You can beat the stress of holiday shopping this year!

Is it me, or is the Christmas season starting earlier every year?

Halloween was barely over before the Christmas decorations and the pre-Christmas sales started appearing in the stores in my community.  Santa arrived by horse-drawn carriage last Friday night (November 13) at one of our local malls, and was escorted to the place where he’ll sit from now until December 24, so kids can tell him what they want for Christmas.

Personally, I enjoy going out to the stores and malls to shop during the holidays. I even enjoy taking my five kids with me! I make it an event and have fun. I enjoy the music, the sights, the smells, the deals, and the people.

My wife, and millions of others, on the other hand, would prefer to never set foot in the mall again until all the Christmas decor has been packed away.

For many, Christmas shopping and gift giving adds a lot of stress to their lives. They hate the crowds in the stores, the pressure to find the “perfect” gift, and the expectation to spend a certain amount of money on each person on their list.

Here are 13 ways you can cut down the stress and simplify shopping and gift giving this holiday season:

1. If you must shop at the mall or certain “big box” stores, shop at off-peak hours. You can call the store and ask them what time-frame they would recommend.
2. Shop at arts and craft fairs. You’re sure to find unique (and maybe even custom-made and personalized) gifts for that special someone.
3. Buy from stores or organizations that feature fair-trade gifts made by artisans in the developing world, like Ten Thousand Villages.  The artisans are paid a living wage and proceeds from sales go to help other would-be artisans get started.
4. Instead of buying a gift, give a donation in that person’s honor to a charity or cause you or they care about.
5. Instead of buying gifts for your family, plan a special trip, event or activity that the entire family will enjoy.  That’s what our family is doing this year!
6. Shop online.  The Monday after American Thanksgiving is known as “Cyber Monday,” the biggest online shopping day of the year.  This is a great way to beat the crowds!  And you often get free shipping.  I’m continually amazed at how much stuff you can buy at Amazon.com.  It’s not just for books anymore!
7. Give gift certificates/gift cards.  You never have to worry about picking the right size or color!  You can buy them at most any retailer, or online.
8. Take advantage of pre-holiday sales now.  Seems like every major retailer is advertising “lowest prices of the season.”
9. Be sure to set a budget. Decide in advance how much you are going to spend, and don’t go into debt!  Sadly, so much stress is created in January once those credit card bills start coming in.
10. If you’re out of work, or don’t have as much to spend on Christmas gifts as you have in the past, don’t be afraid to let people know.  You would do yourself and them a favor if you adjusted their expectations in advance.
11. If you typically buy gifts for your entire family – your kids, nephews and nieces, aunts and uncles, grandma and grandpa, etc. – ask if you can draw names this year instead.  My wife’s family decided to start doing this a few years ago, and it saved us all a lot of money and headache!  Each person’s name goes in a box or a hat.  Then each person draws a name and buys a gift for that person, instead of a gift for everyone.
12. Give white elephant gifts at your family or company Christmas party.  This is a great (and no-cost) way to have fun and slough off something you’d love to get rid of.  And who knows, you just might get something you could actually use!
13. Here’s a great gift-giving alternative for families and for companies:  Ask people to pitch in together to donate money to a charity or cause you care about, instead of buying gifts for each other.  I’ve known companies that matched whatever their employees donated.  And I’ve known families that have given to the same charity year after year.

Any of these options can help you save money and reduce the stress of holiday shopping this year.  Give one a try – it just might become one of your new holiday traditions!  And if you have any other ideas – please be sure to share them!

You might also like…
How to Survive the Holidays and Maintain Balance
How to Beat Holiday Stress and Busyness
How to Enjoy Holiday Food Without the Weight Gain
How to Change Expectations During the Holidays or Anytime
Coping with Holiday Stress

This year, enjoy holiday meals without the weight gain!

The holidays are one of my favorite times of the year.  And one reason is all the food!

