Happy Friday y’all! I don’t know about you but I feel like the holidays creep up earlier and earlier every year. And as a a blogger, I feel like we start talking about + planning for the holidays in early October! If you follow me on IG stories, you might have heard my ‘brain mush’ rant earlier this week. It’s not even Thanksgiving and I’m finding myself already slightly overwhelmed by the holidays. SO, today I wanted to share a few tips (for you guys and for myself!) on how to manage stress during the holidays.
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Despite the chaos and busy schedules, in my opinion, this really is the most magical time of year. However, if you let shopping lists and travel plans and family stress get the best of you…you will totally miss out on what could be the most wonderful time of year. So, I hope these tips help you avoid stress and enjoy every last minute of the holiday season!
Tip #1: Start early
In my younger years (ie like 2 years ago lol) I was queen of procrastinating everything. And then I married Michael who is the polar opposite of that – he’s so good at planning ahead and I’ve learned what a huge difference this makes. If you save all of your holiday shopping for mid December (or later) you are not doing yourself any favors. That stress will be hanging over you over the next month and then come mid-late December you’ll probs have a panic attack with how much you have to do, the crowds, the traffic, etc.
To avoid all of that…start shopping now! Why not get your shopping done early so you can enjoy the rest of this holiday season knowing that the shopping is done?!
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Tip #2: the internet
So I get that everyone is different and prefers to shop differently. However, there are few things in life that scare me more than Northpark mall in Dallas (or any mall for that matter) from the months of Novemeber – January. TBH you couldn’t pay me to go near a mall during those months haha. The crowds, parking, traffic, yikes. I do probably 98% of my Christmas shopping online and it saves SO much stress.
Another great thing about shopping online is the resources you have that make it easier. You can definitely check my blog daily as we will continuously be putting out gift ideas + gift guides for your mom, for your bff, your man, for your fitness friend, for your friend who loves to travel, etc. So, that should help! Most websites also have a holiday or gift section of their site to help give you some ideas! This is so much easier than shopping in a store!
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Tip #3: Stay organized
If you’re reading this post and only have to buy for one person this year, this tip might not apply to you lol. But for the rest of us buying for mom, dad, husband, sister, friend, neighbor, co-worker, etc…staying organized will really help with your holiday stress level! Start a note on your phone (I use an app called Evernote that I love!) and make a list of all the people you need to buy for. As you start getting ideas, add the gift idea next to their name. Once you’ve bought their gift(s), change the color of their name to red or something so you know that person is done! If your a mom and you’re buying multiple gifts for the people on your list, start a different note for each kid. (This is coming from a girl who is one of 6 kids lol idk how my mom does it).
Tip #4: Recruit help where you can
I remember growing up my mom would make us wrap presents for her haha because she had dozens of presents to wrap for 6 kids + husband and extended family. Ask your kids to help wrap, or give your husband a list of people to shop for. Or maybe hire a babysitter for the night so you can shop / wrap presents sans kids. For me – Michael helps tremendously with our shopping and wrapping, and obviously I have Martha who is a ginormous help with the blog and content creating (during the holidays and year round)!
Tip #5: Perspective
Whenever I hear my mom start to stress about the presents and who wants what etc…I try and remind her that what’s important is that we will all be together on Christmas, celebrating the birth of Jesus! That truly is what this entire season is about. So when you start to flip out about the icicle lights not working or having to cook the perfect Christmas dinner for everyone…take a deep breath and remember that this holiday season is all about celebrating the birth of our Lord! And if you’re not a believer, or if that’s not something you celebrate, then remember that what makes Christmas so special and so magical truly is family being together (as cheesy as that sounds haha. we all know it’s true).
To help keep perspective during this holiday season – see where you can volunteer. We have gone to soup kitchens some holidays to feed and be with people way less fortunate than we are. Or there are so many organizations that allow you to give presents to kids in need! When you view things from the perspective of people who aren’t even getting 3 meals a day, or kids who are asking for a pair of socks for Christmas…it makes any holiday stress just seem silly! We truly are so blessed.
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Outfit Details: Striped Dress (similar here) | Camel Scarf | Sole Society Boots | Leather Bag | Watch
Do you have any tips for managing stress during the holidays? Let me know of any in the comments below! Thanks for reading, and I hope y’all have a great weekend!
xo Lauren
