4 tips for shedding stress during the holidays

Although you may look forward to the holiday season, sometimes stress can make you want to toss your tree or menorah out the window. To help you stay sane during this hectic time, here are 4 helpful tips.

Your brain can't hold all the information you need to get through the holidays. This is where lists come in handy.

• When you're relaxing for the evening, grab a pen and paper or your laptop and start making lists: one for gifts, one for chores you want to finish before the holidays, another for menus.
• Create lists that cover what you want to accomplish for the upcoming week and longer lists that encompass the entire holiday season.

The shorter lists won't overwhelm you, while the longer lists display what tasks you've finished and what you still have ahead of you.

• Lists may seem trivial, but they work because you can actually see what you have accomplished.

Although lists are one part of your organization effort, another involves keeping a running calendar of items on your to-do list.

• You can use a calendar on your computer or grab one to hang on the wall. Write down the things you want to accomplish each day, and set daily and weekly goals.
• Organize your gift-buying by making a spreadsheet. It will allow you to see which items you've bought and wrapped and which ones you still must buy or wrap. Many people tend to forget what gifts they've already purchased, especially in the rush of the holiday season.

Cook ahead and freeze as many foods as possible. This could include cookie dough, noodles and appetizers. These items can be cooked and frozen up to a month ahead of time.

• Cook items that can remain in the refrigerator a few days prior to the holiday.

Don't try to cram every task into every day during the holidays.

• Remember, you need not complete everything or be everywhere to have a successful holiday season.
• Choose activities you can easily fit into your schedule without overextending yourself.
• Enjoy family time, too. If your children like to build gingerbread houses, play dreidel or decorate ornaments, do these activities with them. They make the holidays so special.

It's easy to get carried away with the energetic hum of the holiday season: buying presents; going shopping; planning to see friends and family, and doing lots of cooking and cleaning to make your home warm and welcoming. But there's no need to get worn down by the stress of it all. A bit of planning and a gentle self-reminder to make time for yourself are all it takes to enjoy the season.