10 expert tips to help manage stress over Christmas and holiday season

Behind the glimmering lights and merry gatherings lurks an unwelcome yuletide guest: stress. Here’s how to manage it as we head into the holidays.

Try these expert tips to make your Christmas less stressful.

As the festive season unfolds, it can bring a unique blend of joy, tradition and, for many, an undercurrent of stress and anxiety.

Sometimes, the pressure to create perfect moments, or the opening of old familial wounds, can overshadow the joy these celebrations are meant to bring.

From the flurry of preparations to the complexities of navigating family dynamics, the festive spirit is frequently accompanied by a sense of overwhelming demand.

To help ease this seasonal strain, here are expert tips to help you find calm amid the festive chaos.

Be organised

Dr Libby Weaver, 13-time best-selling author, emphasises the importance of planning, particularly in the lead up to holidays.

To ease the pressure, start by creating a to-do list and a calendar of events.

“List down what you really want out of Christmas and focus on what’s important,” she tells The House of Wellness.

Set boundaries

The deluge of festive dinners, deadlines and social engagements can leave you stretched pretty thin.

It can also place stress on families, especially children, who can feel neglected during this busy time.

Clinical psychologist and family consultant Rachel Samson tells The House of Wellness that setting boundaries during this time is critical.

“Look at your calendar and pencil in down time along with all the holiday events,” she says.

Feel comfortable saying “no” to events or invites that don’t serve you. Image: supplied.

Learn to say ‘no’

The holiday season often brings a plethora of invitations and requests.

Rachel also reminds people that it’s also OK to say “no” to situations that stress you out.

“You can choose not to participate in difficult conversations to protect your peace,” she says.

“If the family dynamics are so challenging, it’s OK to opt out of family events altogether.”

Have realistic expectations

For some, one of the biggest contributors to festive stress is the pursuit of perfection and having unrealistic expectations is a recipe for disappointment.

Accepting that some aspects of the holiday season might not go as planned can significantly reduce stress.

Focus on what truly matters, like spending time with loved ones, rather than getting caught up in details like having the perfect table setting or the most elaborately decorated home.

Delegate

You can’t decorate the tree, wrap all the presents, set the table, cook a turkey and make all the salads.

People love to help, so divvy up the duties and make this everyone’s day.

“No-one will remember how clean your house was but they will remember a happy, warm and festive atmosphere,” Dr Weaver says.

“Remember Christmas is supposed to be a holiday!”

Take time out to rest and recover. Picture: iStock

Prioritise sleep

Between Christmas shopping, school holidays and social engagements, it’s easy to get burned out.

Vitruvian founder Jon Gregory says prioritising sleep is a key part of surviving the silly season unscathed.

He tells The House of Wellness that “ensuring that your body has time to heal, rest and recover” is imperative to keeping your health and wellbeing in check.

Be mindful

All the running around can take a toll on our emotional wellbeing as well.

Soul Alive founder Luke McLeod encourages people to give themselves the gift of the present moment.

“Meditation is one of the few exercises that shifts the mind into the present moment and allows your thinking mode of the mind to take a quick break,” he tells The House of Wellness.

Move your body

As our social calendars fill up with long lunches, decadent dinners and cocktails and canapes, there is not a lot of time left for the gym.

Fitness guru Sam Wood advocates exercising in the morning so you start the day on the right foot (and balance out all that wining and dining).

He suggests “getting back into some kind of healthy-ish schedule” in early January to avoid frustration and disappointment down the track.

Take care on the roads. Picture: iStock.

Drive carefully

The holiday season is also a time many of us are out on the road — rushing to get to where we are going, distracted by the stresses of Christmas and tired from a busy year. Add in unfamiliar roads, the kids, the dogs and a car full of luggage and the danger is increased.

Presenter Jacqui Felgate, co-host of The House of Wellness TV Show, reminds people to stay safe on the roads.

“Take regular breaks and take advantage of driver reviver stops across the country,” she writes on thehouseofwellness.com.au.

“There is no more precious cargo than your family.”

Enjoy yourself

In the whirlwind of the festive season, it’s easy to lose sight of what Christmas is truly about. Amid our efforts to meet sky-high expectations, end-of-year deadlines and endless social gathering, it’s easy to forget that Christmas is meant to be a time of joy, love, and a well-deserved break from the daily grind.

“The holiday season is a time for coming together with family and friends,” Jacqui tells The House of Wellness.

It’s about creating memories with loved ones, embracing the warmth of shared moments, and finding contentment in the gifts of presence and time.

“For those who are alone this Christmas, my thoughts are with you,” she says.

“I wish all our readers a safe and happy holiday season.”

Read more in The House of Wellness liftout featuring The House of Wellness presenter Zoe Bingley-Pullin, in papers nationally on Sunday, December 10.