During the holidays, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by stress. There is so much to do and so little time—and we’re supposed to have fun while doing it! The team at DNA is all about having fun so we wanted to share our tips to keep the holidays jolly!
Maria: “I’ll be clearing my basement of all the clutter… so that I can start the year fresh with a clear space and mind! One of my favourite things at the end of the year after the festivities is to make a list of all my goals after I revisit last year’s list. Even though I rarely look at it throughout the year, I’m always surprised at how much I have to cross off. I also like to spend time on my vision board and find the perfect images that resonate with my goals. I’m also looking forward to going through my pile of books and spending a lot of time reading in my happy chair!”
Emmanuel: “During our downtime, Maria and I will be eating lots of buttered popcorn while watching our favourite movies, like all the Lord of the Ring movies and feel-good Christmas movies like Elf and It’s a Wonderful Life.
May: “I’m a big-time planner so every year I get our holiday cards out and 75% of the shopping done by December 1. This way, the weeks leading up to the holidays are typically stress-free, allowing me time to truly enjoy the holidays.”
Jocelyn: “I want to go to one of Ripley Aquarium’s Friday nights with Jazz events, the Aga Khan Museum, and the Turner exhibit at the AGO. Christmas is absolutely the WORST time to go to any of these places but it’s the time of year when my head’s in the right place because I can focus all of my attention on enjoying them.”
Brian: “For me, it’s all about keeping my two boys busy. That way I get to enjoy each day as well. If it’s the opposite, my day is much longer and I tend to start drinking earlier! Also, since I don’t celebrate Christmas, the best day of the year to go to a movie is on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day—no lineups and empty theatres!”
Jason: “My approach over the last few years has been to try and limit my expectations for the holidays. I’m not disinterested, I let go of any ‘wants’ for the holidays and try to go with the flow so I don’t stress. So if we’re going to be late arriving at Grandma and Grandpa’s house, it’s not the end of the world. That’s a much better headspace than the white-knuckled driving that used to occur. And, as a result, my LCBO holiday bill is much smaller.”
Michele: “I embrace the stress. There is no real getting around it, so it’s important to do the busy work and spend quality moments with whomever I happen to be with.”
Reni: “I used to love the holidays but when our kids were small I found them more stressful than joyful. Now I try to book most of our extended family get-togethers and dinners as early in December as possible. It still feels like Christmas but we aren’t rushing around, driving to and fro, trying to squeeze in visits with everyone.”
From all of us to all of you, we wish you joyous holidays and a happy new year!
What are your tips for getting through the holidays stress-free? Tell us below in the comments or share with us on Facebook and Twitter!