40 Easy Tips for a Stress-Free Christmas

If you’re the type who relentlessly plows through a to-do list, make sure you schedule some time for your own self care. Put it near the top of your list so you’ll really do it. Maybe that’s a line item for 30 minutes of exercise, a phone call to a loved one, or a restorative bubble bath.

If you’re feeling hopeless or overwhelmed by the bleak news stories of the day, allow yourself to take a break from consuming them. Change the channel to more soothing fare. Listen to music instead of news. If you tend to doom scroll at night, try rejiggering your phone’s settings to block certain sites past a bedtime hour.

Various family members and loved ones will each have a different approach to COVID safety protocols such as masking or staying outdoors during holiday celebrations. By making a plan in advance, you can create an environment that maximizes comfort and minimizes awkwardness for all parties. “It’s best to take as many precautions as possible when planning family and friend gatherings this holiday season,” says Dr. Caroline Leaf, mental health expert and host of the Cleaning Up The Mental Mess podcast. “As different people face different risks and have different risk tolerances, I would recommend discussing your holiday plans with your loved as soon as possible to avoid extra tension over the holidays season.”

“Many of us feel guilty when we need to take a break, because we live in a society that constantly tells us that we are only valuable if we work all the time,” Dr. Leaf says. And she's not just referring to professional work, but to the culture that values busyness of any type above all else. Actively avoid buying into this damaging mindset — especially during the chaotic holiday season.

Don’t feel like you can take an afternoon — or even an hour — off from tasks? Just try closing your eyes for a moment to reset. Dr. Leaf calls these “thinker moments," a chance to “just let your mind wander and daydream for a few moments throughout the day. These moments give the brain a break and allow it to reboot and heal.

When holiday tension becomes too much, remember you don’t have
to do it all or see everyone or do all the things. If you’re not excited about an event, or if social plans drain rather than nourish you — cut these extraneous obligations loose. “We need to balance our time with healthy people and healthy, happy conversations, while enforcing our own personal boundaries,” Dr. Leaf says.

Dr. Leaf notes that research shows the happiest people are those who connect with others and build meaningful relationships. The brain is made for human connection; we feel the most fulfilled and at peace when we are valued members of a group. So as much as possible, pull your face out from behind that screen and forge real connections with loved ones — the exercise might be more a powerful mental health boon than you even realize it can be.

Make a change. Take one task that drives you crazy during the holidays and tackle it in a new way. A fresh approach just might make a difference. For example, if you dread having to send out holiday cards, enlist your partner or kiddo and split the list.

"Don't always go for bigger and better," when planning your holiday, advises Loretta LaRoche, author of Life Is Not a Stress Rehearsal. "Does the tree have to be bussed in from the hinterlands of Alaska?" she quips. "Isn't a little bush enough?"

LaRoche forgoes the stress of shopping for family members in favor of sharing special moments and experiences. She may treat loved ones to a holiday show, for example, or breakfast at a fancy hotel. "Instead of having a package to rip open, we have this wonderful day together," she says.

If you're dragging your kids off to see The Nutcracker — it's a tradition! — but they're whining every step of the way, make a switch. True, families thrive on traditions, but it's less about the event itself, which your kids may have outgrown, and more about time together. If your kids are complaining, drop expensive, high-stress rituals in favor of something simple and universally appealing, like a Christmas Eve chocolate-chip pancake feast.

That massive pile of holiday cards needs to get mailed ASAP, but just the thought of it gives you writer's cramp? "Refocus on what's most important to you," says life coach Linda Hedberg. "If you're overwhelmed with dozens of cards to send out, ask yourself, Which are the 10 most important ones?" Send those and put the rest on the back burner. Or just send an e-card to everyone on your list. Yes, this is completely OK: It saves money, which you might consider donating to a charity on behalf of your recipients and letting them know about it in the e-card message. And its eco-friendlier to boot! (Bonus: zero writer's cramp.)

Barreling through throngs of mall shoppers on the hunt for a last-minute gift? Step up to the department store perfume counter, peruse the testers and dab on a lemony fragrance. According to researchers at Ohio State University, lemon scents instantly boost your mood.

