Nov. 15, 2012/ TroyMedia/ – With retailers hauling out
all the Christmas Collections the moment Halloween expires, many of us
are discovering a new level of stress and anxiety. Hardly able to catch
our breath between major themes, the pressure to create those magical
holiday memories can cause even the most resilient among us to crumble
under the load.
You are not alone.
As the big day approaches, many of us scramble with all the
responsibility and the desire to get it done right. The perfect gift,
the perfect wrapping, the cookies, sending out cards, attending school
plays, paying the bills . . . the list goes on and on. With all this
perceived responsibility, it is easy to fall victim to the pressures and
start bah humbugging Christmas.
Stop it! It is time to recognize and appreciate that there are no
perfect holidays (except in the Norman Rockwell paintings). The greatest
gift you can give to yourself is to accept your limitations and time
constraints. It is absolutely okay to create your own holiday memories
with your family and they don’t need to involve a nervous breakdown. It
sounds so easy doesn’t it ?
Maybe not, but you can begin with just a few of these reality checks
to help you coast through the season with a little less angst this year:
Reality Check # 1: Christmas comes around every 365
days. Make the decision right now that you cannot accomplish everything!
Look back on past holidays when you were a child: the things you
remember most were probably not the gifts under the tree but the
memories created with loved ones (and I doubt they involved anyone
screaming at each other like a lunatic).
Reality Check #2: Gift giving should not be tied to obligation. Focus
on who you really want to give gifts to this year rather than who you
feel obliged to give gifts to. Financially, this is a necessary task to
perform. Be strong, you simply do not have to give so many presents!
When searching for gifts, give yourself time and a budget to work with.
Reality Check #3: Holiday tasks can and should be
shared. Try not to take control of everything. Delegate things like
chores, cooking, accept offers of childcare and caring for guests. If
you give your children small responsibilities, they are sure to surprise
you with a job well done. If the Christmas meal falls on you this year,
cook the holiday turkey but let everyone else bring the rest. A group
effort is much more rewarding than one person slaving in the kitchen for
two days.
Reality Check #4: Families Fight.
If the family fights with each other throughout the year, stop expecting
them to put their bickering aside during the holidays. Once you accept
this, it is amazing how much easier it is to not let these situations
bother you. Simply consider inviting friends who can sit between feuding
family members and act as a buffer during the meal.
Reality Check #5: Self-care is essential to maintaining your tempo during the holidays. This
may sound obvious but make an effort to relax; walk the dog, go
skating, watch a movie. Be alone for a few minutes or hours to reduce
stress. Take downtime to snooze, read or relax – you have earned it!
Laugh – rent a funny movie, listen to a comedian or simply find funny
friends! Laughing is a very important component to a happy and healthy
life. Music is also a great motivational tool. For those days when you
cannot bear the thought of walking through the front door or tackling
the mountain of washing/paperwork, listen to music that energizes you.
Yes it is important to keep old traditions alive but be open to new
ones as well. Good memories are the unique ones that will be cherished
by your entire family.
There is no excuse now. Go have fun, make memories and enjoy making sure that grandma doesn’t drink too much eggnog.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Your comment will appear after moderation before publishing,
Thank you for your comments.Any comment that could be considered slanderous or includes unacceptable language will be removed.
Thank you for participating and making your opinions known.
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.