The holiday season comes the same time every single year, but why does it always feel quicker and quicker? There are many ways that you can make sure you have lots of time to celebrate the holiday season with your family and friends without additional stress.
For many people, celebrating the holidays is a fun and joyful time. But for other people, they’re filled with lots of anxiety and stress to make sure that everything gets done on time
Keep reading for our guide to ten of our best holiday tips and tricks for a stress-free season.
1. Make a To-Do List and Check It Twice
Your first step for a stress-free holiday is making a list of everything that you will want to get done to prepare for it. When it comes to the holiday season your to-do list could be filled with shopping, baking, and all of the fun holiday events that you need to get ready for.
But when it comes to your to-do list you need to ask yourself how important each item on the list really is. You don’t want to get overstressed trying to get everything done especially if it isn’t humanly possible to do so. Narrow your list down and focus on getting the things done that will make you happy.
2. Plan Your Travel Ahead of Time
The holiday season means spending time with family that you might not get to see often. This could result in having to travel to see these family members. Traveling during the holidays can be a huge pain and sometimes even dangerous so you should make sure to plan everything in advance.
There are tons of holiday travel tips that can help you make sure that you will arrive to your destination safely. Make sure you leave with ample amounts of time in case something were to go wrong during your trip.
3. Buy a Few Extra Presents
Another big part of the holiday season is seeing friends and family and being able to celebrate with them. One thing that can bring a lot of stress is having one of those people show up unannounced with gifts.
Just in case this were to happen to you it may be good to have a few extra gifts that you’ve already wrapped stashed somewhere. These gifts could be candles or even gift sets. And after the holiday season, you can either use the gifts you did not give or save them for next yet.
4. Measure Your Room
There is nothing more stressful than coming home with a beautiful Christmas tree that does not fit. Before you head to the Christmas tree farm you should measure the space that you have to put the tree. See how wide and how tall your tree can be before making the final decision.
You can bring your measuring tape with you when it comes time to pick out the tree as well. This way you will know for sure that the tree of your dreams will fit right into your home with no worries.
5. Don’t Go Overboard With Cleaning
If you’re going to be hosting a family holiday event, then one thing that may give you additional stress is making sure every single room in your home is clean. Instead of spending an entire day cleaning from top to bottom just clean the rooms that you know your guests will be in.
Focus on cleaning the kitchen, bathrooms, dining area, and sitting area above all else. Once those rooms are done and you have a bit of extra energy then go ahead and clean the hallway or your front entrance. You could also set up a schedule and get things cleaned in advance.
6. Buy Your Baked Goods
It may be a holiday tradition to bake tons of cookies, pies, loaves, or even cakes but sometimes we just don’t have the time to do it all. If you’re one of those people who feel stressed when it comes to baking, then head to your local grocery store or supermarket. You can find delicious baked goods that are perfect for the holiday season at your local grocery store. This is a great way to limit a lot of your stress this holiday season.
7. Wrap as You Buy
Have you ever spent an entire day wrapping presents? If so, then you know how stressful and daunting of a task that wrapping presents last minute can be.
Instead of waiting to wrap your presents you should wrap them as you buy them. This way you will feel accomplished that you have your presents wrapped and aren’t waiting until the last possible day to do so. Plus wrapping presents can help get you in the holiday spirit.
8. Make a Budget
Another element of the holidays that brings on a lot of stress is money. Before you even start buying decorations or presents you should sit down and create a holiday budget.
Creating a holiday budget will help you make sure you’re not spending way too much money this holiday season. You should also make sure that you’re keeping track of your budget as you go.
9. Save Your Receipts
When it comes to buying gifts they may not always work out for the person you’re shopping for. You should make sure you’re saving each and every receipt this holiday season in case anything needs to be exchanged. That way after the holidays your loved one can get exactly what they want.
10. Keep Your Kitchen Stocked
When it comes to cooking or baking for the holidays you may know that feeling of not having an important ingredient that you need. This holiday season you should stock up on all the cooking and baking essentials so you don’t have to go without.
Holiday Tips and Tricks
There are tons of different holiday tips and tricks that can help make your holiday season stress free. Make sure to implement these tips early on so you’re not stressing later.
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