Tips for a Stress Free Holiday Season
‘Tis the Season to be…stressed? You can stay jolly by getting organized. Holiday celebrations should be fun, festive and healthy too. Organization is key to feeling less stressed and being better able to handle multiple responsibilities. Meal planners, recipes and stress reduction tools will help to keep you organized and relaxed so you can enjoy the best of every celebration.
Take a little time to put your holiday tasks in order and include scheduling time for yourself and your health. Stay mindful, avoid holiday blues and keep an attitude of gratitude. Eat nutritious meals, get daily exercise and take a few moments to pamper yourself.
Holiday Meal Planning | Getting Organized | Use Your Elves | Recharge Your Batteries | Holiday Celebration Safety
Holiday Meal Planning
I have found that pre-planning is the key to stress free holiday meal planning. The two main components to plan for are your menu and your meal prep.
One of the biggest meals to plan is Thanksgiving and it can be intimidating for any chef or home cook. I put together this Stress Free Holiday Meal Planner to help get you through it.
Keep reading for more detail for every bit holiday meal.
Menu Planning: You should already have an idea of the number of guests you will have for the two biggest meals of the holidays; Thanksgiving and Christmas or Hanukah. You should plan for a 1 pound serving of protein for each person. Check to make sure your guests don’t have any food allergies or restrictions before planning your menu. If you are able, purchase your main entre protein and ingredients at least two weeks prior. Buy all of your non-perishable items as soon as you can and save the fresh fruit and vegetable shopping for a few days before the big meal. For more details on how much food you need to feed a crowd, check out this Party Planner by the Farmer’s Almanac.
Healthy Holiday Menus for Special Diets:
Heart Association Holiday Recipes
Diabetes Hub 10 Diabetes Friendly Holiday recipes
Meal Preparation: Check that you have all of the tools that you will need to prepare your meals; such as roasting pans, casseroles, foil, cooking twine and meat thermometers. Go through your menu items then look in your pantry and spice cabinet to confirm you have the key ingredients. Ready your tablecloths, placemats and centerpieces for your tablescape. One of the best holiday preparation resources is Martha Stewart’s Thanksgiving Make Ahead Prep Timeline. Using a holiday meal planner will help you breeze through those big cooking days with ease.
Healthy Holiday Treats:
Holiday baking is a great family tradition. Dieticians that I have worked with have taken some traditional favorites and made them over for a fun and healthy baking experience. Coming soon: Ready? Set? Bake…
Getting Organized
Make like Santa and make a list! Get a notebook and folder so each time you think of something, jot it down. Save recipes, coupons, ideas from magazines in your folder. Keeping everything in one place – map out the main components of the holidays:
– Meals
– Decorating
– Gifts
– Guests
Be Proactive
Avoiding procrastination will save you from having to remember something and facing the last minute rushes. Here’s how:
– Respond immediately to invites and mark everyone’s calendar
– Wrap and label gifts as you go
– Look for “make ahead” recipes for parties, potlucks and baking
Use Your Elves
Family, friends and services can help with tasks that don’t require your personal attention.
– Trade off childcare during off school days with family and friends.
– Get the kids to sign and send holiday cards.
– Take advantage of post office pick-ups and free shipping.
– Consider premade holiday trays and catering services for gatherings.
– Sign up for fresh produce delivery. I love my Farm Fresh to You weekly basket.
Recharge Your Batteries
Meditate for 5 minutes a day, take a walk outside, schedule a massage or a yoga class. Schedule rest, reflection and relaxation.
Listen to a relaxation or meditation podcast. We recommend Calm.com
Schedule a Massage
Exercise and Energize
Free on-demand Yoga classes
With all the running around you might get run down.
– Avoid viruses. Get vaccinated for Flu, COVID and RSV
– Get plenty of daylight and time outdoors to decrease S.A.D. – Learn more about Seasonal Affective Disorder
– Avoid Holiday Depression. It is very common to feel a little down during the holidays and important to get help if you feel depressed. Get Help for the Holiday Blues
Have an Attitude of Gratitude
It’s easy to forget “the reason for the season” when holiday traffic and shopping and stress get in the way. Here are some ways to keep things in perspective. Acknowledge the things that you are fortunate to have in your life. A home, an income, friends and family and then consider helping the less fortunate by:
– Volunteering at a food bank or soup kitchen
– Participating in toy drives
Stay Mindful: You can be mindful during the holidays by finding ways to slow down and take time for yourself. If you’re overwhelmed, find a quiet space and write down five things you are thankful for, or take a short walk outside and focus on your senses.
Practice Gratitude: When you wake up every day, say at least three things that you are grateful for. Consider a gratitude journal to write down what you are grateful for. Learn more about journaling. Observe your thoughts and meditate on gratitude. Take ownership of your present by giving thanks for what you have and where you are in your life right now. The simplest way to start developing an attitude of gratitude is to choose to appreciate things in life.
Holiday Celebration Safety
Holiday celebrations should be a time of celebration and fun. Keep your family and your home safe by following these holiday celebration safety tips.
In the Kitchen
Never leave cooking unattended If you must leave the kitchen, turn off the heat on the stove and never leave the oven on while you aren’t home. Have a pot lid nearby to smother a pan fire. If frying foods, use a temperature-controlled electric skillet. Never use a large deep fryer in or near the house. Have a functioning kitchen fire extinguisher, available at most big box and hardware stores.
Holiday Tree
If you prefer a live tree to artificial, check for freshness by pulling the needles. If they are brown or come off easily, the tree is probably dry and can be a fire hazard. When setting up the tree, try to position it near an electrical outlet and keep cords short. Cut two to five inches diagonally off the base of the tree and place it securely in a large holder. Always keep the water in the holder at least two inches above the cut to prevent the tree from drying out. Before leaving home or going to sleep, always unplug tree lights. Watch pets and small children around trees as they can easily tip and cause injury.
Disposing Trees: Immediately after holiday celebrations, dispose of live trees and take down artificial ones. Never put tree branches or needles in a fireplace or wood burning store. They can spark and ignite nearby items. The best way to dispose of a live tree is to take it to a recycling center or have it hauled away by a community pick-up service. I use the local Boy Scouts every year. They pick up my tree for a small donation and it is used for mulch in city parks.
Decorating Safely
Use only non-combustible, flame retardant or flame resistant materials to decorate your home or tree. Keep candles away from decorations, trees and other combustible materials.
Keep candles in a sturdy holder away from children, pets and combustible materials. To eliminate the risk of an open candle flame, use battery-powered candles whenever possible, especially when using candles in a decorative setting. Indoor lights should only be used indoors; outdoor lights should only be used outdoors. Never place furniture, rugs or other objects over electrical cords. Never overload extension cords. Take down all decorations and bring outdoor electrical lights inside immediately after the holidays.
Safe Toys and Gifts
When buying toys for the little ones, match their age, ability, skills and keep an eye on kids when they are playing small pieces could come off and become a choking hazard. Bikes and trikes are popular holiday gifts. Read the labels to ensure they do not contain lead paint or other harmful substances. Check the list of recalled products. Toysafety.org creates a yearly list of unsafe toys and details of what to watch out for.
Holiday wrapping can be highly combustible and should be kept away from heat sources such as candles, lamps, fireplaces and wood burning stoves. Never throw wrapping paper in a fire place. Rapid burning can generate sparks or ignite creosote in the chimney.
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