As the holidays approach, you may find yourself feeling run down. Filling your days with shopping, planning a holiday dinner for the entire family, cooking, cleaning, decorating and attending activities with the kids. While this time of year brings excitement and memorable events, it can also be quite stressful if you are the one in charge of more tasks than you can handle. It is important to remember that you are only one person and may not be able to do it all. Get help for the holiday!
Create a To-Do List and Delegate this Holiday
Creating a to-do list is a good way to stay organized during the holidays. It is also, a good way to start separating the things that you can and want to do, from the things you would like to hand off to someone else or have someone else assist you in completing. Remember, you are not alone. Your loved ones may like to add a little something to the holiday celebration.
Let the Kids Help
Assigning small tasks for the children to oversee is a great way to get them involved and alleviate some of your holiday stress. Let them help with decorations, food prep, and cleaning.
Holiday Decorations
Kids love to be helpful. Especially if it is something fun and exciting. Who doesn’t love arts and crafts? Giving them a jar of glitter and some crayons and makers is definitely more fun for them than watching you do all the work. Adding to the holiday décor will provide them with a feeling of great accomplishment.
Food Prep
Are there some veggies that need chopping? If your children are old enough to handle a knife, give them the time-consuming task to tackle, so that you are free to move on to the next item on your list. If they are too young to handle cutlery, then break out the cookie dough and let them help with dessert. Who would pass that up? Making and eating dessert is enjoyed by kids and adults of all ages. It is a fun and tasty way to create a holiday memory, while getting the help you need.
Get Help Cleaning Up
If they are old enough to make a mess, they are most likely old enough to clean it up. It is never too early to start teaching them how to clean up after themselves. It is a great life lesson, that will help you, and them in the long run. So, why not get them started right now and get the help you need for the holiday?
Plan a Pot-Luck Holiday Dinner
If you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed out with the number of family members attending your holiday dinner, don’t sweat it, make it a pot-luck. They are family. Get the help you need for the holiday and ask them to make a side dish or dessert to lighten your load. You may be the type that likes to do it all yourself, but it’s not necessary. Ask for help. What you have done in the past with no children, or just one child, may not be possible if you more children or responsibility now. The holiday is meant for everyone to enjoy, including you. Don’t bite off more than you can chew.
Shop Online
More and more people are shopping online to save time in their day. With work, children, cooking, cleaning and other activities you or your children may be involved in, finding time to go grocery shopping or shopping for the holiday may be a big challenge. Taking advantage of the option to shop online will allow you to check an item off your to-do list in no time at all.
Food
Food shopping online is very easy. Simply create an account on the store or service of your choosing and get started as soon as today. There will be a fee for the service, so be sure to do your research. Look at the services your local grocery store provides, as well as Instacart, Amazon and more. If you would like food that is prepared to cut down on time in the kitchen, it will be more of an expense, but you can do that too. The choice is yours.
Presents
As the gift-giving season approaches, you may find shopping online to be easier and more productive than visiting each store individually. Will you have the option to see the item you are purchasing in person? No, but there are definitely benefits. Saving on time, money, gas, and mileage alone, is reason enough. Not to mention the great deals and promo codes that you can find online. So, instead of loading the kids in the car or finding a babysitter, shop online where anything you want or need, is just a finger click away.
If money is tight, and you are worried about buying presents or preparing a feast for the holiday, look for any online discounts you can find, on sites like RetailMeNot, Groupon, Rakuten, the Krazy Coupon Lady and many more. If your financial situation needs a little more help, you may want to look at some alternative funding options, like a same day title loan at Missouri Title Loans, Inc.
Holiday Pollyanna
As your family grows, so does your Christmas list. Cut down on your shopping by introducing a Pollyanna to your holiday tradition. This tradition can help to reduce the stress of getting more done than you have time for, as well as spending more than you have. Not only does a long list of people to buy for start to get ridiculous in length, it also increases the amount you are expected to spend. Don’t worry about buying a gift for a cousin, that’s twice removed, or a distant family member, or even for your aunts and uncles. Keep your shopping list short by doing a Pollyanna for all the adults in your family.
Make Time for Yourself this Holiday
Making time for yourself during the busy holiday season is important. Don’t stress for the next month without any relief. Make an appointment to get your hair done, or your nails, go to dinner with a friend, or do it all. We know that stress can make you feel tired and run down, but that does not mean that you need to look like it has taken a toll on you. Treat yourself, you deserve it. Remember, you are only one person. Get help for the holiday!