Tag Archives: holiday stress

How to Have Peace During the Holidays

With just a few days left until Christmas, many of you are probably stressed out. But you don’t have to be. This year I have not gotten too much into the Christmas spirit because of my situation trying to get back into my house. (Yes, I’m still waiting on the gas inspector). I have been doing so much running back and forth and waiting for this one and that one, I feel like Scrooge. As I write this blog, I have two guys at my house installing new windows. It’s very noisy and they are going to be here for … Continue reading →

Aging Parents and Holiday Stress: Create Moments of Joy

Taking care of aging parents during the holiday season can add to your daily stress. Between shopping, decorating, meal planning and partying, you can get overwhelmed when you also have to add taking care of mom or dad to the mix. But elder care expert Ester Koch believes caregivers can use the holiday season to bring joy to their lives instead. She recommends that caregivers create “moments of joy” by changing their focus from all the things they do for their parents to the joyful experiences they can create for and share with them. She advises caregivers to “Become a … Continue reading →

Six More Ways to Beat Holiday Stress

Sometimes, the holidays seem more like a juggling act and less like a time of celebration. Here are some more tips to help balance out your holiday season and keep stress levels to a minimum. Stick to cash. According to the American Psychological Association, more than sixty percent of Americans say that lack of money is their biggest holiday stress. Leave your credit cards at home so you’ll be more aware of your spending — and less likely to spend money you don’t have. Practice your comebacks. If you always have to face the same questions from family and friends, … Continue reading →

Six Ways to Beat Holiday Stress

The holidays are looming, and while they are often a time of joy, they can also be a time of stress. Here are some tips to help you stay calm, cool, and collected — so you can enjoy the holiday season without stress and strain. *Keep your outside decor simple — like a wreath on the door — and save the effort for inside. After all, that’s where your friends and family will be! *Don’t have a financial crisis. If you go overboard on one gift, don’t make that an excuse to go crazy with every gift! Keep things balanced. … Continue reading →

Planning Holiday Visits

The holidays are a hectic time of year for most of us. The frantic pace of life during this time wears us all out, but is especially difficult for pregnant women. You need to rest, but you need to shop, wrap gifts, visit relatives and fulfill many other commitments. You need to take stock of what you really need to accomplish. Prioritize your list so you can fulfill your obligations while preserving some time for rest. Shopping is one chore that can be avoided. Shop online for most of your gifts. This is easier than ever and the gifts arrive … Continue reading →

Holiday Stress: Managing the Spending This Holiday Season

We’ve talked about the problems that financial stress can have on a marriage and during the holiday season, arguments over money and how you are spending it on presents for the kids and more can seem inevitable. Making the right decisions on how to spend your money can be hard most of the year, but when it comes to Christmas shopping and looking for the right presents for your kids and more – it can a great deal more difficult. The Past Affects the Present For years, my husband and I both made a decent income with extra disposable cash … Continue reading →

Step-parenthood and the Holidays

You adore your spouse. His or her kids are great too. The ex? Well, maybe not so much. Even if you generally have a civil relationship with your spouse’s ex, things may very well get tense when the holidays roll around. Being a step-parent isn’t always easy. It requires a lot of patience. I commend those who do it well. For those of you who may not feel like it’s going so great, I have a couple tips that might help. Do not Enable Your Spouse If your husband or wife engages in an unhealthy competition in regard to the … Continue reading →

De-Stress the Holidays

Unless you are one of those people that does things perfectly and effortlessly (which I’m certainly not), you may find yourself a little stressed during the holidays. There is a lot to do and we all want everything to be special and wonderful for our families. Well, that means taking care of ourselves while we take care of everything else. Take Care of You Thanksgiving is one week away, and I’m sure you have lots of stuff to do. However, today is “take care of you” day. Now, now, don’t shake your head and sigh. Keep reading… I know you … Continue reading →

Tips for Dealing with Stepfamily Holiday Stress II

Here are some more tips that I hope will prove helpful: Talk to Your Kids It’s important to make sure that your kids don’t feel like they are taking sides, and that they know you will not be angry with them. Ask them how they would like to spend the holidays, and then work to make that happen. This can be a very tough thing to do, especially if your kids decide they’d like to spend the big day with Mom (or Dad) or their other grandparents and spend time with you and your family before or after. However, if … Continue reading →

Tips for Dealing with Stepfamily Holiday Stress

When holidays become nightmares instead of joyous occasions, it’s time to do something different. It takes effort and everyone has to be willing to compromise. Now, some people might stop me there and say, “You don’t know my ex or her (his) parents!” No, I don’t know them, but I know what I had to deal with in the past, and it wasn’t pretty. Even if your ex and his or her family are difficult, you can find ways to make things go more smoothly. I hope some of these tips will prove helpful. Put the Kids First If all … Continue reading →