Enjoying calm and peaceful holidays with your family. A stress-relief guide for busy parents

With the holidays just around the corner, everyone is counting down the days until Christmas, eager to make the most of this festive season and all the wonderful traditions and celebrations it brings along. But if you’re a parent, you know all too well that the most wonderful time of the year can easily turn into the most stressful period, especially if you have young children, a to-do list longer than Santa’s waiting to be tackled, and no clue how you’re going to pull it all off. And so, the joy, gratitude, and tranquility you should be feeling are often engulfed by a rollercoaster of negative emotions, with stress, anxiety, and mental exhaustion taking center stage. 

It’s certainly not easy to navigate the holiday season and keep everything, yourself included, together, but you can’t throw in the towel and let stress get the best of you, either. Even when chaos seems to reign all around, you can still make room for holiday cheer and enjoy this special time with your family. 

Where does all the pressure come from?

Without being overly dramatic, the holidays come bundled with a lot of pressure for parents, but when you’re caught up in the preparations and the festive fever, you might not even know where it’s all coming from. If you take a step back and analyze the situation – which you obviously won’t because you don’t have time for it – it becomes clear who the culprits are.

First, we have the multitasking monster. Between buying gifts, decorating the house, attending parties and family gatherings, going to school plays, prepping meals and planning activities, it’s no surprise you’re feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. There are simply too many things you need to take care of and not enough time to handle them all. Picking the perfect presents for everyone is a special challenge in its own right. With hard-to-please giftees, Christmas shopping can be so tricky that seemingly more difficult tasks like finding a bridal gown or choosing a mother of the bride outfit pale by comparison. 

You also have to cope with increased expenses, which can put a considerable financial strain on your budget, and deal with high expectations and society’s pressure that trick you into thinking everything should be perfect. On top of that, you have disrupted routines, which the little ones don’t appreciate, and family dinners reminding you that no amount of eggnog and gifts can erase tensions or fix unresolved conflicts. 

How to stress less as a busy parent

The realization that you shouldn’t give in to holiday stress isn’t going to make much of a difference without some actionable tips and strategies that can address the root cause of the problem, so here’s what you can do to keep holiday stress and anxiety in check. 

Discuss plans with your family 

Start your holiday preparations as early as possible, to make sure you have enough time to check all the tasks off your list, address crises and avoid last-minute rushes. You should get all your family involved in the planning process, consulting with your spouse and your kids, if they’re old enough to express their wishes and preferences. Talk about the activities you want to participate in and what they imply to avoid misunderstandings and ensure everyone knows what to expect and what’s expected of them.  

Keep it real 

Setting the bar too high when it comes to holiday expectations won’t do you any good. Contrary to what movies and social media might have you believe, holidays with the family are hardly ever perfect, so it’s best to maintain a realistic outlook and be prepared for a bit of chaos. Your plans will most likely be disturbed by tantrums, meltdowns, delays, annoying relatives, family disputes, and so on, but that’s perfectly normal. 

Focus on what makes you and your loved ones happy, not on the unattainable standards set by society. Another great way to reduce holiday pressure is to simplify traditions or create new ones that are more in tune with your family’s needs and lifestyle. 

Set a budget 

It’s hard to feel any Christmas joy and get into the festive spirit when you’re staring at an empty bank account, so you need to plan your expenses carefully, especially if you know you tend to get carried away with Christmas shopping. Start by making a list of all the things you intend to purchase (and checking it twice), and then establish a realistic budget. Keep an eye out for discounts and special offers, or take advantage of cost-saving ideas like DIY gifts and ornaments and free family activities.  

Delegate tasks 

When you’re a parent, preparing for the holidays can sometimes feel like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, but you don’t have to do everything by yourself. If you want to relieve some of the burden, you should start delegating responsibilities. After all, the holidays are about connection and togetherness, so what better way to bond than to engage in some healthy teamwork? Obviously, each team, aka family member, should be assigned tasks based on their skills and abilities. 

Practice self-care 

As much as you want to surround yourself with people you care about and make everyone happy, particularly the kids, you should also focus on your own needs. The biggest gift you can give to your family is being fully present, and that can only happen if you take good care of yourself and alleviate stress. This can look like establishing boundaries, learning to say no, taking breaks when you start feeling tired, and doing things that bring you joy without feeling guilty.

Keep calm and start planning early

As a parent, the holiday season can be equally joyful and challenging due to all the stress it involves. Fortunately, if you work a bit on your mindset and focus on what truly matters, you can turn the dial down on stress and make room for more festive cheer.

Note: The image from this article was designed by freepik