5 easy ways to reduce the stress of the Holidays

*I updated this post in 2022 but it’s been around for many years. I continue to use many of these tips!

It’s no surprise that I love Christmas. My social posts, this blog, my home etc. for the month of December reflects that.

But this time of year, especially with only a few days remaining until the big show, can be overwhelming. We are at the point where some stuff just needs to get thrown off the to-do list, where our Christmas cards could be New Year Cards (although this year I have started them early!) and every activity may have to be adjusted based on schedule.

I do have a few cheats that I use every year that helps to reduce the feeling of ‘I need to do it all!’ and that keeps me feeling merry and festive. They seem like little steps, but I know for me they have a huge impact.

Reducing Stress during the Holidays

1.Reduce the dishes 

Yes, I am keen to do my part for the environment. No, I don’t want a bazillion mini appetizer plates dirtied every time we have company and I put out a tray of baking and snacks. So instead, I use compostable paper plates especially when entertaining. Although now, I don’t entertain the large groups I once did (hopefully in future years!) so I just use our own dishes, having items like compostable cups at least can help.

Alternatively, because we don’t want a thousand paper plates going into the compost, I do have a small stack of plates I use for quick snacks, decorating etc that are easy to wash and don’t take up much room. But having them on hand makes it easier to grab, use and wash when we are really busy or the kids are creating.

2.  Store bought appetizers

I cook a lot. I like to cook. However, I don’t want to make a giant meal every night or every time company pops in. So I keep frozen appetizers in the freezer ready to go. Sometimes, we have family over and then we get visiting and playing and everyone is a bit snacky. It’s nice to be able to offer a quick bite to eat without the stress of ‘what food do I have?’ lingering over me. (You can find your favourite bites at grocery stores, M and M stores and Costco)

3. Keep extras around

Extra wine, extra boxes of chocolates, extra Christmas cards – these are the things I like to have handy just in case I suddenly realized that I forgot someone on my list, get a last minute invite and want to offer a hostess gift, or just need to have for company. I know I’m the type of person that would worry in those situations, so having something on hand reduces my panic of ‘what if’.

4. Outsource to local bakeries

I keep baking around from about December 1st on. Andy and I are making pies for Christmas dinner. But there’s more that needs to be done and there isn’t always time or energy to do it. Now is the time to outsource what you can. I outsource our Christmas morning breakfast. We pick up an amazing quiche from local food store Epicuria and Andy will make a quick batch of waffles for the kids Christmas morning. Easy and stress free. Lots of food shops have meat pies, desserts and even full turkey meals! With the pandemic, we’ve been just the four of us for Christmas dinner the past two years and honestly, outsourcing the meal to local shops has been AMAZING and stress free (we started doing this for Thanksgiving too)

5. Let it Go

All these years later and Elsa is still right. We need to let some things go. It may not be an official cheat, but looking at the to-do list and just saying ‘nope’ will relieve some stress. This hasn’t always been easy for me, but I’ve gotten a lot better at recognizing when to change up a tradition or just say no.

At the end of the day, Christmas comes together in the way that it’s meant to – as a family, with plenty of togetherness and heart. That’s what it means to us.

Use a couple of these time savers, let go of what can’t get done, and enjoy the holidays!!! I know I will 😉