Home For The Holidays: Breathe and Enjoy December

December is just around the corner. Deep breath.

The holidays are meant to be a time of closeness, rest, and relaxation, but for many it’s just a race to get through the final two months of the year. Traveling, cooking, buying gifts, financial strain—these things can pile up to snuff out any excitement you had for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Best of this Life is a blog focused on enjoying what the world has to offer, and I feel that the holidays can be amazing for you and your family. Below are 3 tips on how to make that happen:

Keep the traveling to a minimum, and plan beforehand.

Buy plane, train and bus tickets long before the holidays, and pick days that aren’t known as popular ones for travel. If you have the family in tow, make sure everyone has small, easy-to-handle luggage, and that the kiddos have items to keep them entertained. Plan for one big trip (if you must) during the season, because several can be costly and stressful.

Cooking Holiday Meals

Some people “live” in the kitchen, while others avoid it like the plague. If you’re in the latter category, then Christmas and New Year’s afternoons may feel like the most daunting part of it all. I would encourage you to remember this important rule: don’t overextend yourself. Choose one or two main dishes to focus on, and breeze through the rest with ready-made options (pumpkin pies are great from the grocery store!). If you’re having guests, ask them to bring something so that it’s potluck-style. And if all else fails…there’s always wine. ☺

Gifts and Budgets

Holidays are a great time to buy gifts (for yourself as much as others), but it’s important to remember to budget if you want to save yourself from stress and scary credit card bills. Keep big purchases to a minimum, and remember that heartfelt gifts can hold just as much meaning (or maybe more!), even if they’re small or handmade.

When things get too busy and your to do list is overwhelming, take a deep breath and remember that at the end of the day what really matters is your health (mind, body, spirit) and being present with the ones you love.

What are some of the ways you deal with holiday stress?

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Emily Smith

Emily Smith, Editor of The Best of This Life, has been crafting lifestyle content and delicious recipes for over a decade. Featured on platforms like BRIT + CO, Today's Parent, and Chatelaine, she writes about family, food, home, and wellness, inspiring readers to live well and savour life's beauty. Based in Ottawa, she shares her adventures with her husband, two beautiful kids, and their mischievous cat, Zoro.