The holiday season’s preparation, parties and expected holiday cheers can be a bit overwhelming. It causes stress, especially dreaded work or family events.  So, to help ease some of the holiday stressors, here are some tips.

1. Picture the holidays you want to have and plan ahead. Know your travel plans or plans for inviting guests and plan for weather and delays. Decide what you want, movies to watch, what you will be eating and programs at the library to attend and other activities to celebrate the season and pick the dates.     

2. Manage expectations and set realistic ones. Let go of what you cannot control. Write down the things you can control. Prepare what you can control ahead of time like wrapping presents, buying groceries, freezing some dishes ahead of time. 

3. Avoid family conflict, by creating an action plan if tensions build. 

4. Say no! It is absurd to try to attend all the parties. Be honest with what you can handle and when too much is enough. No need to say yes to all the cookie and ornament exchanges, neighborhood and family parties. Pick the most important ones and prioritize your time.

5. Take care of yourself. Do activities that you enjoy and find relaxing like driving around and looking at the holiday lights, watching Christmas movies on TV or making cookies and candies. 

6. Take a break from social media. The amount of information is overwhelming and it’s full of news and blather. It will make you feel like you can’t keep up with the holiday demands. Instead seek human contact, hold hands with your special someone or better yet, go to the library and check out a book.

7. Exercise. Keep your mind and body healthy with physical activity. It will help reduce stress and increase your mood. Get outside and go sledding or ice skating. 

8. Keep to a budget. This will keep you from going overboard and the stress of having to pay back your credit card bills etc. It’s OK not to buy the most expensive items. It’s not the gifts that people remember, it’s the experiences. 

9. Get seven to eight hours of sleep. Sleep helps the immune system, which is essential this time of the year to fight off those seasonal colds and flu.

10. Plan to celebrate the new year. We all enjoy celebrating in different ways. If you like dressing up and going out to a party for New Year’s Eve or staying at home and watching the ball drop, it’s all important to help you bring in the New Year. We need to take the time to celebrate what we have and what we are blessed with in the New Year!

The Lincoln County Library has many books to help you make this holiday season less stressful. Start with “The Office: Official Cookbook and Party Planning Guide,” for planning your office party or a book to make gifts at home like “Martha Stewart’s Homemade Holiday Crafts.” Maybe just relax with a feel good Christmas book, some suggestions; “A Christmas Memory” by Richard Paul Evans or “The Christmas Spirit” by Debbie Macomber.

Whatever you decide to do for this holiday season, may it bring you joy and happiness.