As you take part in trimming the tree or preparing the Chanukah cookies with your kids, take a deep breath and savor the moment. Give yourself permission to forget about all those tasks still left on your to-do list.

Airports are extra busy these days due to COVID-related pent-up traveler demand and airlines scrambling to ramp back up to adequate staffing levels. Security lines will be long and stressful, so make it easy on yourself and give gift certificates. Or mail your gifts ahead of time. Rosemire orders gifts online or from catalogs and has the companies send them directly to her holiday destination. Either way, you'll save room in your suitcase.

Tuck everyone's sleepwear and toothbrushes in one easy-to-reach bag. That first night when you arrive at Grandma's house or another destination, you won't be fumbling through every suitcase before bedtime.

If you're traveling by car, ensure your vehicle is in good running order for the trip by checking belts, hoses, air pressure, fluid levels and windshield wipers, says AAA spokesperson Jerry Cheske. Contact your auto club, the state police agency or highway patrol regarding road closings or conditions.

If you like to read for half an hour before bed, don't give it up in favor of yet another holiday chore. Our everyday practices help calm and center us.

During the busy holiday season, Brenda DeHaan of Wagner, South Dakota, and her husband seek out one afternoon of serenity. Each year the couple embarks on a leisurely drive, with a stop to observe the eagles that winter alongside the Missouri River. "It's a peaceful time, when we don't worry about rushing anywhere," says Brenda. Can't escape for a whole afternoon? Then head outdoors for a refreshing change of scene. Bundle up and walk to the mailbox to drop off Christmas cards, or take a starlit nighttime stroll through your neighborhood to view the holiday lights.

Donna Wallace of Shawano, Wisconsin, found that mindfully adding, rather than deleting, something from her to-do list made her Christmas feel less hectic. One year, she joined her church choir for the express purpose of singing with others in praise and celebration of the season. "It grounds you to acknowledge the spiritual side," says Wallace.

Stores don't always publicize this service, so be sure to ask. Also seek out charity gift-wrapping services. Nonprofit organizations often set up booths at malls or craft shows and will wrap presents for a small fee. Take advantage of their services and you'll save yourself one task while contributing to a worthy cause.

Buy extras of tape, gift tags, and more wrapping paper than you think you'll need. Nothing is more frustrating than running out of supplies with the job half done, and you can always save the leftovers for next year.

Many shoppers have moved the task online during COVID — for added safety or just for added convenience. If you still love to shop in person, do it with intention and advance planning. Log on to your local mall's Web site and download a map and directory of stores. Before you go, plot your path and make a list of potential presents. While at the shops, avoid excessive browsing since it can quickly eat up your available time and money.

G. Gaynor McTigue, author of Why Make Yourself Crazy?, offers this tip for braving the malls: Avoid long lines by seeking out a store's "hidden" cashier. "I always seem to find a courtesy counter or service desk where they'll gladly ring up purchases. It's usually in a place that's less obvious, generally at the back of the store," says McTigue.

Allow a store's staff to put together the "some-assembly-required" gifts you've purchased, even if you must pay a fee. "They can do it fast, they can do it correctly, they can do it in their sleep, and you can't," says McTigue. Or, book a TaskRabbit or other local service provider for help.

In fact, guests prefer to take on some small tasks, instead of standing around while you attempt to do everything yourself. Ask an older relative if he'd mind greeting guests at the door. Recruit teens to take coats or offer fruit juice. Kids may direct guests to the buffet table or offer hors d’oeuvres. Not only does it help you, it empowers the whole crew.

A special gathering is not the time to experiment with a new recipe. "Just do what you know how to do and can do well," says Solarski, who includes basic mashed potatoes on the menu because it's a family favorite. She also keeps the table setting simple, adding a seasonal touch with a single Christmas centerpiece and festive napkins. "Focus on the fellowship of the people you're gathering with, and don't stress out on the preparations and menu," she says.

