Reducing Christmas Stress

Did you know that Christmas is known for being the most stressful of all holidays? Shopping, cooking, family get-togethers can create a tense situation for nearly everyone included. As society becomes more characterized by material goods, the burden to overspend is inescapable during the Christmas season. Searching for the perfect gift while staying within a budget can be a challenge in itself. Overspending is the primary cause of Christmas stress. However, there are some steps that you can take to help prevent Christmas stress and its negative impact. By reducing this stress, you can ensure that all of your family and friends will receive gifts, while staying true to their budget goals. The key to managing your budget and preventing Christmas stress is preparation.

First, you should begin by creating your budget. Your budget will need to include gifts, holiday food, and the cost of decorations. Don’t’ forget to include smaller items such as wrapping paper, tape, and other small items that may easily be overlooked. By creating your budget and staying with it, you can prevent over spending.

Second, don’t be afraid to buy second hand. Whether online or through local thrift stores, there are many ways that you can purchase the items that you want to give, while staying under your proposed budget goals. Large items such as automobiles should never be purchased new, due to the fact that they lose their value as soon as they leave the lot. By shopping carefully, you will be amazed at how much you can save.

Third, take advantage of free gift-wrapping. Stores as well as online retailers will often provide free gift-wrapping services. This is a great way to reduce the amount of work that you spend involved with Christmas preparations and will help reduce your stress level.

If you are going to be spending time with difficult family members, then you will need to take steps to ensure that you will prevent any unnecessary conflicts. Make sure that the conversation stays pleasant by avoiding subjects that are known for causing debates. These include politics and religion. Also, stay clear of any subjects that have caused conflicts in this past.

Finally, make sure that you reserve time for your own personal relaxation. Whether it is taking a long bath, exercising, meditating, or spending some time pampering yourself it is important to maintain a relaxed atmosphere. By recognizing that Christmas stress is very common you can take steps to counteract the hectic nature of the holiday and ensure that you have a wonderful holiday celebration.

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Anticipating Santa, Part 3: Christmas & Halloween

When did Halloween become an adult holiday? I was invited, for the first time ever, to an adult Halloween party. No kids allowed. No trick or treating. No candy. Just serious adult Halloween celebration.

What does that actually mean?

Dressing up, of course. And adult Halloween celebration means serious costuming.

After days of discussing it with my wife we have decided on the best of all costumes: I’ll be Santa and she’ll be Mrs. Claus.

We are, after all, the ultimate Christmas freaks. We hang out lights (thousands of them) starting in September. Our tree is the first to go up and the last to come down. We actually go Christmas caroling. We hang stockings, track Santa Claus and put Christmas marshmallows in our Christmas cocoa.

I was tickled recently to see an obvious connection between Halloween and Christmas. Seems that in the old days wassailing was all the holiday rage. In that old world tradition folks would go house to house drinking and singing and seeking treats — all in the name of celebrating Christmas. So of course I can dress up as Santa for Halloween. They go together like peas and carrots.

Besides, everybody loves Santa. I’ve already tried on my costume, you see. A little stroll around the neighborhood brought fans out from all over. Of course, I was approached by every living thing under four feet in height. But I was also equally popular amongst the adults, too. Women hugged me and even men asked to sit on my lap.

I’m going to be the hit of the adult Halloween party. I just know it. Everybody loves the Big Guy and wants a piece of him. Santa, you see, is a serious fantasy for more that just those with sugar plums dancing in their head or for those playing the part for a Halloween party.

Evidently, there are people out there now who want to apply for work at the north pole and wear the red suit. For real.

The mail coming to the north pole now in advance of the season often includes such merry job seekers, Elf Hugo tells me. More than any other question that is asked there is one that is most commonly posed: just what does it take to become an elf and might I have a shot at becoming Santa himself?

Every CEO has people who want to take their job. Even Santa, I suppose.

Hugo says Santa spends a lot of time on this kind of mail. He knows he cannot answer it all. But he does help folks as much as he can. Next week, I’ll share a little more about Santa’s mailing practices as he attempts to reach believers one-on-one.