The holiday season is a time of joy and celebration. But for some, it’s also a time of stress and anxiety. If you’re someone who feels like you have to have everything just perfect for the holidays, you’re not alone. Perfectionism is a common issue, and one that can be especially challenging during the holidays. There are a few things you can do to deal with holiday perfectionism. First, try to be realistic about what you can accomplish.
- We only have so many hours in the day, and since over-scheduling leads to burnout something has to give, and since there isn’t much we can do about our work deadlines,then we have to let go of being perfect.
- Pre-plan as much as you can. We only have so many hours in a day, but we also have 12 months to prepare, plan, and save.
- Do the bits you LIKE to do and forget those you SHOULD do.
- There is no room for should’s in our lives.
- Just because you have a family tradition going back to great grandpa doesn’t mean you can’t amend it to a newer tradition for your own family.
- Forget the Elf on the Shelf or delegate that job to someone else.
- Cut back on the gift-buying. Non-material gifts and minimalism are all the rage these days anyway. Your children will remember the time you all had, not what they received. If you are not stressed out to the max, but chilled and relaxed then that is what your family will remember.
- If you know it, cater for someones love language. One child might have a love language of gifts, and will like a glitzy and beautifully wrapped gift rather than what is inside it, another child might prefer quality time so maybe a book or puzzle that you can do together.
- Since I live away from my family I used to tell them that all I really wanted was pictures of them. One year I got a calendar full of photos for each month, and another year I received some ‘art’ from my pre-school nephews. Neither cost a lot of money to do, and both were very happily received. In fact I think I still have them.
- For the person who has everything, why not make a donation to their favourite charity or ask them what they need rather than what they want. Gifting money was a no-no in our family but many people prefer to receive money than a gift so that they can accumulate it and buy something they want.
- Instead of spending hours travelling across country in bad weather zoom with your family instead. You could even have a virtual family meal or a present opening where the whole family join in.
The Christmas letter.
I don’t bother with a Christmas letter, I figure those who are interested in our doings will either ask us or find out through the family grapevine if there is anything important to share, especially in these days of social media. Even if your relative isn’t on social media I bet they know someone who is and who is an internet friend of yours. Seriously do others really care that Johnny lost another tooth? The first tooth is a milestone, the 10th not so much. If you do feel you must send a double-sided round-robin letter because it is *traditional* then break with tradition and keep it brief. You don’t need a whole page if you can give the highlights of the year in a brief paragraph. Or do a half-page precis of the year and let each child write something personal on the bottom. Those who are interested will love to see something from your child.
Why do we get overwhelmed in the Holidays?
How to stay out of the kitchen this Christmas.
I did it my way.
The holidays are a busy time, and it’s okay to scale back your expectations a bit. Secondly, don’t be afraid to delegate. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, ask for help from family and friends. And finally, try to enjoy the imperfections. Embrace the chaos of the holiday season and remember that it’s okay if things aren’t perfect.There was a time where I bought gifts for all my siblings, my siblings spouses, my friends and all their respective children. Not any more. On-line shopping and gift-wrapped delivery is my friend. I still send gifts but I send each sibling and their families one big family gift rather than lots of small ones.. Repeat after me, it doesn’t have to be perfect.
More Practical Strategies to Reduce Christmas Stress
Do it YOUR way.
Happy Holidays.
GBD
