It’s the most wonderful time of year…for setting boundaries and prioritizing self care. Listen, playing Santa is no easy feat. Whether you’re working longer hours, decorating your home, or finding the perfect gift, holiday stress shimmy’s its way down all of our chimneys. But its unwelcome gift of irritability and anxiety don’t have to sour your holiday. Here are some tips to manage holiday stress for a fun (and emotionally stable) holiday season.
What Causes Holiday Stress?
Our year-round lives don’t stop to make room for the busyness of Thanksgiving or Christmas. Holiday shopping, festive activities and decorating are just piled on top of regular work hours, taking care of the kids and paying bills.
Because of this, there are so many opportunities for stress.
For instance, holiday work stress can be due to longer hours, increased home activity, and interaction with stressed customers. Of course, family can also be a holiday stressor due to opposing beliefs or unaddressed tension.
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And let’s not forget about our beloved parents during this season…
Holiday stress statistics show that parents are understandably more stressed than adults without kids during the holidays. According to a A 2021 survey conducted by the American Psychological Association, parents are more stressed about traveling for the holidays (40% vs. 27%), affording holiday gifts (53% vs. 43%), working longer hours (46% vs. 26%) and more. Additionally, the survey showed that moms are more likely than dads to be worried about affording holiday gifts (61% vs. 47%).
I gleaned two things from these statistics. 1. Be sure to thank those who made your childhood Christmases special. 2. It will behoove all of us to incorporate a few holiday stress coping mechanisms to avoid being the family scrooge this Christmas.
So without further ado…
5 Holiday Stress Tips
1. Set a Realistic Gift Budget and Stick to It
The “pay now and think later” method that we’ve all become accustom to thanks to Klarna and After Pay will only add to your holiday stress. The best way to avoid holiday shopping stress is to be realistic about your financial limits. Here are a few tips to do just that:
- Have an honest conversation with friends and family about your budgetary limits on gift giving and social events this year
- Set a monetary limit for each person on your gift list
- Consider different types of gifts like acts of service, homemade gifts or memorable experience (think cooking classes, cleaning their home or a homemade bath bomb)
- Use a spreadsheet to keep track of your spending
- Shop with cash where possible
2. Plan Ahead for Holiday Activities
The holidays are full of fun events like Friendsmas parties, Secret Santa nights and Cookie Bake Offs. Using a planner can help take the pressure off of remembering the when and where of every event this season and prevent double booking. Digital planners are super convenient and perfect for on-the-go. However, if you’re a lover of modernly designed stationary products like me, this 2024 Christian Planner is a great option.
Christian Planner is purposed to be the anchor you need to keep Christ the center of your daily life. This planner is specifically designed to help you to stay on top of your daily routine, focus on your long-term goals, and prioritize quality time with God.
It’s beautifully crafted with gold-foiling text on the cover and spine. Choose from 7 colors in a spiral or hardcover binding! Interior features include sermon notes, a vision board, and a daily healthy habit tracker to keep you organized during the busy holiday season. Shop the planner here!
3. Make Time for Self-care
Mental health can be challenging during holidays. The 2021 APA survey I mentioned above tested holiday anxiety. “Adults are five times more likely to say the level of stress in their life increases rather than decreases (41% vs. 7%). It’s important to slow down and take breaks for holiday stress relief. Choose a favorite hobby to unplug from the chaos, or take up a new one! Reading by a cozy fireplace, baking, or playing board games are popular choices for the holiday season. Actively schedule “me time” like all other activities with a planner. FWI, setting boundaries is a form of self-care. Through the holiday madness, occasionally check in with your emotions and make decisions accordingly.
4. Practice Gratitude with Devotionals
The best thing you can do for your spirit is show gratitude for all you have. Christian devotionals are perfect for short sessions of reflection and coping with holiday stress.
This devotional deck from Christian Planner contains 50 beautifully designed scripture cards with a chic wooden display stand. Choose from the “Faith Moves Mountains” deck, which focuses on meeting life’s challenges, or the “Peace Be Still” deck, which focuses on casting our anxieties to God. Either deck can help you navigate holiday stress. There’s also a bundle option!
5. Stay Active to Relieve Tension
Participating in 30 minutes of strength training, yoga, or walking can help combat holiday stress. The key is to keep your mind and body loose. Exercise helps with Increased endorphin release, muscle relaxation, and an improved mood. Exercise is also a great distraction from whatever is causing the stress. There are numerous online resources for brief, at-home exercises to destress during the holidays. Yoga with Kassandra has 5 to 45-minute session videos, and MadFit posts equipment-free workout sessions along with dance workouts. She even has two Christmas dance workouts!
