The holiday season is beautiful, in theory. Stunning lights, gingerbread men, family memories, perfectly-wrapped presents. And then you start thinking about the work it takes to make those things happen. Suddenly the time of year that is supposed to be the most peaceful, joyful and fun, turns out to be the most hurried and stressful.
There’s a lot to do, sure, but it’s partially my fault. I’m notorious for doing things at the last minute. (Anyone else out there? Anyone?) I’m not good at the planning, and I also don’t get my heart ready for the season. I just dive right in.
I’m re-thinking this whole holiday thing, and realizing it doesn’t have to be as hard as I make it. There are some things I’ve learned, both through experience and recently from others, that help make it the season I hope it will be. Here are some secrets for a stress-free holiday, that actually apply to life in general, too. (Affiliate links included.)
- Prepare yourself as the season approaches. Elizabeth of LizzyLife has guest posted here before, and you may have heard me mention her at other points too, because I just think her sharing and advice are brilliant. She wrote a post recently called, “10 Questions to Ask NOW to Have Your Best December Ever,” and it’s equally as brilliant. I’ve found that the more I prepare my mind ahead of time for situations I’m anxious about, the better those situations end up. The holiday season is no different.
- Let go of entitlement. If you follow me on Instagram, you know I’ve been reading the book Grace for the Good Girl by Emily P. Freeman. It’s incredible. This part makes more sense in context (I’ll let you read it on your own), but she asked interesting questions at the end one of the chapters: “What are some of the rights you hold tightly in your hand? Are you willing to release them in exchange for Jesus?” I hold onto lots of rights, but particular ones when it comes to the holidays: the right to a picture-perfect Christmas, and the right to have nothing in my way when it comes to that perfection. When I hold onto my rights, I let myself get angry, frazzled, cranky, and judgmental. When I let them go, there’s so much more room to see God work, to see joy in the imperfect, and to savor the moment.
- Sit down and make a plan. It’s actually kind of a holiday tradition now for my husband and I to plan out our Christmas gifts for family and friends. It’s fun to think about what they would enjoy, and it also keeps us from scrambling around too much at the last minute. Also, we didn’t do it this year, but I think in the coming years we’ll need to get better organized about planning for events we’ll want to attend, and even looking up local activities to go to as a family. There’s always so many cool things to do during the holiday season – it’ll be fun to enjoy them together.
- There’s always time for hot chocolate. I can spend so much time running around this season that I don’t stop to enjoy the little things. Somewhere between wrapping packages, ordering cards, and all the everyday chores that don’t go away even though you’re super busy, stop and take a little time to enjoy something seasonal. Just drive around and look at the lights, watch a cheesy holiday flick, or snuggle in front of a fire. Take time to breathe.
What secrets do you have that help you stress less during the holidays? Or life in general?
YES to making a plan! Having a plan relieves SO MUCH stress!
It’s true, and it’s also my biggest weakness!