Balancing Holiday Spirit and Your Sanity - Part 1: An Active Mom’s Guide to Avoiding Festivity-Related Stress and Embracing a Guilt-Free Mindset!

As a child, I remember being mesmerized by all the holiday music and the transformation of our home from warm, fall-colored adornments to the sparkle of winter festivities. As a family, we would trek into the woods for the perfect tree, display it in the living room and decorate it with ornaments amassed through the years, drink hot chocolate, and plan for the annual trip to our family cabin where my dad would light a fire, put up yet another tree, and display a homemade fir swag on the front door with a giant red ribbon. We would don our lovely dresses, my grandmother would bring wonderful cookies and candies, and the women would cook an elaborate dinner with cheerful hearts. We exchanged gifts, and there were squeals of delight from the children – sounds like a Dickens’ story, right? At least that is how I remember it.

Now for a reality check! Children have a miraculous way of remembering things on a much grander and less tarnished scale than they actually were. My mother tells me that after tree-hunting, hot beverages were served to curb our complaints of frozen fingers and toes. She absolutely dreaded the trip to the cabin, because it involved packing a multitude of boxes, the second tree, all the supplies for our nativity puppet show, and enduring icy roads and snow drifts only to arrive at the cold rooms with no hot water in the tank. By the time we had settled in, she was tired, frustrated, and most likely just wanted to disappear into a pile of blankets and sleep for the rest of the year. So much for Dickens!

That all being said, here are a few pre-holiday tips for getting organized before the season gets into full swing. A little advanced planning will save you that Scrinch migraine (a combination headache named after Scrooge and the infamous Grinch!):

• Keep a calendar – If the other 11 months of the year go unnoted, make sure December is the one month you earnestly document! Sort through your stack of papers for all school-related programs and concerts, church and club bulletins, newsletters, fundraiser information, and upcoming holiday sales announcements. Schedule any travel plans, and use bright colored markers and color code special events to differentiate between family members.

As the month progresses, make sure you open mail near the calendar and note any commitments as you learn of them. Have family members immediately give you any holiday-related information they bring home, or leave it next to the calendar for quick reference. Write down reminders to prepare event attire before the actual day arrives. The key here is not to let yourself over-commit! Keep some space open for last-minute arrangements and breathing time, which leads into the next tip.

• Clean and purge – Take a few minutes to go through your refrigerator and pantry and clear out all the expired foods, spices, and condiments. This will ensure the new items you bring in will have a place and won’t get mixed up with the forgotten cans of evaporated milk and baking powder from 2004. Next, clean the kitchen and the main rooms guests will spend time in. Take inventory of bake wear and utensils needed, and budget them in. When it is time to start preparing foods and goodies, you will be glad you cleaned ahead of time and have everything at your fingertips.

Go through the kid’s toy bins and play areas before they receive new items. Donate anything they don’t use anymore to charity.

• Holiday card alternatives – To really save on time, post a festive group message to Facebook with a postcard-style picture attached, tagging everyone you would like to receive your holiday message. Keep in mind, there may be relatives from past generations who may not have computers and will still love a personal greeting in the mail.

If you absolutely feel the desire to replicate the beautiful, handmade card in the magazine with turtle doves cut from antique lace and garnished with glitter, limit them to just one or two special people.

• Set a spending limit - It is easy to end up over-extending your budget during the winter holidays, so make sure you have a plan and stick to it. You will first need to make a detailed list of all your projected expenses, which can include: gifts and wrapping supplies, postage, baking supplies, holiday clothing, decorations, donations, cards, travel, meals out, entertaining in the home, and any post-holiday sales. Write down your projected costs next to each item, and then set a budget with at least a 10-15% buffer for unexpected elements you may have forgotten. Keep track of your spending so that you don’t end up relying on the next year’s tax refund to make up the difference!
• Create a wrapping station – Before getting started, locate all the paper, bows, gift labels, tape, pens, ribbon, scissors, and packaging tape you already have on hand. Take note of what you need and add it to the budget and your next shopping list. Next, set up a work space in a well-lit area, preferably where you can listen to cheerful holiday tunes or contemporary jazz to calm the nerves. Having a table designated to prepare your gifts will ensure you are able to wrap the item right away, instead of letting it sit forgotten somewhere in a closet for weeks. Hang wrapping paper in a clear garment bag to keep it out of the way yet easily accessible.

Getting organized ahead of time will help you maintain a mindset of peace and allow you to enjoy the true spirit of the season without feeling overwhelmed!