Life in and of itself can prove to be very stressful at times,however, more often than not the holiday season can stir up quite a lot of stress. For most of us, the holidays includes too much time fighting traffic, spending way too much on our credit cards, entertaining relatives and pretending to be thrilled when we receive yet another George Foreman grill. It’s no wonder that in an effort to pull off the perfect Disney holiday you might find yourself facing an overwhelming array of chores, shopping, baking, cleaning, etc. and you have to manage to get it all done either on your days off or after work. This year, you can make it a point to enjoy the holidays more by simplifying some of the work, while maintaining what makes the holidays special: The Love and fellowship with friends and loved ones. Here are some tips to help you cope with, or even avoid holiday stress:

ASK HELP FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS Putting up a Christmas tree and other decorations can be exhausting. Asking family and friends to help is one of the best ways to save energy and have a beautifully decorated home for the holidays. If everybody in your family gets along, consider yourself blessed. But if your family is full of friction, the holidays can become very unpleasant. You can clear the atmosphere by involving everyone in the planning and decision making. Make it a party. Serve food and refreshments and have fun.

GO EASY ON ALCOHOL A stiff glass of eggnog can be a good way to toast the holiday, but don’t go overboard. Too much alcohol will only add to your stress.

KNOW YOUR SPENDING LIMIT Much of the stress of the holiday season comes from feeling pressured to buy bigger and better gifts for those we love, even if this puts us in debt. If you are a Grandparent like I am, this can be an especially challenging temptation. Expensive gifts won’t guarantee a happy holiday. Even children will be grateful for moderately priced gifts that are chosen with care.

START YOUR HOLIDAY GIFT SHOPPING EARLY People sometimes postpone holiday shopping until the last minute, but shopping early you can avoid the stress of dealing with crowded stores and parking lots, traffic jams,cold, snowy weather,etc.

DO YOUR SHOPPING ONLINE Shopping for gifts online is an ideal way to buy gifts for friends and family. You can check your list and see how many gifts you can purchase at the same online gift store, and try to get all of your shopping done at once. Many gift store websites offer great sales and discounts, especially during the holiday season. Don’t stress yourself out wondering what gift to get for someone who has everything. You can purchase Gift Cards in different denominations, place them in a Christmas greeting card and you have the perfect gift for people of all ages.Save money, save on gas, and shop from the comfort of your home.

KEEP MOVING Exercise is always a great stress reliever. Instead of watching It’s a Wonderful Life for the 100th time, grab your favorite cousin and go for a brisk walk.It will improve your heart health and it’s a great way to shed those extra calories from eating too much of Aunt Mary’s German chocolate cake.

I hope this holiday season finds you happy, healthy, calm and peaceful. Give these tips a try, and I guarantee you’ll have less stress and more fun!!

Happy Holidays!!