For as much as I love Christmas, I understand it can be very stressful. All those family visits are fun and lovable at first, but can get a tad annoying very quickly. Having gone through it for the past seventeen years, I have learned a few tricks on making the holiday season a little less stressful.
The most important thing is to skip Black Friday. Now that tip may not help for this year, but it will in the future. Believe me, the deals are nowhere near worth the stress all those crowds will cause you Plus a lot of stores will jack up the original price so the deal seems greater.
You are better off going shopping on Cyber Monday because one: no crowds, two: you can stay at home in pajamas, and three: the deals tend to be better. Although I will confess that this year was the first year I went shopping on Cyber Monday, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I actually typically do my shopping beginning to mid-December. Don’t wait till the last minute or that’ll just cause more stress, but don’t try to rush and get it all one at once. Take your time and really think about each gift.
For family gatherings, the best tip is to bite your tongue when it comes to that one family member you can’t stand. Whether it is a great aunt that always pinches your cheeks no matter how old you are, or a talkative uncle that doesn’t have a filter, stay calm and civil.
If you need, cling to your favorite family member (it helps if they aren’t a fan of that person, either). They will help to distract you from the other person, and they’ll make your night more enjoyable. If you get extremely annoyed or frustrated, just bite your tongue. Don’t lash out because you will immediately regret it. It won’t make the situation any better, and you will just look bad.
Lastly, don’t stress over school work. Especially over the break. You have nearly two weeks off, wait till after Christmas to do your work. Try to get it done before New Year’s, but don’t be locked in your room on Christmas Eve doing an essay that can wait a couple days. (Although it does make a great excuse for escaping pesky relatives.)
Just remember that it is the holiday season, and it should be filled with joy and cheer, not stress and frustration.Just keep calm and breathe through whatever the holidays have to throw at you. It is Christmas, after all (and Hanukkah and Kwanzaa!).