Nine Ways to Make the Holiday Season Less Stressful

1. Prioritize

You might not have time to write and mail out cards to every person you know. Narrow down your list and only send out Christmas cards to the people that would really appreciate them, like your grandma that's not on social media. For everyone else, you can send out emails or messages on social media. People often do more than they need to during the holiday season. If you prioritize, you'll be able to focus on the things that actually matter to you.

2. Avoid Traditions That Cause You Stress

You don't have to do Elf on the Shelf. It isn't a requirement to make an advent calendar at home. You don't have to squeeze in time for caroling. The holiday season is about joy. If a tradition is bringing you stress instead, it's time to leave it behind. Holiday traditions can be fun, but ultimately, what matters is that you and your family are spending time together. Say goodbye to traditions that cause you a lot of stress and focus on the rituals you and your family love.

3. Don't Focus On Perfection

You might feel pressure to get everything just right during the holidays. You might be tempted to spend hours searching for the perfect Christmas tree. You might want to go all out and offer seven different appetizers on Christmas day. Aiming for perfection can leave you feeling frazzled. Think about what would happen if you didn't do something. If you prepare one fewer appetizer or use an artificial tree, it's likely that no one will notice. No one will remember the little details when they look back at the holidays. Give yourself a break and stop aiming for perfection.

4. Focus on Having Fun

The holiday season should be fun! Kick back and give yourself a chance to enjoy Christmas festivities. Book childcare so that you'll be able to have fun without the kids. You may want to have a babysitter arrive an hour or so before you leave. That way, you'll have time to get ready, and your kids will be able to settle down before you head out the door. You could even hire a babysitter for the morning after a big party. That way, you can really cut loose and sleep in the next day.

5. Start Using Lists

There are a lot of things that need to be taken care of during the holidays. With lists, you can keep track of what you have and haven't done and avoided forgetting anything important. You should make shopping lists, ingredient lists, and other lists so that you can stay organized throughout the holidays.

6. Don't Do Everything Yourself

It's impossible for one person to handle everything. Delegate chores to the other members of your household. You may also want to have a babysitter handle childcare on days when you have a lot to do.

7. Don't Abandon Your Normal Routines

If you read to your kids before bed each night, or if you typically drink a cup of tea before you go to sleep, you shouldn't give that up so that you can take on more Christmas chores. Routines help to keep our lives stable. You shouldn't give that up during the holidays.

8. Cut Down Your Gift List

Shopping for presents can take a lot of time, which is why you'll want to cut back on gift-giving. You may want to limit yourself to buying presents for children, or arrange a secret Santa so that you don't have to buy presents for everyone. Do your shopping online so that you won't have to deal with crowded stores. If you do need to visit shops, you'll want to arrange for childcare so that you can focus on picking out the perfect presents. Littlemag.com has some great gift ideas.

9. Cut Back on Travel

Long trips in the car can be a big hassle. If you have a family that you want to visit, you may want to schedule those trips for after the holidays. Making a lot of trips in a short period of time can be stressful, especially for your children. If you spread out these visits, everyone will enjoy this family time more.