10 Holiday Survival Tips

The holidays are upon us and with all the hustle and bustle, it's hard to stay sane let alone being able to survive it.  There are many ways that you can make life easier with easy things to do that doesn't take a lot of time.  Christmas is my favorite holiday followed by Thanksgiving.  Not only because I'm thankful but it marks the beginning of Christmas and I can start decorating.  Every year, I try to learn from the past holiday and try to be a little more proactive to help survive.  Here are some of the ways I manager:

1. I plan ahead with my Christmas cards.  I have to have the right card with photos which is why I do like Tiny Prints.  Their selection is vast and allows me to utilize my creative side while reflecting my personality.  Choosing my Tiny Prints Christmas cards early and having an easy to make program makes life much easier.  Another new bonus from Tiny Prints is if you have many pictures and want to share them, they create a website for you to share!
2. Plan your gifts ahead during sale times.  When you can purchase a gift every now and then before December, it really helps to alleviate some of the stress of the holiday not to mention it doesn't hurt the pocket book as hard.
3. Take time for yourself.  Never forget that you have to be healthy in order to keep the festivities going.  If you have a large group of people coming over, arrange for the occasion to be a potluck.  Not only will it ease the pressure on you but it will also cut down on the expense.
4. If you have relatives and friends who are hard to shop for, use a personalize photo as a gift.  Tiny Prints has great gift ideas and a great personalized photo calendar can be used for multiple gifts thus cutting down on the pressure to find the perfect gift.
5. Utilize online stores and coupon sites to find the perfect deals.  Being able to shop from home can help you avoid the crowds and maybe keep a more mindful, happy spirit in spite of possible pushy customers.
6. Don't forget to play the holiday Christmas music to cheer you up if things become overwhelming.  A good holiday tune from Dean Martin or Harry Conick Jr., will always lighten the mood and make a bad day better.
7. If the kids are bored and you are still preparing dinner, have them make some Christmas decorations like snow flakes and Santas.  If they are busy and having fun, it allows you more time to get things done and not be as stressed out.
8. Instead of going from family to family or traveling this year, tell your loved ones you want a new holiday tradition of spending every other year at home and they can come to you.  This will be a nice change of pace for those having to appease everyone else without having time to just breath and enjoy the days.
9. Another great diversion to the busy days is a family outing to the movies or just out to eat.  Taking time to focus on being together versus worrying about all that needs to be done helps to remind you of what's important.
10. Finally, just breath.  The holidays can be very trying and as a mother and wife, there are so many expectations on us that we have to meet every role.  It's alright to just take a step back and say no.  Take time to reflect on the meaning of the season.  Spend the day with a good friend, get your hair done or just take a long hot bath.  Relaxing even if you have to go off to your own little corner helps to take the stress away.

The holidays are a time to cherish what we have.  To remember our good times, our trying times and those we love.  It's important to take the holidays for what they are and to not let them take over you.  Surviving the holidays are manageable as long as you remember to enjoy yourself first and foremost and let the rest fall into place.


About Tiny Prints:

Tiny Prints provides stylish, modern and unique stationery from photo cards to personalized greeting cardsto thank you cards and business cards. Offering exclusive designs from the nation’s top designers, easy card personalization, a powerful preview engine and top-notch customer service and paper quality, their designs have been lauded by numerous television networks, publications and celebrities. With Tiny Prints by your side the Holidays will be a cinch! They offer adorable Thanksgiving Cards, Christmas Cards,Hanukkah Cards, and even New Years Cards. All fully customizable and personalizable.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Tiny Prints blogging program, making me eligible to get a $75 Tiny Prints gift certificate! For more information on how you can participate, click here.