Why You Should Consider a New Holiday Stress-Buster

It isn't too late to try something new. Unfortunately, Thanksgiving and Christmas can easily morph from a time to give thanks into a time to fight, get angry, hurt feelings and generally stress out. The Thanksgiving food fight tradition may only occur on the Jerry Springer Show, yet the rest of the world is as adept at slinging insults as mashed potatoes and tossing accusations like dinner rolls. All families have issues and problems, but they are only exacerbated by holiday stress.

Lay the holiday anxiety and chaos aside. Researchers report that people are ten times more likely to experience a heart attack within an hour of eating a heavy meal alone. Pair this with bottled up aggression and anger, lack of sleep and overwork preparing food and panic over a happy Thanksgiving or Christmas, and you get death on a platter. Not to mention that this holiday is all about family. If one is too stressed to get along and open up to the warmth of the season, one might as well call the whole thing off.

There are easy steps to diminishing the unhappy dregs of the holiday season.

The first thing to do is start early. If it is your turn to cook the turkey this year and you are unacquainted with the whole bird, start searching for recipes, request tutorials from friends and/or watch cooking television shows that are sure to feature good tips and perhaps new ways to prepare a turkey. America's Test Kitchen's website offers excellent recipes and innovations for all sorts of dishes. But it isn't just about the food. If the house needs to be dusted before company arrives, if you intend to have centerpieces and decorations, if you need to borrow extra chairs, or what have you, figure these details out as early as possible.

Delegation

Lowered expectations

Most importantly, emphasize thanks. After all, it is the first part of the word Thanksgiving, and Christmas should be a time of thanks as well. Make a list of all the things you are thankful for this holiday season and meditate on it every day.

Give it a try. You just may find it will change your life. is without a doubt a necessary ingredient for a stress-free holiday. Those who are expecting the sky to open up and rain down joy and good cheer are going to be sorely disappointed. If you are hoping for something to be different this year, focus on change within yourself. You are the only person that you can control. Aside from that, less worrying about the whole affair will enable you to experience more happiness and reflect more to others. Is another key to stress-freedom. Delegating whenever possible in all parts of life is helpful, but giving out duties and bossing people around it not the intention here. Invite other family and/or friends to share in the planning and participate in the execution. If this is your first time hosting and preparing the meal, consider taking on the main dishes and asking others to bring side dishes. Nothing says Thanksgiving like a potluck. This may sound blasphemous to holiday idolizers, but the point is not just to feed your family food, but also love. Remember, love and stress can only tenuously exist together.