Key Ways to Take the Stress Out of Holidays

Here we are two weeks out from Thanksgiving and for anyone who finds themselves starting to feel anxious or frazzled about the upcoming holiday season, today I'm sharing some of my favorite key ways to take the stress out of holidays.

Key Ways to Take the Stress Out of Holidays

Whether you're entertaining friends or hosting family, or perhaps just a person who secretly wants to have the lowest-key holiday season ever, I'd like to give you permission (or at least plant the seed) to not buy into the hype that everything has to be picture perfect, with place settings and table decor set to the nines, and you in the kitchen cooking all day and all night, while mentally running through your to-do lists, the whole time feeling completely frazzled.

Take the Stress Out of Cooking

When our kids were still small, depending on the hubs work schedule, all the cooking fell mainly on me. I admit it used to stress me out. Thankfully we've come a long way baby and all of our boys now love to cook as does the hubs. #winning These days in fact we all pitch in. Each of us has a specified dish we're in charge of in order to spread the love and the work load. I can't tell you what a stress reliever that is, all of us chipping in together to make the meal complete. To add to the stress-less goal, we grant each other the freedom to try new recipes or to tweak our tried and trues like with our fan-favorite green bean casserole. In the end it's always worked out and deliciously so, no matter what anybody makes or brings to the table.

We literally eat until we're practically comatose and luckily I've taught my crew to clean as we go so there's not a huge mountain of dishes to climb after we eat. Lately after our holiday meal, we'll all lay around and have basically a lazy day. Some people will sneak off to watch football, while others play video games or watch a movie but we regroup later in the afternoon for a walk and maybe a second helping or dessert. No matter what we're doing, I just love the together time, especially since two of our boys live away from home most of the year.

For those without close family nearby, consider having a potluck dinner with friends where everyone brings a side and you supply the main entree or volunteer to host at your house. If you don't enjoy cooking, order out. Here in Houston there are several restaurants where you can either order main entrees, sides, or desserts separately or even a whole holiday dinner menu while other restaurants are open for business as usual. Volunteer to serve others instead - check your local newspapers or neighborhood groups for ideas as they typically post suggestions.

Take the Stress Out of Decorating for the Holidays

I admit I used to love a good theme, and really made the house festive with holiday decorations galore. These days, I'm more less is more when it comes to themes or kitschy holiday decorating but I am all in for using what you have and loving what you use. I say that with the caveat... if that's what you want.

If you're trying to wean yourself off the full, blown out holiday decor and give yourself some peace, here are some low-key holiday decorating ideas! I highly advocate for things like paper placemats - they come with really fun textures and patterns, and all the mess goes right in the trash once you're done. Same with dishes - if you're cooking all day, join me in using disposable plates and napkins this time. Add a table runner that you really love and use it every year - done and done.

Back when our kids were smaller, we'd collect pine cones and acorns and fill vases to the brim for Thanksgiving, then spray paint those in gold or silver and mix in with metallic ball ornaments for Christmas. You could also consider using a vase or a water pitcher you most likely have already then gather pretty branches from your yard to make gorgeous centerpiece with very little fanfare. You don't have to spend a lot or stress out about decorating. Simple is better.

Key Ways to Take the Stress Out of Holidays

This time of year is really about the people you gather with around the table, not the table setting or even what's on the menu - at least that's where I've landed at this stage of my life. Think about it. Do you want to spend your holidays with the people that come to visit you, or do you want to spend it in the kitchen cooking and cleaning non-stop?

After losing so many friends and family members over the last decade, I personally just want to spend every moment I can with the people I love, because it really all is just a flash in time. I doubt any guest will remember what was on the menu, or what your table setting looked like but they will remember time you spent with them and how you made them feel. Love on your people, y'all and don't sweat the small stuff (and it's all small stuff!).