Tips For A Low Stress Holiday (10 Random Things I’m Doing)
I LOVE the holidays! But let me also say that they can be stressful. Lots to do and not much time to do it. Also, lots of pressure to do ALL the things as a parent. Christmas cards, teacher gifts, parties, the PERFECT decorations, cookies, etc. I have been very conscious the past few years of only doing the things that bring us JOY and ditching everything else. Here is a list of things I make sure to prioritize this time of the year, plus, some things I ditched and don’t miss!
#1 Self Care: This can mean different things to different people. For me, It’s getting my hair done. I’m not into manicures or massages, but I need my hair done. So I make sure to have an appointment between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I get a fun coffee and enjoy every minute of my appointment. Pick one thing that is a non negotiable for you and put it on the calendar. The trick is to just pick one thing so you don’t get overwhelmed.
#2 Epsom Salt Baths: By the end of the day in the winter, I crave a bath. The key is to make it really hot and stay in at least 20 minutes. I like to watch TikToks, a movie, or play a game on my phone. I notice I sleep better too when I do this! I make my own bath salts with plain epsom salts and essential oils! You can see how I make them here.
#3 Meditate at bed: I was having trouble sleeping a few months ago and I discovered hypnosis meditations! These are a game changer. Better than any meditation I ever did before. I use the ones on the Breathe app but you can also find them on Spotify, Youtube, or Insight Timer. I’m on a 27 day streak and plan to use them every night through the holidays.
#4 Move Your Body: I don’t try to start a new routine this time of year, just maintain some sort of daily movement. For me, that means lifting weights a few times a week and walking. I try to talk outside every day even if it’s cold. I also have my walking pad for bad weather. My goal is to just walk a little every day!
#5 Prioritize sleep: I touched on this above with my meditation app, but it seems everyone gets sick this time of year and I know when I’m sleeping, I just feel better. It doesn’t hurt that it’s getting dark before 5:00. This is my current sleep routine.
#6 Up Your Wellness routine: We are taking ALL the vitamins. I have a post here on keeping your family well. We all take our supplements at dinner so that we don’t forget. If anyone in the house is sick or someone we are close to, we all make sure to take Zinc and Vitamin D daily. I also add in extra Ningxia Red.
#7 Drink Water: It’s amazing what problems can be solved with a glass of water. If I ever feel a headache coming on or just out of it, a big glass of water always helps me! I’m filling up my 40 oz Stanley every day and making sure to drink it by lunch! Get a cup you like! This always helps me drink more!
#8 Just Say NO: Say no to things that stress you out! Sending 100 Christmas cards make you anxious? Don’t do it! I downsized my card list to just 20 people. Maybe one year I’ll do the big card list again but for now, it stresses me out so I say no. Find one thing to say no to and see how much better you feel!
#9 Pre-made Neighbor gifts: I used to make homemade cookies and deliver them to the neighbors, but that was so much work and I always wondered if my hard work went to waste. You can only eat so many cookies. I found this cute idea on TikTok and plan to make these instead.
#10: Stay true to yourself: I am an introvert! Thinking about dressing up every weekend and leaving my kids at home for a party does not make me happy. I want to be in pajamas by the tree with a fire in the fireplace and a movie. I also don’t decorate every surface of my home. If that’s your style and it makes you happy, go for it, but I find it feels cluttered and makes me anxious. So we do a tree and a wreath on the windows and call it a day! I don’t do things I don’t like anymore, specially at Christmas. Decide what you like and just do that!
What else would you add to this list? Tell me in the comments!
XO
Sarah