have a lot more joy in living.
Overeat, over-drink, overindulge, stay up late, get up early will play havoc with your health. It’s best to stick to routines. If you need downtime, take it. If you need to go to the gym, go to the gym. Why not enjoy eggnog, a cafe latte, or hot cocoa, some quiet time with a good book?
FROM A STRESSFUL CHRISTMAS TO A STRESS-FREE CHRISTMAS
Christmas is a time for everyone, which includes the host. So, you do you. And what you will find is everything will magically fall into place. What if it isn’t perfect? Who really cares, after all, everyone is there to enjoy the time of togetherness. The important thing is to have fun. No-fuss, no muss, no worry, just a simple Christmas that is meant to be enjoyed.
Remember, anything stressful is far from relaxing. Stress impacts the immune system. And we all know what happens… we contract the nasties, like a cold or the flu, not great when you have way too much to do. You have to take care of you. It’s up to you to create stress-free surroundings. So, find your favorite corner, and plant yourself in a comfy chair. Now isn’t that better?
A holiday is an opportunity to journey within. It is also a chance to chill, to relax. It is when I switch on my rest mode.
The Christmas season is when we enjoy time with those we love. Listen to the carols, eat those yummy cookies, and enjoy the festivities. But don’t get so wrapped up in perfection and wound up in a tight ball that you forget what it’s all about. The thing is, we get so hung up on the wrong things that we end up not enjoying the right things.
Let go, unwind, relax, and enjoy a stress-free Christmas.