"Time" For the Holidays

It's holiday time. Know how I can tell? I have a zit, I want to eat a bag of chips, my dog is making me feel guilty and I have so many "to-do" lists and Post-It Note reminders of things that I could mark a trail between the office and the house.

And then there's the finances... This time of year I feel as though I should just stand in front of my house and toss dollars into the breeze – teacher gifts, office gifts, hostess gifts, kids' friends gifts. Not to mention a dog gift, since she's making me feel guilty right now.

How do we manage it all and not pull out our hair – or, in my case, end up at the bottom of a bag of Cheetos? There's no magic holiday bullet, unfortunately, but I found these tips from therapistfinder.com pretty helpful:

• Trim the tree, and your gift list. It’s time to downsize, especially in this economy. If you’re buying a gift for every sibling, aunt, uncle and in-law, talk to your family about drawing names and buying for just one person each, and set a price limit. Schedule a holiday potluck or dinner out with friends and forgo gifts, or get the group together for a festive volunteer activity, such as serving a meal at a local soup kitchen. Focus on enjoying one another’s time minus the stress of gift giving.


• Channel Santa’s workshop. Enlist the help of your partner and kids in holiday preparations. Give the kids gifts to wrap, get their help making holiday cookies, give your partner a list of gifts to buy on a lunch break, schedule a family decorating day – the stress relief, plus the time you save, will make you want to spread “Joy to the World!”


• Here we come a-scheduling. Coordinating holiday activities for everyone in the family can be overwhelming. Create a family holiday calendar that you post in a prominent place that includes color-coded activities for every family member. At a glance, you’ll be able to see what obligations are coming up, if you’re overbooked and what you need to prepare. Pencil in several shopping trips to ensure you’re not scrambling at the last minute.


• Make a list ... and check it twice. It sounds simple, but making a list of who you need to shop for, how much you want to spend and gift ideas will eliminate a lot of stress and last-minute trips to the store.  Also, buy some generic gifts to have on hand, like candles or gift cards, that you can grab if you need a spur-of-the-moment gift.


• Say no. You don’t have to attend every holiday gathering you’re invited to, or participate in every white elephant gift exchange. Graciously decline, and you won’t be overwhelmed by obligations that aren’t a priority for you.

If I can manage to do just one of these, I might have clear skin just in time for the holiday photo I need to schedule.