Do you have any tips for managing the holidays with ease?


I have a few simple ideas in my latest article:

Self Care for the Holidays

Plan Ahead!!


Think it through!!!

Great tips Lisa. I try to get to bed earlier than my girls. By doing so, I get more rest and a little extra time to myself in the morning.

How old are your daughters? Old enough to put themselves to bed, I presume. I think one of my boys would read through the night if I didn't tell him to turn his light off.

How about this tip for alleviating holiday stress?
leave town. heh.

I'm headed out of town - alone - to see my family in Chicago where my grandmother (98) is in the hospital. It was too last minute to take everyone - plus I'm going to try and help out my parents and siblings with caring for my grandma so it will be easier to be there without them.

No preparing for Thanksgiving stress for me !

Ahh, the holidays! I only stress out about finding gifts for my parents and inlaws! But this year the kiddos are 3 & 4 and they are so excited for the holidays that it is reminding me to look at this whole endeavor as FUN, not stressful. Hope I can remember that when it comes time to balance my finances after the tsunami of spending has passed!

Fun is a good word, Carolyn. And an important one.

If we keep in mind what the essence of the holidays - any holiday - are, then we should have an easier time keeping them fun and getting everything done.

Know that if something doesn't get done, it isn't the end of the world. My son died. That was the end of my world. Nothing else can rattle me. Certainly nothing about feeling pressured to host a holiday party or be sure to keep up with commercial practices.

My tip: Keep things in perspective. The holiday is about love. And there are so many ways to show it. Giving gifts is a great way to show it, but remember that the best gifts come from the heart, not the store.

If only we could enter the place of sensibility without the tragedy.... Thank you, Lori, for sharing your perspective.

I think along with love and fun - we should embrace gratitude. If you approach the holidays with an unending sense of gratitude, you are more likely to avoid overwhelm and stress.