10 Things You Can Do Now to Have a Stress-Free Christmas

It's already October, which means Christmas is just two months away. Already, we can see Christmas decorations and Christmas-themed items on display in stores, and hear Christmas carols being played in the malls and other establishments. 

For many of us, we may also be starting to feel the “pressure” that usually comes with the holiday season — you know, the “Christmas rush,” as they say. Sadly, for most people, the stress that the Christmas season brings in may be a bit too much, and it can actually take away the joy and peace that we should be feeling at that time.

To help you avoid the pressure and (hopefully) have a less stressed Christmas, some moms share their tried and tested tips:

1. Plan ahead.
There’s a saying that goes something like this: “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” This applies to almost everything in life — including preparing for holidays like Christmas. Roxi Santiago, blogger and freelancer, and mom to 28-month-old Jacob, says, “I like to plan ahead -- way ahead! I'm already thinking of how we will divide our time between families, what gift to give (I usually do a per-family gift so giving doesn't hurt our budget), and how my own little family can have our own moments this coming holidays. `Bahala na’ doesn't work for me!”

2. Buy gifts in bulk.
If you plan to shop for Christmas gifts this early, a good tip is to buy items in bulk, based on categories or criteria that you have set beforehand. “When buying gifts, I make a list and group them by age and gender. Then I will buy the same kind (but different colors) of gift appropriate for a certain group. I just add two to three pieces of that particular item in case I forget someone,” shares Cecille Olila, an online seller, and mom to Ara, 11; R-2 and Arman, 10; and Andrei, 18 months..

 

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3. Get crafty.
For some people, crafting handmade gifts is one of the things they do to make Christmas less stressful. If you’re one such person, it’s best to start on those craft projects as early as now, just like Donna Donor, a work-from-home mom to Kib, 7. “It has been my son and I's tradition to do some craft projects and give them as gifts. It’s our third year this year. A bit tedious, but, hey, it's a labor of love. Kib may not do much yet, but when people see Kib's handwriting on the card, people appreciate it so much. I surf the Internet for projects to do and buy materials ahead of time, so that when I have time I can already finish one project at a time.”


4. Order food as gifts, like baked goodies.
What is one thing that we like to do during the holidays? Eat! Almost everyone loves getting food as gifts, so plan ahead and think about what delectable items you can give as gifts, and where to get them. Here’s a tip from Karen Manahan-Singson, stay-at-home mom to Vitto, 5; and Maggie, 7 weeks: “I like ordering baked goods from just one supplier who delivers so I also deal with only one person for the year and don't have to go out at all. It can be a new supplier every year or just different stuff from one I've ordered from in the past.”


5. Divide and conquer.  (And make lists, too!)
It always helps to have extra hands, hearts and minds at hand when preparing for big occasions like Christmas. Marian Angeli Labi Mallari, work-at-home mom to three-year-old Rhyz Antoinette, says that aside from planning ahead, each and every member of their family has an individual task when it comes to decorating their house. She also advises, “List down the names of your inaanak and loved ones, so that when it comes to buying gifts, you know which to give to whom. Make sure you and your family will not forget to enjoy what you are doing!”


6. Have a meeting.
Part of planning for the holidays includes getting the whole family involved, just like Mommy Marian said in the previous tip. Mildred Manahan, service delivery consultant, blogger, and mom of four kids aged 10, 9, 4 and 3, says she and her family usually have a family meeting before the end of September every year: “We make a list of all the things we should give and buy as our Christmas gifts to others for that particular year.”

 

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7. Decide on what you will buy or DIY (do-it-yourself).
People approach the Christmas season in different ways. Some go all out when it comes to expenses, while some opt to go the DIY way. Sarah Gurbuxani-Carpio, a community manager and mom to one-year-old Sophie, shares what they’ll be doing this year: “We'll come prepared. This is going to be the first Christmas that we will celebrate in our own home, so we want to make it really smooth and memorable. As early as now, we already have a list of things to do, and a list of gifts to buy. We're limiting the gift giving to kids since we have a pretty big family, so it can be very costly to buy gifts for everyone. For the decorations and food, we would rather order them instead of cook or do it ourselves, as doing the latter would consume most of my time.”


8. Be creative with your gifts.
If you’re stressing about what to give this year as early as now, try to relax and think about what you already have that can be recycled or repurposed as gifts. Romela de Leon-Ortega, a web analytics expert, and mom to a five-month-old baby girl, shares her tips: “I collect all family/kids' pictures in my drive then print them for (1) Christmas decors or (2) make them into Christmas greeting cards or calendar gifts. Gift shopping is less of a hassle this way.”


9. Make your own gift wrapper — and use it as early as now.
Gift wrapping can be a tedious task for many of us so one way to make it more fun — and personal — would be to make your own. You can get your kids involved as early as now, and start wrapping those gifts (that you have already planned to buy or already bought) as early as this month or the next.

Ja Villarente-Gurango, writer, editor, travel agent and work-at-home mom shares what they do in their family: “I bought a roll of pre-cut kraft paper and had ‘painting’ sessions with my nephew (Moi, 5) and my two girls (Jadey, 4, and Munin, almost 3 years old) so I can use that paper to wrap Christmas gifts. I give them Christmas colors, brushes, sponges and makeshift aprons and let them go crazy! The painting frenzy can get wet and pretty aggressive (the little one sabotages the others' art) but it's loads of fun for them! The texture of the paper and designs when they dry up are amazing and are great conversation pieces (because sometimes the kids like to discuss the ‘techniques’ they employed for their obra to the delight of the adult recipients).”

 

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10. Avail of sales.
As early as now, take note of the different sales that are happening, or will happen, in the malls and stores near you. Bring your Christmas shopping list with you at all times so that you can buy the items you need when they are on sale. “Our family makes our Christmas gift list when the `ber’ months come in. We take advantage of mall-wide sales as early as September to get discounts on the presents we intend to give out. With a lot of time in our hands, we are able to come up with unique gifts, minus the hassle of beating the Christmas rush,” shares Emiliana Sison, a freelance writer and blogger, and mom to a nine-year-old girl.

Hopefully, with the previously mentioned pointers, you won’t be too stressed out this Christmas. When all else fails, just remember these four P’s: Plan ahead, Prepare everything and include your family in your preparations; Personalize what you can; and, Pray — something that is sure to help, not just this Christmas season but at all times.  

 

Photo from sheknows.com