Low Stress Holidays are Possible

We feel there are many demands on our time during the holiday season. As a result, we often feel stressed out. With the right approach to the holidays, some of this can be avoided. Have a simple holiday without all the hype and frills. This approach frees up our time and energy.

How many times have you heard someone say that the holiday season has become too commercialized? This is as true for Hanukkah as it is for Christmas. Running up credit card debt only adds to the stress. Celebrate the holidays the old-fashioned way. This method can be applied to holiday decorating, gift giving, and entertaining.

Nowadays, it is common for people to have multiple Christmas trees. In multi-story houses, I've seen them on all levels. For an old-fashioned Christmas, a single cut or live tree is enough. Choosing the tree is an opportunity for an enjoyable family outing. Typically, all the family members will want to visit the tree farm, and make the selection together. Some families have found ways to make this purchase a meaningful one by building family traditions around the occasion, such as a special family meal or Sunday brunch at a favorite restaurant.

Decorating the tree is an occasion for family fun. The best decorations are family heirloom ornaments, or simple ones that can be made by family members.

So far as the other decorations are concerned, an old-fashioned Christmas doesn't require very many. Some roping or garlands on the mantle and stairways, and a couple wreaths are enough. To minimize stress, the best approach is to buy pre-finished items. If possible, specify the color of bows to suit your home décor when ordering wreaths.

Use poinsettias and other festive holiday plants. This is a quick, easy, and inexpensive way to decorate.

In a pinch when folks are really short on time, pre-decorated Christmas trees are a wise choice. Often, these are sold with strings of lights already in place. Even then, family members can personalize the tree by adding their favorite ornaments.

Christmas shopping has become a time-consuming, stressful chore. People spend countless hours looking at mail-order catalogs, visiting websites, or physically shopping in stores in an attempt to choose perfect gifts. My approach to gifts, which I inherited from my mother, is that gift giving is best reserved for children. After all, adults already know there is no Santa Claus.

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