Editor’s Dose: All I Want for Christmas is… Less Stress!

Well, the Christmas season is here. Another year has come and gone, and we’re staring down the future at the threshold of 2015. But, before I get too far ahead of myself, I try to spend the last month of the year focusing on living in the moment and not getting too caught up in the all the holiday hype. As a parent, it’s so easy to feel pulled in a million different directions. We have cards to send, socials to attend, potlucks to prepare for, donations to give, presents to buy, decorations to hang, family and friends to visit . . . and I don’t need to go on because you know what I’m talking about!

Rather than get frustrated when things don’t go according to plan (because they never do), I like to practice some holiday traditions to relax. Here are my favorite holiday stress reducers! If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed this season, give these a try, and you might just feel a little less pressured and a lot more poised to just enjoy this time with your family:

  1. Shop online instead of in a store. Sometimes I get stressed by the traffic and crowds— and that’s when I open the laptop. With free site-to-store shipping from many major department stores, I can get just what I want, without paying more than if I endured the traditional shopping experience.
  2. Light a holiday candle and read. Try cozying up with a holiday classic novel. Watching A Christmas Carol on TV is not the same, and this quiet time will make all the difference, even if it’s in small doses of 20-30 minutes at a time.
  3. If you have little ones like we do, then pile the kids in the car after dark and go for a leisurely drive looking at Christmas lights. There’s nothing more exciting than the holiday season through the eyes of a child! You can sit back and soak in their joy, because the kids will be completely enamored by the twinkling decorations. Plus, you will be blessed with a few moments of free entertainment!

Have a safe holiday season, and remember that this time of year doesn’t have to be stressful. It can be anything you choose to make it! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Celeste Jo Walls
Managing Editor

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