5 Simple Ways To Beat Holiday Stress And Spend Quality Time With Family

No family is picture-perfect, but you can get pretty darn close. Holiday stress during the holidays is a common occurrence, but there are a few things you can do to beat that and spend some much-needed quality time with your loved ones.

Family problems can be difficult to manage at any time, but during the holidays, the stress that surrounds them seems to be worse. All around us, we see images of happy families, and there seems to be a social pressure for everyone to live up to these ideal, picture-perfect gatherings of loved ones.

But what happens if your family doesn’t match this expectation? What if you and other members of your family are overcome by holiday stress because everyone doesn’t get along? Or, what if you just feel overwhelmed by all you have to do this time of year?

To help you survive, here are five tips for dealing with anxiety, beat holiday stress, and bring harmony to your family gatherings.

Here Are 5 Simple Ways To Beat Holiday Stress And Spend Quality Time With Family

1. Divide your time.

Instead of traveling to multiple family gatherings, make a pact to meet at one location for each holiday and then take turns hosting. One of the most stressful things about the holidays is traveling to and from different family member’s homes.

Traffic and weather conditions can make it dangerous and time-consuming, so you often end up spending more time in your car than with the people you care about. In addition, it’s just a lot of pressure to make sure you see everyone you’re “supposed to.”

Keep things simple and come up with a holiday calendar and then rotate. This year, meet at your Mom’s house for Christmas and then your house for New Year’s. Not only do you save time and the stress of traveling from one house to the other, but you also take turns sharing the work of cooking and cleaning up for everyone.

As an added benefit, you don’t consume the calories of holiday meals like you would have if you’d gone to two family functions in the same day.

Related: 10 Tips To Survive Family Gatherings With Less Drama

2. Let go of expectations that everyone will be in a good mood.

As much as you would like everyone to make an effort to get along, realize that at the end of the day, you can only be responsible for yourself and how you react to things. Ideally, when you get together with your loved ones, everyone will have the same motivation to make it a fun and peaceful time; unfortunately, some members of your family may have other issues going on that will get in the way of an ideal family gathering.

Participate with the spirit that you will bring your best to the table, and try as hard as you can to not let the actions and words of others bring you down. If you have a less-than-pleasant relationship with someone, try to keep a polite distance.

Also, keep in mind that some people who are unpleasant do so because they are looking for a reaction. If you don’t give them one, they will usually stop bothering you and look for someone else to pick on. If you sense the tension in the air, don’t feed into it. Avoid hot-button topics, try to keep alcohol use down to a minimum, and have activities planned — board games or even going out for a walk.

3. Make time for yourself.

In this season of socializing, gifting, and hosting, we often get so run down that by the time a family get-together rolls around, we’re exhausted (and quite often cranky). You will be much calmer and happier going into a family gathering if you are well-rested.

Be sure to take at least ten minutes a day doing something you enjoy. It doesn’t need to be expensive or complicated, and can be as simple as sneaking off to a quiet place and reading a magazine, meditating, catnapping, or, if you have just a little more time, you can run off and get a quick manicure and pedicure.

When we feel good, it shows, and being well rested helps us handle stressful situations better because we’re more inclined to let the little things we can’t control not get to us.

Related: 24 Simple Self-Care Ideas For The Holidays and Beyond

4. Learn to say no.

You don’t have to attend every party and gathering you’re invited to, give a gift to everyone you run into, or cook or bake something for everyone that asks you. Do what you can and accept the fact that you will not be able to be everything for everybody.

There is no award at the end of the holiday season for the “best person.” Do what you can and be okay with it.

5. Stay organized.

There is nothing worse than trying to figure out where you’re supposed to be and when getting your kids and yourself dressed and then rushing to prepare meals at the last minute.

Map out where you’re supposed to be and give yourself plenty of time to get there. Layout your clothes and your children’s clothes the night before so all you have to do is put them on the day of your gathering. Plan simple meals and prepare as much and as many of them as you can ahead of time.


Written by Christina Steinorth-Powell
Originally Published on Yourtango
5 Ways to Beat Holiday Stress and Bring Harmony To Your Family Gatherings
Beat Holiday Stress Spend Quality Time With Family pin

— Share —

,

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Up Next

The Parentified Daughter: 10 Signs Your Childhood Was Burdened With Responsibilities

Parentified Daughter Childhood Was Burdened With Responsibilities

They say girls “mature too fast,” but for some parentified daughters, it’s a reality driven by the heavy responsibilities for their families, well beyond their years. This phenomenon is known as child parentification.

It occurs when a child is burdened with tasks and emotional support roles that should belong to their parents or guardians. When the parentified eldest daughter takes on responsibilities early in life, it can profoundly shape her personality and relationships.

If this sounds all too real, let’s learn the common signs of a parentified daughter, so you can understand the unique challenges and childhood experiences that continue to influence their lives as adults.

Up Next

When Grandparents’ Love Goes Sour: 8 Signs Of Toxic Grandparents And How To Survive Them

Signs Of Toxic Grandparents

Have you ever noticed certain behaviors that make you wonder if your grandparents’ love might be a little… off? Spotting the signs of toxic grandparents can be tough, especially when society paints them as the ultimate source of unconditional love and support.

But sometimes, grandparents might cross boundaries, show favoritism, or create a stressful environment that doesn’t quite feel right. If you’ve ever felt uneasy about their behavior, you’re not alone.

In this article, we’ll dive into the subtle and not-so-subtle signs of toxic grandparents and give you some strategies regarding how to deal with toxic grandparents, without causing family drama.

First, let us try to understand what are toxic grandparents.

Up Next

The Hidden Toll of Childhood Emotional Incest: Identifying Signs and Effects

Emotional incest confuses parent-child dynamics, creating emotional dependency. Let’s look at the signs and effects of this incomprehensible relationship to gain a better understanding.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Emotional incest has been compared to actual incest because it similarly creates long-lasting effects on psychosocial developme

Up Next

8 Exciting Ways To Spend The Weekend With Your Family!

People adore weekends because they provide a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. They enable you to relax, recuperate and most importantly spend the weekend with your family.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

It can be over two days or four but what is more important is that a weekend gives an absolute chance of spending time with your family and building up

Up Next

How To Create A Toddler-Friendly Home: 10 Helpful Tips For New Parents!

Bringing a toddler to your house can be both exciting and challenging. As soon as they begin taking notice of their surroundings, the environment in which they dwell must be secure, comfortable, and conducive to growth.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

It is important to learn how to create a toddler-friendly home because this will provide them with holistic development o

Up Next

30 Journal Prompts for Anxiety When You’re Feeling Suffocated by Family Tension

When family tension feels overwhelming, turning to a few journal prompts for anxiety can be a comforting and grounding practice. These 30 prompts can help you navigate and soothe those anxious moments.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

If you are reading this, you know EXACTLY what it feels like when family tension starts to weigh down on you. It’s like

Up Next

How to Become Pregnant with PCOS: 6 Proven Strategies For A Promising Start

Generally, women who have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) get problems in conceiving a child and starting a family. If you suffer from this condition of PCOS then we recommend you to take up this manual on how to become pregnant with PCOS. 

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

According to American Families’