Taking the Stress Out of Christmas

For many, Christmas is all about giving and receiving presents. This creates a lot of stress because, not only do we have to figure out what to get everyone, we have to come up with the money as well. Moreover, if we don't have the money, we feel guilty, sad, or depressed.

Lately I've seen a change in the Christmas season. It used to be that everyone was so much friendlier around this time of year. Everyone was helpful and smiling. Now everyone is irritable and walks around with sagging faces.

Christmas is such a special time of year. Yet, the real reason it's so wonderful is not the gifts. I am not saying it's because of the religious reasons behind it, because many people that celebrate the holiday don't have a specific faith.

What's great about Christmas is the coziness, the togetherness, and the warmth; seeing the lights sparkling in our homes, towns, and cities; smelling cookies baking, or enjoying a delicious meal with family and friends. These things make Christmas special.

The gifts are great too, I'll admit. We all love to get presents and we love to see the smile on someone else's face when they receive a gift from us. It seems lately however, that there is more anxiety and stress over the gift aspect of the holiday than there is joy.

This isn't to say that we should cut gifts out of Christmas (unless of course you want to), it's just to point out that, maybe a shift in focus is needed. Instead of panicking about what gifts to buy for whom, and how much it's going to cost, maybe we should focus on the other wonderful things about Christmas.

There are many things we can do to have a delightful time this season

1. Many cities have Christmas parades or do Santa's Villages. This can be a great way to spend time with the family, enjoying the lights and the spirit of Christmas, and it usually doesn't cost a thing.

2. If you really want to give a special gift, consider volunteering at a homeless shelter or at your local senior care facility. You don't have to pay anything and the gift you give will make an incredible difference. If you have a family, you could even volunteer together.

3. You could do a Christmas party. This may sound like it will be expensive, but it doesn't have to be. Make it a potluck. Have everyone invited bring a dish. You'll have plenty of food this way, and no one will be stuck spending a bundle of money on a huge dinner or left to prepare it themselves. Having friends over and games to play will make the kids happy as well.

4. There's no need to over do it with the decorations. Sometimes we spend more money on this then we do on gifts. If you have decorations from last year, use those. You can also find some really inexpensive decorations at places like the Dollar Store, Walgreens, and even the Goodwill. Just a few things put in the right places will give your home that warm Christmas feel.

5. Instead of buying numerous big expensive gifts for the kids, why not purchase less expensive ones and make the gift giving more fun instead. Turn it into a treasure hunt. My boyfriend did this for my birthday, and it was a lot of fun.

The kids will really love it. Just hide the first gift somewhere and provide a clue about its location. Once they find that gift, there will be another clue with it about the location of the next. The gifts don't have to be spectacular; the thrill of hunting for them and finding them will enhance their value.

There are many ways we can enjoy Christmas together without stressing ourselves out over money, time, and gifts. The above suggestions are just a few of those ways. Christmas loses its value if no ones having a good time so, if you're struggling this year, talk to your family about ways you can improve this holiday season and have a wonderful time without going broke.