Written by Samantha
For most of us, what should be “the most wonderful time of the year”- is actually one of the most stressful times of year. Presents to buy and wrap…Cards to send…Decorations to put up…X number of parties to attend… Baking to do…
Finding the “perfect” gift for everyone on your list is next to impossible. Sometimes you have to settle for “good enough”, because there isn’t enough time or money to go around. For many, just being around extended family is a strain in itself. So, IW wants to know. How do you handle the stress of the Holidays?
Tags: Coping with Holiday stress, Holiday stress, Holiday to do lists, Surviving Christmas
I take a breather and come to IW. I pace myself too. As of right now and I have my cup of tea right beside me. I like a mindless sitcom, a cup of tea and the pc for awhile. In a few minutes, I’ll be putting together two gingerbread houses to be ready for decorating tomorrow. I haven’t even started the bases for them yet, so I can prob forget about finishing the blue room tonight (it used to be called the lib, then the toy room, now it’s the catchall “blue room”). Oh well, the tea is sweet and company is good.
These help.
I’m pretty lucky because my sister in law is disabled and I get to be the baby-wrangler for her. I can pretty much ignore the adult drama and just play with my niece. Her biggest drama is pulling the wrappers off crayons, whether or not I’ll let her watch It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown for the fiftieth time, or if I will lock up the piggy dog because she doesn’t like him and it distracts her from the little dog. Three year olds are remarkably easy and blissfully drama free.
Enjoy the baby, Erin Kate. I imagine playing with a little one is nice knowing the stressful work you have. Thanks for the recipe for the mimosas. I love, love, love vanilla beans, cranberry, and white wine. Why wouldn’t I love them together?
Ann, you will absolutely love them together. There are other awesome champagne drinks on there, but my little brother and I mixed these last year and they rock.
OMG, I am going to have to try those mimosas – sooner rather than later! Thank you for passing that on.
I love the title of this article, Samantha.
This holiday year has been a little more stressful than some for me. It helps when I mentally check things off my list, e.g. last work-related holiday event! LOL. At this point, it sounds bad, but I am just kind of looking forward to 12/26 and then a quiet new year’s.
Lily, tea and a mindless TV show sounds perfect. I haven’t even picked up a book in a couple of weeks. Usually I love reading, but I have been too tired to concentrate. I’ll be getting books for Christmas, however, and I will look forward to losing myself in a book again!
Three year olds are remarkably easy and blissfully drama free.
I hope she has a great Christmas. Is the little dog she likes one of yours?
Erin Kate, only aunts say things like that.
Anya, hope it’s getting less stressful.
Lily, her drama is funny, plus I get to give her back. The last time she was down her dad wouldn’t let her go in the hot tub and she started to cry and screamed “You ruined my life!” I’m staying with her this weekend and she has McDonald’s for dinner and just told me “Auntie, fries aren’t potatoes, they are just fries.” I started to laugh and she said “Don’t make fun of me, Auntie, I mean it!” Ha ha. She likes Wicky, my dog because she is little but she hates the “piggy dog” (Willy) because he is too fat. He has piggy eyes, and a piggy nose, and a piggy tail, and a piggy mouth. We don’t know where it came from, but she says it every time we talk about him.
“You ruined my life!”
That is too funny. Love it from a 3yo.
It’s a wonder where they get their ideas about things like the piggy dog, that’s what makes them so cute. It’s always a great Christmas when there’s a little one to watch open their presents and see all the good stuff of the holidays through their eyes.
Cyber shopping helps quite a bit. Reduces some of the stress. Also having vacation time at least a few days before the holidays is a big stress reducer.
For me it is not so stressful anymore. With age I have learned to not expect great things. Just a nice quiet day with my family, good food and a few gifts. Anything beyond that is a real bonus.
I hope everyone is able to enjoy their Holidays this year and to not expect too much from themselves. Relax and enjoy the moments for what they are.
I say less is more. I typically don’t think about Christmas until after the 15th for a reason. I plan a head for what I want to get and spend two days going to the stores I need to go to. Right now, I’m pratically done just odd and ends. I’m not a baker and so cookies out of the box is fine in our family and hopefully by Monday afternoon I can send off last minute parcels and the rest of the week it’s just enjoying time with friends and family. For me, stressing about the Holiday’s is silly and why use up energy when you can do something else that’s fun?