This time of year can bring on a lot of stress. What are some things you do to help relieve stress around the holidays?

Eat Oreo's....lots and lots of Oreo's.

Hey, you knew it was coming, didn't you?

...it's what I do...teehee...

Okay, okay...here's a couple of tips.

1) Buy a gift a month, ALL YEAR LONG. Then you have at least 12 gifts bought in advance.

2) Shop in the off hours. Like do Wal-mart at 11:00 p.m. instead of prime times during the day.

JJ

During the holidays --

Remember ...

It's an invitation not an obligation.

We don't have to go to every party that we're invited to nor do we have to do everything that we think we have to do. The world won't come to an end if I don't send Christmas cards this year.

Now that my girls are teenagers, I don't even think about Christmas until after Turkey Day.
My family has eliminated all of the gift-giving between the adult cousins. My girlfriends and I don't exchange gifts. I don't enjoy cooking so I don't bake cookies.

So, what do I do instead?
We go to music concerts. We gather with neighbors for the lighting of the neighborhood tree. We hang out in front of our fireplace. We watch It's a Wonderful Life as a family on Christmas Eve.

I still remember one Christmas Day when my girls were toddlers and we tried to please everybody but ourselves by going to 5 Open Houses. By the end of the day. my younger daughter was sick and the rest of us were dead-tired. I learned something that year. The next year, we politely declined invitations and we were all happier.

I agree that Misfire has the right idea. I have cut down drastically on parties, christmas cards, presents and just about everything else. I do go to the Nursing home with a sack full of little gifts I have picked up during the year and usually take ten dozen cookies (I buy) not bake. I will visit my sons place and celebrate Christmas dinner. Christmas Eve is mine and my pets time, to eat anything our hearts desires, curl up on the sofa with It's a Wonderful Life and The Grinch and Christmas vacation movies. I spend quiet time and just enjoy the tree lights and smells of fresh baking etc. I go to bed to get up early and head for Davids house, with my home-made dressing....

I love our attitudes.. does it come with a maturity? I think so.. we learn what is most important to us.

Simplicity is Queen.

I love this quote from Dr. Seuss --

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

So ... if I don't send Christmas cards this year or I don't bake cookies or I don't buy gifts for the world, or ... well the world won't come to an end ... I'll be calmer and happier ... and, as a result, my family will be happier.

I think these changes in attitudes (hey, that's a good title for a song!) come from "experience" and not from age. After all, people can get older and never really learn anything from their experiences. Oh ... and ... therapy helps a lot too.

All of this sounds great, but when it comes to my favorite time of the year I have a hard time cutting back. It's not what others expect, it's what I expect of myself. I expect too much this time of year. Fortunately, Ross is a big help, but I'm thinking the kids could be more helpful with holiday chores. Hmm, not there's a thought. Delegate!

It reminds me of the time I had my son and his girlfriend help with baking. They made some appetizer with sausage and left out the Bisquick.

We can get the kids to wrap, shop, bake, decorate, clean, etc., etc. How's that for an idea?

Dotsie, thats too funny but its a good thing to deligate...you just have to remember to observe. Let them do the work but you be the foreman...

I have no advice other than to shop online and have the gifts delivered.

My wish is to celebrate a weekend early then leave immediately for Florida!

Gift certificates for everyone.

Waffle House is open on Christmas Day and the people are friendly. Food's a little greasy, but who cares.

No mess. No stress.

Every year no matter how much I try NOT, I about have a break down before Christmas. However, some of the most joyous Christmases I can ever remember seem to be right in the middle of some of the most stressful times of my life.

I think it is all related to my endorphin rush theory. Like I've written on here before, science has established that endorphins are produced by our brains in response to various stimuli including relief of serious stress and endorphins produce euphoria which feels like joy.
So I suppose some of the joy of those terrific Christmases I remember might have come from the stress finally being over. ??

Anyway, that's my new excuse for giving up on avoiding stress durig the holidays. Trying to avoid it only seemed to create more stress anyway. So this year I'm just going with the flo. If it's stressful, I'm just going to get STRESSED and everyone better get OUT OF MY WAY!!!

So There!!
smile

Well anyay, it's a concept.