The summer holidays and the Christmas season can be a beautiful time of year. Your family traditions may involve elaborate meals full of recipes handed down over the generations, lazy afternoons playing cricket in the yard, plenty of time at the beach, or a trek to an annual holiday destination. Whatever shape this season takes for you, it’s important to find moments to rest and recharge.
Unfortunately, this is often easier said than done! With all kinds of pressures, deadlines and expectations facing the end of the year, beating stress during holiday festivities can feel like a losing battle.
If you’ve felt overwhelmed at the thought of Christmas events and an ever-growing to-do list, it’s time to consider what is and isn’t important during this season. Read on for our tips for simplifying the holiday season and reducing common stressors across this busy period.
Delegate, delegate, delegate
Are you the type to fill a checklist with more items than you can possibly fit in the day, all while your family members have no idea how busy you are?
If delegating isn’t a habit for you, the holiday season is a fantastic opportunity to grow this muscle. Sure, it may feel easier to ‘just do it myself’, but in the long run, choosing not to delegate may put you at risk of burnout and exhaustion.
Delegating is not only a powerful way to protect your peace and sanity, but it also builds inclusion and ownership across your family unit. We recommend beginning the delegation process by having an open conversation with your partner, family or friends about the demands on your time and energy over the coming weeks. By comparing notes and assessing what sits on each of your priority lists, you can build a master plan that captures all the preparation that goes into the festive season.
Kids young and old can be involved in preparations. By delegating as much of your to-do list to your family members as possible, you can focus on the things that only you can do (or the tasks that bring you the most enjoyment), while growing their responsibility and critical thinking skills.
We recommend tasking younger children with items such as cleaning, washing, tidying, present-wrapping, decorating or preparing for incoming guests. There’s no reason older children can’t put on an apron and step into the kitchen – it’s time for them to learn some of those family recipes for themselves!
Beyond your family members, make use of services that can add simplicity and solutions to your life during this busy season. Consider how services such as pet sitters, cleaners, caterers and more could play a vital role in making sure you actually enjoy this holiday season.
Make peace with your expectations
Christmas and the holiday period can place strain on our expectations vs. the reality of our experiences. It’s time for a gentle wake-up call: this probably won’t be the year where things are magically different.
If you’ve always found it a little stressful to spend time around extended family, or the thought of three days with your in-laws isn’t exactly joy-inducing, making peace with your expectations can be transformational. Rather than hoping for this to be the year where everyone’s peacefully coexisting without disruption, accepting that your father-in-law may say something that frustrates you, your sister-in-law may try to upstage you with her dessert dish and your kids will roll out of bed too late for a cosy Christmas breakfast could mean you’re much happier as the day progresses.
Consider what matters to you about this holiday season. What do you do because you enjoy doing it, and what do you do because it feels expected of you? By weighing up the traditions and moments that are of deep and genuine importance to you and your family, you can decide which of your hopes and expectations are worth championing, and which realities you’re happy to let slide.
Look for traditions that serve you
Decorating the Christmas tree together may be one of your favourite nights of the year. Whizzing a dozen eggs to make a pavlova from scratch? Maybe it’s your least favourite chore of the year.
Don’t be afraid to throw out old traditions to make way for the new this festive season. If a present for every cousin at Christmas lunch means hours of frustration in your local shopping centre, opt for online gift cards. If you never want to touch a vegetable again on a sweltering summer day, bring in catering!
Our understanding of how the holidays look can be personal, shaping traditions and experiences to serve our needs, rather than the other way around. One easy way to remove additional stress is to simply stop doing things that cause more frustration than they do joy.
Ultimately, the holidays should present an opportunity for rest, reflection and rejuvenation for all family members, including you. Shifting away from activities that drain your energy and contribute to your stress can make the holidays not only more meaningful, but also more intimate, allowing you to focus on the people and the activities that truly matter.
Respecting your physical, emotional and mental needs
If you’re pre-menopausal or in the midst of menopause, the festive season can present even more challenges. Prioritising your physical, emotional and mental needs is crucial to reducing the ongoing stress of a busy and demanding time.
If you’re suffering from hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings, changes in moods or constant tiredness, the Australian Menopause Centre’s treatment programs may help you to find the support you need. Schedule an obligation-free video or phone consultation to discuss your symptoms and discover whether our treatment programs are the right fit for you.
Don’t go it alone this holiday season – find a stress-free approach to making the most of the festive experience with the support of our expert medical practitioners.
About The Author - AMC Team
Our team consists of doctors, nurses, program assistants, naturopaths and nutritionists that join their wealth of knowledge to offer our patients and website visitors interesting and insightful articles to assist you understand the symptoms you are experiencing and how to relieve them.