10 Holiday Survival Tips

10 Holiday Survival Tips for a Stress-Free Season

The holidays can be tough for anyone. Many of us are dealing with family. Extended family. Uninvited family. All kinds of family.

Holiday Survival Tips

1. Stand your ground when it comes to houseguests. This is my number one tip when it comes to surviving any holiday or indeed any holiday situation. Holidays are already crazy around my house and uninvited houseguests can make it so much worse. The cleaning. The rearranging of everything. We don't have that much room as it is and houseguests make my house much smaller. I am an expert when it comes to making hotel reservations and I can find a deal that can put anyone within two miles of my house.

2. Consider not buying gifts for the adults in the family. For the past several years, we have just gotten gifts for the children. We have saved a ton of money and for me, this means less stuff to take back.

3. I shop all year long for gifts and then store them in our basement. This allows me to take advantage of great sale prices and get something for a good deal rather than waiting until the holiday season to buy something.

4. Split up the work. Cooking a big holiday dinner? Take on the turkey and/or the ham. Ask other relatives to cook other parts of the meal. We do this every year and that way, no one is responsible for everything or spends the entire day cooking.

5. Split up the shopping as well. Every year on Black Friday, I shop for several family members because I go out in the wee hours of the morning. I have lists of what everyone is looking for and they gave me money ahead of time. If I don't get the item, the money gets returned. I also have family members looking for things for me as well.

6.Using your Smart Phone as a list maker is a smart and organized way to keep track of important details for each family member. With lists for their sizes, likes, and preferences, you're well-prepared for any gift-giving occasion throughout the year, whether it's a birthday or Christmas. This system ensures that you can always find the perfect present that will truly delight them.

7. Have your kids make toy lists. Take them shopping before Christmas and let them peruse holiday catalogs. KNOW what your children want. Nothing is worse than something popping up last minute that your child wants. Two years ago, my now five year old told me, “the only thing I want for Christmas is a house for my dollies.” WHAT? She had never talked about this before but I never asked. This was three days before Christmas and after searching all over town, I found every store sold out of the house that she wanted. I ended up buying it on Amazon and paying WAY TOO MUCH for shipping. Plan early.

8. Shop around for trees if you buy a live tree. I have found the cheapest live tree is at our local nursery. It is usually almost half of any place else which is a steal for a live tree. We still spend time looking around and picking the perfect tree.

9. Treating yourself during the holidays by buying a few small gifts that you want is a wonderful way to practice self-care. Wrapping them up and opening them on Christmas adds to the festive spirit, and it's a way to acknowledge the effort you put into making the season special for others. While it may not be a surprise, the happiness that comes from getting exactly what you wanted is a delightful gift in itself.

10. Finally, plan your holiday cards early. I love to pick out the outfits months in advance and figure out where we will be taking pictures. I even design the card in September or October. This way, when I find the perfect picture, all I have to do is drop it in and order the cards.

DISCLOSURE: I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Tiny Prints blogging program, making me eligible to get a $75 Tiny Prints gift certificate! For more information on how you can participate, click here.

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Holiday Survival Tips for a Stress-Free Season

Prioritize Self-Care Strategies

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