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.

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 another family member and split the list.

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.