The holidays can be an extremely stressful time for parents. Decorating, shopping, and visiting Santa are all on the top of the list. You need to do a million things, but you only have two hands. There are some things you can do to make your life a little less hectic, even if it just frees up a few moments. Here are some tips on how to make the holiday season less crazy, while allowing you a little time to relax and enjoy your surroundings with your children.
Shop ahead of time
So many people talk about this option, but very few actually put it into action. The idea is simply brilliant. Instead of dropping hundreds of dollars on gifts for everyone you buy for at once, this plan allows you to spread that amount over the course of months. Sometimes, you can even catch super deals on off-season items like bikes, scooters, sleds, and more. We do this, or try to, each year. By the time December rolls around, we are just grabbing the odds and ends. Stocking stuffers and a a grab bag gift are the only things left to buy. It saves a lot of time, which helps to have handy during the holiday season!
Plan a wrapping party
Many moms have other mom friends. If you can plan something like a wrapping party with your girlfriends, you can kill two birds with one stone. I attended a party like this a few years back, and it was a blast. The hostess invited all her friends, and provided snacks and beverages for the guests. Each participant brought their own paper and something fun to add to the “everyone” pot. This could include something like bows, glitter, or name tags. We wrapped and talked about things going on in life and how crazy the holidays had become. By the end of the night, everything was completely wrapped and tagged. This was such a fun way to get a dreaded task done all at once.
Take a day out for family fun
Holidays are full of stress. Sometimes you need to just sit back and relax with the kids. Picking one day out, or several if you wish, to just spend time together can make all the difference. Rent Christmas movies, drink hot cocoa, and make some Christmas crafts. Let this day be about family and togetherness. This is such a fun thing, and your children will look forward to it each and every year. We do this about two weeks before Santa is set to arrive. Christmas music fills our house, construction paper and glitter cover our floor, and cookies fill our bellies.
Everyone assumes craziness and stress should be coupled with holidays. Remember, planning ahead can ease the chaos, and save you from running around like a chicken with it’s head cut off. If you can manage to shop ahead and make time for yourself, you can enjoy a blissful holiday season.
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