The holidays are supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, but we all know they can also be pretty stressful. And with Thanksgiving done and Christmas around the corner (seriously, it's only a few weeks away! How is that even possible?!), you are probaby starting to feel the familiar, oh-my-god-I-have-so-much-to-do panic setting in, especially if you're the one hosting or cooking dinner.
Having witnessed plenty of my mother's anxiety-induced breakdowns throughout the years, I have become pretty adept at calming her down and ensuring she doesn't just throw her hands up and cancel the celebration altogeter. So this year, I decided to share a few of my tips to help ease some of your holiday pains. Below, 5 tricks that will allow you to stay sane this season!
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Prepare, prepare, prepare! If you waited until yesterday to go out and buy cranberies for your sauce, you probably ran into some problems. People start shopping weeks in advance, which means store shelves are often left empty of all the ingredients you need to make any traditional dishes. To avoid this, do yourself a favor and write out a list of every single thing you'll need for your next holiday dinner. Then go out and get everything on that list as soon as possible! Your kids might accuse you of being paranoid, but you'll get to bypass the long lines and rest easy knowing you have everything you need waiting in your pantry.
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Recruit help. I think the reason my mom always gets so stressed out is because she refuses to let anyone help her (like any traditional mamá Latina!) until the last possible minute when she's on the verge of a panic attack. I can understand her not wanting me to cook (I'm beyond useless in the kitchen) but I'm perfectly capable of setting a table or running out to buy ice for the drinks or picking the wine. So why drive yourself crazy? Let your husband, kids, and family members take on tasks–even if they're small, it'll be one less thing you have to worry about.
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Speaking of wine…wine! Drink lots of it. Or if your family is anything like mine, just go straight for the tequila. Hey, why not? 'Tis the season to be jolly!
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Treat yourself to a massage. Or a mani/pedi or a haircut or anything that will allow you to get out of the house and relax. Just because it's the holidays doesn't mean you need to spend every minute in the kitchen. So book yourself some R&R time at the spa and go whenever you think you'll need it most–either before the big celebration to get yourself prepared or afterwards to help you unwind.
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Remember: it'll all be okay! All that really matters during the holidays is that you spend time with the people you love. So don't freak out if something goes wrong. Looking back later, you won't even think about your turkey being a little burnt or your pie crust not being a perfect golden-brown– you'll only remember the conversations you had and the laughs you shared. So enjoy them!
Image via Thinkstock
