Although most everyone loves the holiday season, it can also be a time of stress. There never seems to be enough time to get everything done. Decorating, shopping, baking, cooking, wrapping presents, parties, and visiting with families and friends can make this wonderful time of the year overwhelming. Saying “yes” to every request can sometimes result in feeling exhausted. This holiday season, make a commitment to set some boundaries and “savor each moment”. Here are a few tips for trying to achieving that:
- Take care of yourself! This means something different to each of us:
- Spend time alone. Pray. Meditate.
- Enjoy the wonderful church celebrations/activities and masses. They are beautiful and heartwarming.
- Get enough sleep.
- Practice gratitude.
- Take time to relax and not over extend yourself.
- Pamper yourself “a little.” Take a lingering bath, get a manicure or hair done, listen to music, read. Do what YOU enjoy doing!
- Practice self-control with eating and drinking and plan accordingly when going to parties, family gatherings and other holiday events.
- Don’t forget to exercise!
- Give yourself permission to say “no”. This includes parties, gift giving, baking cookies or decorating your house. Just because you have always “done it that way”, doesn’t mean you need to keep doing it! Ask yourself it if is “value added” and if it is, then it’s fine to continue doing it.
- Ask others to help. I know most of us don’t like to ask for help when hosting an event or preparing for the holidays, but maybe you could reconsider? Asking people to bring a dish to pass at a party or inviting family or friends to trim your tree will alleviate some stressful details of the holiday and can be fun! Start a new tradition of baking with your friends or family. It is a great way to pass on those precious family recipes to our loved ones. Make a day of decorating the tree and house with family. Another great tradition!
- Look for opportunities to do holiday preparation a little easier. This might include purchasing part of a holiday meal from a store, ordering groceries or gifts online instead of going to the store and standing in the long lines. Instead of baking all of those desserts for Christmas, consider buying a few fancy ones at the bakery?
- Keep the conversations, light and fun. Take the opportunity to reminisce about “past holidays”. This is a great time to share videos/pictures from prior years! Stay clear of politics and stressful events of the year. If people get into disagreements about politically charged discussions, steer the conversation into something “lighter.”
- Ask family and friends to “refrain” from talking and texting on the phone during family gatherings. Decorate a basket and ask everyone to put their phones in the basket. This is a great opportunity for them to “disconnect” for a few hours, be “present in the moment” and enjoy their time with their loved ones.
- Know your limitations. If something feels like it’s “too much”, re-evaluate whether you need to continue with that activity. This could include family gatherings, staying out late, shopping, or just “doing too much!” No one will think less of you if you let them know you need to just take a “breather.”
- Share the holiday with someone who could use your help or who is alone. This could include calling or visiting someone who is alone or the caregiver of someone, delivering a meal to their home, or dropping off a little gift to them. This also could include spending a couple of hours sitting with a person for a caregiver, so they have some time for themselves.
In the end, it is up to each of us to make the holidays what we want them to be. It is our responsibility to set limitations on ourselves so that we have time to think about the “real meaning” of Christmas and God. It is a wonderful opportunity to reflect and thank God for all of our blessings and to share that spirit with our loved ones.
