More tips for the holiday season

I know I just posted a list on ways to cut down on the holiday stress, but I feel like this is such an important issue that it warrants one more post. I read an article somewhere that addressed the holiday rush and mentioned that one key thing you can do to help reduce your holiday stress was to lower your expectations for yourself. That's not saying that you shouldn't work to get things done, but don't feel like you need to kick yourself if you don't get around to baking six dozen homemade cookies that you hand decorated for your friends and neighbors, making all of your Christmas tree decorations, and wrapping your presents with all of the edges of the paper tucked in nice and neat and in a straight line. (I don't think I've ever achieved even one of those things!)

I just thought it was so refreshing to see someone encouraging us to make a point to NOT knock ourselves out over the holiday and to slow down a bit and actually enjoy the season. Telling ourselves it's okay if we don't get everything done can be a great relief. On that note, themomsbuzz.com blog has a great post that addresses some of the same issues. They have various tips on helping reduce the holiday stress, but there are three tips they give that I wanted to share with you.

The first one was to plan ahead. Having just said that it's okay if we don't get everything done, I guess it's worth pointing out that some things just really ought to be done. So, by planning ahead, we can hopefully ensure that the items on our lists that fall into that category actually do get done. Themomsbuzz.com says "Make a list of what MUST get done and keep expectations realistic about anything else... Ask for help. You don't have to do everything all alone." Such good advice, especially if you're one of those people who have a hard time admitting you need some help or can't (or don't want to) do it all by yourself!

The next tip that I thought was so great was to maintain your routine. This one has particularly new meaning for me since this is my first year dragging a kid around town to run my errands. I sometimes forget that although he may be thrilled that I'm not putting him down in his crib for a nap, he still needs one. And that makes for a really cranky baby when you're running from place to place. Oh, and I'm also guilty of trying to push the limit on meal or snack times. Since I often neglect my own appetite in favor of getting "just one more thing" done, I have to remind myself that I can't expect a 10-month-old to be patient and understand that we'll eat "just as soon as we're done."

The last tip I wanted to share is another one that I'm afraid we'll have to tackle in the coming years. More is not always better. As the first grandchild to two of his three sets of grandparents, it's only natural that we're going to have an abundance of attention at the holidays or birthday time. My husband and I have already talked about how we're going to handle one set of grandparents in particular who always go a little overboard in the gift department. Themomsbuzz.com says,

It’s tempting to spoil our children and grandchildren with lots of gifts, but this can be overwhelming for young children. When tearing the wrapping off a multitude of presents becomes the fun part, kids don’t get to appreciate the gifts and keep looking for more. To avoid this, try spacing out the gifts so kids get a chance to play with one or two before they open another. The holiday season is also a wonderful time to teach our children the importance of giving to others. Give them a dollar to give to the bell-ringer at the mall or have them help pick out a toy for the toy drive.

I so want my kids to grow up unspoiled and generous. The holidays are a great time to help them learn that giving is in itself a great gift to ourselves, and that it's not just about them. I have heard so many kids over the years ask, "is there more?" or "is that all?" and it just makes me sad. Hopefully I'll be able to head off that particular way of thinking in my kids before it rears its ugly head.

The tips themomsbuzz.com posted came from Bette Holtzman, the VP of Consumer and Family Advocacy at The Goldberger Company, so my thanks go out to you Bette! There are several more that are great things to consider, but these were just the few that really stood out to me. If your holidays are taking on a split personality all their own, maybe you should check out the rest of them. Then, as you ponder ways that you can personally cut back on your holiday stress, sit back with a cup of hot cocoa and put your feet up. After all, we are talking about de-stressing, right?

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