Order your local deli's tangy side salad or the bakery's pumpkin pie to complement your main course. Adeline Rosemire, author of Christmas Shortcuts, once went one step further and hosted a holiday dinner in which everything — the appetizers, smoked turkey, bread and desserts — had been ordered from gourmet food catalogs and required little or no preparation.

"We only say yes to meaningful events that focus on the holiday and bring the whole family together," says Caroline Solarski, a mom from Alpharetta, Georgia. Can't say no? Then keep your gatherings small and intimate. Get together with a few of your closest friends or relatives for the holidays. Choose to throw the big blowout parties at another time of the year, when you and your guests will have fewer commitments competing for your precious time.

A brainless, stress-free way to decorate is to chose a color (red, green, blue) and run with it, says Courtney Zellmer, floral manager at the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC. For example, turn a simple bouquet of red carnations into an eye-catching arrangement by adding red glass gemstones to a vase and a few drops of red food coloring to the water.

Take the photos out of your everyday frames and replace them with leftover wrapping paper and free printables. Put the frames back in their original locations and voilà!—you've just decked the halls.

Bring out books to easily add a seasonal touch. Prominently display an illustrated volume of A Christmas Carol on a living room shelf or the fireplace mantel. Or, place a basket topped with a bow and filled with children's Chanukah books on the coffee table.

Every time you make a meal for your household in the weeks before Christmas, double the recipe and freeze half, says Alison Daniel, a mom of two in Folsom, California. "That way, when guests visit you can serve a home-cooked meal in minutes.”

Sure, you want your home to look great for guests, but don't fall prey to holiday house fever. "That's when you try to do too much in too little time," explains Cynthia Ewer, editor of Organized Christmas. "Cross off anything on your household prep list that will take more than a half-hour to do. The goal is to spiff up the house a little, not turn it into a showroom."

Take your dog outside for some playtime before your gathering. A tired pooch is a lot less likely to jump up on guests or bark incessantly every time the doorbell rings. For extra insurance, keep him occupied with a toy that dispenses treats, like the Kong.

Too much added sugar can cause blood sugar highs and lows, leaving you feeling more anxious and less able to handle stress. But that doesn't mean seasonal sweets are completely off-limits, says Lauri Wright, PhD, RDN, assistant professor, department of nutrition and dietetics, University of North Florida, Tallahassee. Small changes can significantly reduce your overall sugar intake. Try eating just one cookie or piece of candy instead of a handful. Also, when cooking, make no-sugar-added choices like roasted sweet potatoes rather than candied yams (you'll save 14 grams of sugar per serving).

It’s worth it to brave the cold — especially because you don't have to stay out too long to reap the benefits, says Gregory Chertok, sport and exercise psychology consultant. Studies have found that heading outdoors to exercise is more enjoyable than doing the same activity while cooped up inside, and you'll feel a lift in your mood after just 5 minutes.

Working out is also one of the best ways to bust anxiety: Research shows that it promotes the release of endorphins, which act like a tranquilizer on the brain. Plus, exercise blunts the effects of stress hormones like cortisol. Go for a family stroll before or after dinner, or set your morning alarm 20 minutes earlier to fit in a walk. (You won't regret it!)

If taking a moment out of your hectic holiday schedule to recite a positive affirmation sounds like a bunch of hooey, you might be overthinking it — and underestimating the power of the quick, easy, and free ritual. The power of positivity actually alters your brain’s response, which reduces stress and promotes happiness. Try repeating something simple like, “I am loved,” “I am in control,” or, “I deserve to have a joyful and abundant holiday season.”

Bottling up your stress for too long can lead to health issues such as back pain (from excessive muscle tension) and a weakened immune system, says Chris Gilbert, MD, PhD, a general, integrative and holistic medicine practitioner in Los Angeles. So it's crucial to find a release that works for you. One suggestion: Go to a private spot, such as your car, and scream for about 5 seconds. Yes, seriously. It's like letting out steam from a teakettle. If screaming isn't for you, try a few minutes of dancing, singing (put on some holiday tunes!) or deep breathing.

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