Fighting Holiday Stress

It's the most wonderful time of the year, right?

Right...except the holiday season drives me bonkers sometimes. This year started to feel like no exception. My calendar has filled up pretty darn quickly, and I'm trying to fight that feeling that the walls (of the halls that are decked with boughs of holly, fa la la la la, la la la la) are closing in.

We're running out of time!
Thanksgiving is next week!
Christmas decorations go up the weekend after Thanksgiving!
And then there are FOUR more weekends until Christmas.

And I haven't started shopping yet. Yikes.

This year I have resolved that I WILL NOT fall victim to holiday-induced hysteria and panic. No sir, not this year. Not me! I am going to be full of holiday cheer and NO STRESS.

"How?" You might be asking. Holiday stress and frenzy is INESCAPABLE.

I put together a game plan to get me through the next month and a half. I'm hoping that by putting these things in place now, I won't become a bucket of nerves and yuck by December 20.

Wanna see the game plan? Here it is:

Is it obvious by now that I am very much a planner? I am going to sit down within the next week, map out the next six weeks, and put it on paper so it's visible. Stick it on the fridge, so I can see it every day. This includes any special holiday parties and festivities and the actual holidays themselves. Every year it's a struggle on decided with whose family to celebrate the holidays, so I am setting it in stone now. The sooner I figure this out, the less stressed I will feel. This will be my plan. I am committing to this plan. I will try to not deviate from this plan. If something doesn't jive with my plans, I am setting the standard with myself that it's okay to say "No."

That's right. I'm scheduling days, nights, whatever, for dedicated down time. This will be time to relax, listen to some Christmas music, take a nap, read a book...whatever I feel like doing. Recharge. Make it a point to get a good night's sleep at least three times a week. No one likes a sleep-deprived Scrooge.

This is probably something I should have done, oh I don't know, WEEKS AGO. But I guess late is better than never, right? Money is something I stress over every holiday season. There is just not enough of it to go around. There are gifts to buy, parties to attend, fun holiday-themed things to do. My wallet feels it. I am going to write out every single thing I have scheduled, write out my list of people to shop for, and set a budget--per event and per person. And I will not waiver from said budget.

This one is going to be tough, but maintaining some sort of sense of normalcy is key to keeping my sanity intact. Especially with little ones, sacrificing routine to fit in ALL THE THINGS is bound to end up a not-so-pleasant experience for all involved. And as much as Peyton needs routine, I do too. This includes my daily workouts. When life starts to feel a little chaotic, I know having some sort of consistency will help anchor me.

And most importantly:

Remember the reasons behind this time of the year. This is a time for family, making memories, and tradition. Whatever holidays you are celebrating this year, don't lose sight of their true meanings and ground yourself in those meanings. It helps keep the crazy at bay ;)

Am I the only one who has a tendency to go off the deep end when it comes to holiday mania?