From American Thanksgiving until New Years, there’s a steady stream of parties and special dinners.  Some are full meals with meat and all the trimmings, others are just hors d’ourves – but lots of them!  And of course, there’s all the desserts:  pies, cheesecakes, Christmas cookies, and more.

Many years, I’ve gained weight during the holidays, like so many people do.  But this year, I’m planning to maintain my weight.

Here’s how I’m going to do it:

1. I’m going to increase my exercise regimen from now until New Years.
2. I’m going to make trade-offs in what I eat.  On days when I have a holiday meal or special event planned, I’m going to lower my caloric intake for the other meals that day.
3. I’m going to enjoy smaller samples of desserts instead of taking a whole piece.

What about you?  Do you often gain weight during the holidays?  If so, give some of these strategies a try and see if they’ll help you keep the extra weight off this year.  If you have any other ideas, please be sure to share them!

You might also like:
How to Survive the Holidays and Maintain Balance
How to Beat Holiday Stress and Busyness
13 Ways to Save Money & Beat the Stress of Holiday Shopping & Gift Giving
How to Change Expectations During the Holidays or Anytime
How to Cope with Holiday Stress

Brace yourself…Christmas is coming.  It happens every year on December 25th, yet, it seemingly catches many people by surprise.  Not just the day, but the entire holiday season.

Why is this?  I think it’s because many people just let the holidays “happen” to them instead of taking the time to plan ahead.

The holiday season seems to be the busiest time of the year for many, and the busyness is the cause of a lot of stress:

• There are parties to attend – sponsored by your employer or hosted by friends (or maybe you even host one yourself).
• If you have children, chances are good that you’ll need to attend their holiday programs at school or church.
• There are other special events like parades, visiting Santa, and concerts and programs.
• And of course, there are get-togethers with family, which may involve travel and sometimes added stress if there are strained relationships.

Why is the busyness of the season a cause of added stress in our lives?  I think it is because we often add a bunch of new holiday activities to our schedule without making adjustments and trade-offs (taking other things off our schedule).

We can eliminate a lot of stress this holiday season by remembering how busy the season can get and by making adjustments to our schedule in order to fit in all the extra holiday activities.  A little proactive planning ahead of time can make a big difference!

Take a look at your calendar now, and make sure you add all the parties, programs, and special events you’ll want to attend.  Then look at all the things you already had scheduled, or you know you’ll need to get done anyway, and find a way to get them done ahead of time.

What things can you get done before Thanksgiving?  What things can you get done the first week of December, before things start to get busy?  A little planning ahead can make a big difference and help you maintain balance during the holidays.

I’ve found that another way to beat stress is to make time to remember the real reason for the Christmas season.  Also, when I attend parties, programs and get-togethers, I look at them not just as busy times on my schedule, but great opportunities to connect and share with others.

Make this Christmas season the best one yet by giving these ideas a try.  And if you have any other ideas on how to beat the busyness of holiday activities, please be sure to share them!

You might also like…
How to Survive the Holidays and Maintain Balance
How to Enjoy Holiday Food Without the Weight Gain
13 Ways to Save Money & Beat the Stress of Holiday Shopping & Gift Giving
How to Change Expectations During the Holidays or Anytime

Don't let stress ruin your holidays!

Here in the U.S., Thanksgiving is just two weeks away.

With it, comes the start of the busy Holiday season.  A season of shopping and gift buying, holiday parties, holiday shows and events, and over-eating.  For some, it is also a season of stress and depression.

Is it possible to survive the holidays and maintain balance in your life?  Is it possible to enjoy the holidays without the stress that so often accompanies them?

I think so.  That’s why I’m beginning a special series that will help you enjoy stress-free holidays.  If you have any tips you’d like to share, or any questions you want to ask, please send them my way.

You might also like…
How to Beat Holiday Stress and Busyness
How to Enjoy Holiday Food Without the Weight Gain
13 Ways to Save Money & Beat the Stress of Holiday Shopping & Gift Giving
How to Change Expectations During the Holidays or Anytime
Coping with Holiday Stress