Staying Sane During The Holidays

I don’t know about you all, but the holidays can feel overwhelming at times, so I’m always trying to stay sane during this time of year.

Now don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love this time of year and look forward to it every year.

But the hustle and bustle of it all can really drive up my anxiety and leave me feeling very stressed if I let it get to me.

I prefer to experience a stress-free holiday than one that has me pulling my hair out.

And as a stay-at-home mom who doesn’t have a consistent income, I have to be smart about where the money is going.

Because the last thing, my family needs to do is go into debt trying to attend holiday events and Christmas shopping.

As a new mom of 2 this year, I obviously want my toddler and my baby girl to experience fun-filled holiday events, but I don’t want to feel overwhelmed trying to do it all.

Or go broke for that matter Christmas shopping.

There are so many holiday events and so many deals that all the stores are going on during this time and I want to take advantage of it.

Over the last 3 years as a parent, I feel like I have learned a few things to help me not feel as overwhelmed during this time of year.

And of course, I want to share those tips with you all.

Here is how I’m staying sane during the holidays.

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What Causes Stress During The Holidays?

Before I get into how I stay stress-free during the holidays, let’s talk about why so many people experience anxiety during the holidays in the first place.

What causes stress during the holidays?

Many people will go all year long feeling good, but as soon as the holidays hit, people began to feel stressed and overwhelmed.

A lot of companies and stores start advertising for Christmas in October, so we are hit with the Christmas songs and decor before we have even had a chance to get through Halloween and Thanksgiving.

As a kid, I used to love it when the stores put out the Christmas decor and everything because that meant that we are getting closer to Christmas.

But as an adult and now a parent, it hits me a little differently.

Especially since my pockets are the ones affected.

Another reason for holiday stress that Verywell Mind noted is the pressure of feeling like you are having to attend and participate in all of the holiday events.

Which is true.

It is easy to get overwhelmed with holiday activities such as tree-lighting ceremonies, light shows, and other various Christmas-related events.

Verywell Mind also stated more reasons that people experience holiday stress such as:

• Eating, drinking, and spending too much
• Too much togetherness
• Not enough togetherness
• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

For those unfamiliar with SAD, it is a type of depressive disorder that some individuals experience during the fall and winter months.

It is often due to having to spend more time indoors with the cooler weather and decreased sunlight.

Now that we know what may cause stress during the holidays, let’s talk about how I’m staying sane during the holidays as a mom of 2.

Staying Sane During The Holidays

Stay In Your Lane

My first tip for staying sane during the holidays is to stay in your lane.

It is very easy to get overwhelmed and want to do everything that you see, but that is not the approach you want to take.

If your lane is to only attend one Christmas event during this season, then do that.

If your lane is that each person gets just one gift, then do that.

Can you drift out of your lane occasionally or can your lane expand?

Sure, as long as you are comfortable doing so.

The point of staying in your lane is so that you are comfortable and mentally capable of handling whatever comes your way.

It’s To Ok Say No

Like I was just saying above, the point of staying in your lane is so you are comfortable and not feeling overwhelmed.

This means that you will have to get comfortable saying no sometimes.

It’s ok to say no and limit yourself to what you are comfortable with and what you are wanting to do.

Yes, your friends and family feelings might be hurt, but if you believe that event will leave feeling stressed or mentally drained, then it is probably not for you.

And that’s ok.

You don’t have to make everything.

Plan Your Holiday Shopping

If holiday events are part of the stress that people feel during the holiday, then the gift-giving aspect is the other part that is overwhelming.

Some people either try to do too much and get everybody they know a gift or spend way too much on buying gifts that puts them in debt.

If you create a budget and have a plan for who you want to get gifts for, then this is less likely to happen.

Make a list of who you are buying for as well as what you are hoping to get them.

When you find that item, you can cross that person off and keep going until you have completed your holiday shopping for everyone.

By planning your holiday shopping, you can stay within your budget and not overspend.

Start Holiday Shopping Early

Once you have a plan, my next tip is to start holiday shopping early.

You don’t have to wait until Black Friday to get the deals anymore, because some stores start posting their Black Friday ads at the beginning of November.

I know Walmart and Target start sharing their deals early on and continue to release new deals all the way up to Black Friday, so you don’t have to wait until then to get started.

If there are certain stores that have their deals already out, then take advantage of that so you are getting an early start to your Christmas shopping.

I know I feel stressed waiting until the very end trying to Christmas shop so by getting an early start, I may knock out at least half or most of my Christmas shopping by the time December hits.

Shop Online

I know I have a lot of moms here with little ones who get excited seeing their gifts as you get them.

Especially us stay-at-home moms with little ones.

I know as a stay-at-home mom who has the kids the majority of the time, I would have to do my Christmas shopping with my kids so there is a good chance they would see their stuff.

And with a 3-year-old toddler, that can be tough because she doesn’t understand that she cannot have the toy right now and has to wait.

So to solve that issue, I have started ordering some of her things online and leaving her items in the boxes so she cannot see them.

Either the day before and a couple of days before, I will open the boxes and wrap her gifts so that she can open them soon.

Take Advantage Of Coupons

Around this time of year, a lot of stores will also put out coupons.

Such as buy one, get one free, spend a certain amount and get a certain amount off, or spend a certain amount and get a free item.

Take advantage of these coupons and use them to get several gifts at once.

Especially places that offer coupons that state that you have to spend so much to get a free item.

So not only did you get some bulk Christmas shopping done, but you also get an extra item to add to another Christmas gift.

Take Care Of Yourself

And my last tip for staying sane during the holidays is to take care of yourself.

With the chaos that this time of year usually brings, you want to make sure you are not neglecting yourself and staying grounded.

Make sure you are practicing good healthy self-care habits such as staying hydrated, well-rested and finding ways to unwind and relax your mind.

This should be a joyful time of year, so don’t forget to find joy in the chaos.

Your Turn

Well, that is everything that I do to stay sane during the holidays. Now I want to hear from you all. What are some things that you all do to stay sane and relieve holiday stress? Let me know in the comments and while you are still here, check out my previous post below. Until next time!

• Read More: What I Keep In My Medicine Cabinet For My Toddler

Love,

Just Jass