“What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun?” (Ecc 2:22)
Are you stressed and overwhelmed by the thought of all you have to do this holiday season? Are you putting pressure on yourself or allowing yourself to be pressured by others? It’s not uncommon to take on too much at the holidays. From family gatherings, work parties, school plays, and church events (not to mention work and taking care of your family), it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
Every year, I put pressure on myself to do everything and make every event. By the time Christmas arrives, I’m exhausted and irritable and unable to enjoy the day with my family. One year, I took things especially hard. I didn’t have time to put the Christmas tree up until the middle of December and had a mini-meltdown. (You can read all about my reaction in Echoes of Joy: A Daily Devotional for Christmas.)
I’m still learning to give myself grace when it comes to participating in holiday activities. I’ve collected a few tips I’ve learned over the years that make this time of year less stressful.
- Prioritize
With so many activities coming at you so fast, it’s important to prioritize. For you, this may mean placing your kids’ activities first. For others who don’t have kids at home, it may mean that church activities come first. A suggestion I heard recently is to pick three bucket list items and focus on those. Everything else can be worked around those activities.
- Start Early
I start my shopping early in the year. (Disclaimer: I didn’t start early this year, and the busyness of the stores has served as a good reminder of why I don’t like to wait until December.) I also create a budget. The years I didn’t stick with the budget were much more stressful than the times that I did. Starting early helps spread out spending, reducing both financial stress and time constraints as you run around picking up last-minute gifts or groceries.
- Stay Connected – To Others and to Yourself
Whether this means a quick text to a friend or a date night with your significant other, make time for the people in your life. This may seem to contradict the message of number one, but connection is important. When we get busy, the first thing to go is time for ourselves, and then time for others. Don’t neglect your relationships.
- Focus on Jesus
When we focus all of our attention on the trappings of the season, we lose sight of the meaning of the season and become overwhelmed. While the decorations and food and programs are all nice, they are not necessary to have a meaningful Christmas. Christmas is all about Jesus. If we don’t even think about him, then what are we really celebrating?
Dear Jesus, thank you for this season in which we celebrate your birth. Take the burden of stress that we place on ourselves, and help us to focus on you this season. Amen.