Christmas Stress: How to Have a Stress-Free Christmas – Is that Even Possible?

December is a crazy month.  Between Christmas parties and other holidays, visiting Santa and going to Santa Claus parades to Christmas shopping, to decorating the house, it can be overwhelming.

Bah-humbug you say?  Is it even possible to have a stress-free Christmas?

Why yes it is!

Here are some tips for you to enjoy a stress-free Christmas!

How to Have a Stress-Free Christmas

1.  Admit it, you’re not Martha Stewart and stop trying to be like Giada De Laurentis.  It ain’t gonna happen.  You’re more likely to resemble a Rachel Ray and you’re okay with that.  That means a 30-minute meal, or a potluck. Throw a stuffed Butterball turkey in the oven and you’re ready to go.  Ask everyone to bring a side dish.  Who cares who gets offended?  You’re overtired and overworked – you deserve a break!

2.   Rather than slave away in the kitchen baking ten different treats, narrow it down to one or two sweets.  Give the kids the choice – either shortbread or sugar cookies. Simple.  Too bad, kids!  They’ll get over it once you tell them you’ll let them decorate the cookies.  On one condition – you’ll set it up but they have to clean the mess.  Another idea? Skip the gingerbread house from scratch – buy it from the box and let the kids go nuts.

3.   Do your shopping online early. You’re already computer savvy and spending enough time on Twitter wasting precious time.  Make yourself useful and get your butt onto some popular shopping sites and online stores and avoid the line-ups.  Just be sure that shipping and/or customs and insurance won’t cost more than the gift itself!

4.   Avoid the malls on the weekend.  If you work, go on your lunch break.  Amazing what you can accomplish in an hour.  Also try very first thing in the morning before the malls get packed and you need to take valium.

5. Get creative with your gifts. Rather than the boring gift card, buy someone a subscription to a magazine, a certificate to the spa or a gym membership… although the latter may give out the wrong idea. Hey you need to get into shape and lose that muffin top!”  But it’s all about being healthy, right?

6.  No time to wrap?  Easy! Visit the dollar store and buy a bunch of bags. Plop the gift inside and save hours of wrapping time – and paper! If you don’t care about pretty bags and wrap, buy a reusable bag from your favourite store – the gift that keeps giving!

7.  Get your kids to decorate the tree.  Who cares if the top half is empty?  It’ll have its own charm.

8.   Do a Kris Kringle. Have a big family?  Then stop the $10 gifts for every aunt and cousin on your never-ending list.  Instead, at Thanksgiving when the whole family is together, do a Kris Kringle draw.  Set a budget of $50 or $100 for just one gift.  If there are too many kids in the family, let the kids have their own separate Kris Kringle.

9.  Learn to say NO.  Invited to a dozen Christmas parties?  You can’t be in two places at once.  No matter how much you think you’ll miss, you won’t.  They may not miss you either.  Be picky and only attend the “must-go” events where you know you must-be seen.

Try some of these tricks and you’ll notice that your heart will grow two sizes. If all else fails, crack open that Egg Nog and spike it good!

What is your tip for a stress-free Christmas?