How Not to Let Stress Ruin Your Holidays

Holidays are time for traditions, fun, friends and families sharing the joy. But what if you are the one who is in charge of making sure the family holiday traditions are carried on, organizing, baking, invitations, decorating, and the holiday shopping. Unless you have super powers it can get to be a little too much.

In today's fast paced society holiday Stress is a given. We may not be able to eliminate holiday stress but careful pre planning and organization can ease the pressure. By making lists and schedules you will be using your time more efficiently to do your holiday tasks.

Start a few weeks before the holidays arrive. Plan menus; write out what foods and drinks will be served, at each function. Make your shopping list and calculate preparation times. Go to the store and get everything in advance except for the perishables. Mark the items off your list that you have. And what perishables you will need. Allot time to go to the store for the perishable items such as fresh fruits and vegetables the day before. Most of the holiday baking can be done within the 2 weeks leading up to the event. Most candies can be prepared up to 2 weeks in advance. Cookies and cakes can be prepared and frozen. Thaw and decorate them a day or two before the gathering. Soups, and some side dishes and main entrées can also be made in advance and frozen.

Get your holiday invitations out early. Make a list of those invited, write them out and mail them off the next day or give them a call and tell them to mark it on their calendar.

Most of the holiday decorating can be done in a weekend. Divide it into 2 days. On day one get your decorations out and cleaned off. Put the main holiday decorations up set back and look around, decide what finishing touches are needed. Day 2 do the final touch ups, adding the accents to the room. If you get this accomplished at the start of the holiday season you will have time to make changes as you see fit before the holiday actually arrives. Remember you don't have to fill the room with every holiday decoration you own. Decorations do not make the holiday, they are accents to add atmosphere to a festive occasion.

Holiday gift shopping can be virtually hassle free. Plan in advance and make your list. Write down the names of the people you will be buying for. Beside the name write a few gift ideas to choose from, just incase your first gift of choice is for some reason unavailable. Don't forget to add holiday wrapping paper to the list. Using the wonders of modern technology shopping via the Internet is the way to go. Make sure you consider the time it will take for delivery. Sit in your comfy chair with a cup of cocoa, put on a little holiday music for atmosphere and shop around for the best deal. Most sites are automated making it easy to place an order day or night. No lines to stand in, no aching back at the end of the day, no putting up with other people who have already meant their holiday stress level.

If you do insist on doing your holiday shopping the old fashioned way you can make it much less stressful if after you have completed your gift list, make a list of the stores that sell the items you have written down. Figure out what driving route will take the least amount of time going from store to store, take into consideration the times the stores open and close and the congestion of the driving routes. You may need to break your list down. Shop one side of town one day and plan on shopping the other side of town later on a different day. You will want to go as early in the morning as you can to avoid the afternoon and evening crowds.

What ever method of holiday shopping you decide upon remember to have your list and pencil with you to cross off the name and write down the gift that was purchased.

Wrapping all the holiday gifts all at the last minute can be exasperating. Wrap them and put a nametag on them the night you bring them home, or the day after.

Holidays are a time for pleasure. Remember to take time out for yourself in between performing your holiday tasks. Take a walk in dance around to holiday music or take a nice long soak in the tub.

Last but not least ,I will share the best holiday stress reliever and energizer I know. Take some time to actually spend time with a child and try to see the wonderment through their eyes. If you truly believe in the holiday spirit taking part in the creation of the celebrations is not too much of a chore.