There is no denying holidays bring additional stress. On top of already busy lives the holidays put demands on people in terms of time, money, and the expectation that this be a happy time.
If you think about it, most of the stress, in a lot of homes, falls on women. They take on the responsibility of gift buying, cleaning, shopping, thinking of gifts, establishing rituals, and making sure that everybody is happy. So here are some coping skills for all the women who see themselves as the chief organizers of the holidays.
1. Think of the holidays in terms of WE. How will we prepare for our holidays. Let others help. Assign tasks to other family members. In our family one of our sons took charge of baking cookies. It started when I said one year that I didn’t see how I had time for baking and I would buy them. The kids all objected. His approach was to have a cookie marathon and do the baking all in one day. The ritual of home baked cookies could not be broken at our house.
2. Sort out your priorities. Are you doing some things that really are not necessary. Have realistic expectations. One of the things that happens when stressed is that everything seems important. Step back and think it through. There are no doubt things you have on your list that can be eliminated or simplified.
3. Don’t forget to take daily care of yourself: 2o minutes to unwind, doing something that relaxes you like yoga, walking, a bubble bath etc. all will help you get centered and unwind from the stress. Make sure you add this to your priority list. Remind yourself that you too want to enjoy the holidays.
