Stress-free Holiday Season
Holidays have already started. There are a lot of events going on. Streets are filled with Christmas decorations. In addition, Christmas songs and carols can be heard in all places. And now that Christmas is fast approaching, people are busy decorating their houses, buying their presents, planning their special meals and even packing for their Christmas vacations.
Christmas season is all about the spirit of joy, excitement, family, love and happiness. But above all of those, stress is a challenge to face. There is a lot of hustle making that special occasion to be perfect. You have to decorate your house so that it’s pleasing to see especially for your guests. You are invited to a lot of parties. You have to budget your money for the gifts to your loved ones and plan for the food you will prepare. With all of these circumstances, stress is something you cannot avoid. You worry about a lot of things. You are confused of what to do with all these holiday preparations. And with being stressed, your immune system can be compromised, thus, acquiring diseases that can make you sick.
Surely, you cannot afford to be stressed and to be mentally unprepared this season. These tips can help you for a stress-free holiday season.
- Plan ahead
Planning ahead of time can make things organized. You can plan a month before the holidays so that you will not be running 
out of time by then. It also helps if you brainstorm the previous Christmas and New Year so that you know what to do and to avoid doing. You can do this with your family and your loved ones.
Plan what to do on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year so that you have your mind set on what to prepare and what to expect. Writing down your “to-do” list also helps.
- Know your budget
Budget is very important in any occasion. It is necessary to determine your budget to know your limitations. This also helps you to avoid overspending and not to get you overboard.
Equally divide and allocate money to food, gifts, decorations and other things needed. But remember, whether how big or little your budget is, what’s more important is the happiness you have with your family.
- Prepare your menu and buy non-perishable goods earlier
After knowing your budget and allocating a part for the food, prepare the menu for the occasion. Doing this avoids the hustle of being anxious about what to prepare and cook on the day itself. When preparing a menu, consider who your guests will be and who will be eating. Some guests prefer vegetables rather than meat or if you will be having children as guests, consider foods that are more palatable.
Purchase non-perishable goods ahead of time so as to escape the holiday rush on the groceries and supermarkets. Learn to stock goods to your shelf.
- Buy and wrap gifts ahead of time
In buying gifts, choose people who are really close to your heart. Check the sale in stores and shops to spend less. Also, do 
wrap them earlier and put tags on to them so that you will know if there are still people you wanted to give gifts.
- Decorate simply
When it comes to Christmas decorations, it is better not to buy anymore. Try using the previous decors. Learn to mix and match. You can also add ribbons, flowers and some lights. Be creative; maybe decorate together with your family as a bonding time.
- Learn to delegate tasks
Do not attempt to do things all by yourself as this will burn you out. If you can afford hiring someone to help you out, do so. But if you do not have enough in your budget, you can always ask your family members to help you out. For an instance, someone is washing the dishes while others are cleaning the house and preparing the table. Get your family members involved.
- Recharge and Relax
In every busy day, you always need to take time to recharge and relax. Take time to rest and listen to relaxing and soothing music. You can also go for a walk at the park with your pet or you can treat yourself for a massage if you have an extra budget.
Indeed, holidays can make you stressed but don’t let that get to you. Don’t pressure yourself in making everything to be perfect. The most important thing is the warmth and love of your family this holiday season.
Happy Stress Free day
Johanna Oosterwijk N.D.