Avoid holiday stress!

While the strains of "I'll be home for Christmas" at the local mall may be music to your ears,for others it is a reminder that the most stressful time of year is upon us.
Each year, many people feel stressed as they strive to create a perfect Christmas for loved ones. Shopping for presents, food and hanging decorations becomes much more than just a labour of love. It becomes a mission of perfection and a recipe for disaster.

Take a step back and think about it.
Is Christmas going to be ruined because you don't have the right sweet potatoes? Who cares if you don't have as many side dishes as your grandmother used to make. You do not have to make every hing from scratch, there are many wonderful deserts available at your local store.
One of the biggest reason for excess stress during any festive season is our need for control. Too many of us want to orchestrate the perfect holiday moment over turkey dinner. However when you think about it there is not much you can do to control the situation.

In our culture there is a big emphasis on Christmas.
We all would love to have the "perfect" Christmas ever. reality is when family gets together. There will be cross words or fights because they are comfortable enough to be themselves with each other. Although you may not be able to control your uncle's total lack of social skills or your grandma's passive aggressive remarks. In fact the only thing you can control is yourself and your own actions. Remember, as long as you are doing the best you can do, you are doing well!

It is a very stressful time financially for a lot of families, especially now with so many lay offs and the market being so flat. we gravitate to thinking that all will be well at Christmas.
A very good tip to surviving the holidays is to be realistic about what is going to happen.
If you have financial concerns, you have to be responsible for your spending. Racking up the credit card to give mountain of gifts won't feel good when the bill comes in January. Think about your motivation for buying a gift.
Are you trying to buy love or affection?. Are you trying to keep up with others? Think about what you are doing before you put your credit card down.
At Christmas it is very easy to get carried away, however the little things can add up to become more complex.

A good Christmas comes down to being flexible and to go with the flow.
So relax and enjoy!