Relieve Holiday Stress: Organize Holiday Activities in Advance

The holidays are a great time for families to gather together and cherish quality time. Do you often get caught up with the bustle of the holiday season? Busy work can lead to being excluded from festive celebrations and quality family time you don't want to miss. Don't get caught up in the stress of holiday busy work; plan ahead, organize your time and enjoy your family this holiday season.

It's a yearly family reunion at my home during the holidays. We all get excited about the festive activities we will be participating in prior to Christmas. With the all the activity it's difficult to find time for shopping, wrapping, cooking, cleaning and squeezing in quality family time. I have learned some simple steps in relieving holiday stress by preparing holiday activities in advance.

Prepare baked goods, meals, preserves and candies in advance. Freeze preparations until needed. This is a great opportunity to create special gifts for your family by preparing their favorite meals and treats.

Coordinate a schedule and write upcoming events on your calendar. Organize reservations for restaurants, purchase tickets for shows and make proper arrangements for other activities in advance.

Take up the offer when family asks to help. They wouldn't ask if they didn't want to be included. Sometimes the help received during the holidays will become a cherished memory. I have many fond memories of time spent in the kitchen, decorating or wrapping presents.

Children love to participate in decorating. Allow them to have free expression by designating an area where they can contribute to the holiday decorating. This is something they can look forward to every year with a sense of holiday tradition.

Keep hand-made decorations to use again next year. I love keeping my children's seasonal artwork. I smile each year as the keepsakes bring memories of my children's first Christmas, tiny hands or a first snow experience.

Consider using paper plates for some of the meals. A lot of time is spent washing dishes in my home. It's a great treat to myself to receive a break from dish duty every once in awhile. I would much rather sip hot cocoa and listen to holiday music among my family.

Try to get all your shopping and wrapping done early, you have all year! In this case, I still have much room for improvement, but I know it's doable!

Cut corners to relieve holiday stress anyway you can. Make this holiday simple and enjoyable for everyone. Resist the urge to take on big loads to impress. You won't regret spending joyful time with your family.