How To Make Christmas Less Stressful

Aaaah Christmas. 

Ever feel like Clark Griswold from Christmas vacation?

Stressed out trying to find your family that perfect gift while juggling hanging Christmas lights, closing out the year at work, and hosting family (especially your weird cousin)?

Here are five ways to make Christmas a little less stressful, keep our kids more grounded, and feel more connected. 

1/ Sling soup at a soup kitchen

Every year, the day after Christmas, my mom signed us up to serve at the local soup kitchen. 

We complained. We wanted to play with our Christmas toys at home in our PJs.  

However, we grew to enjoy it and have many great stories from this time.  

We also learned that people are in need, and serving others feels good. 

2/ Buy gifts for someone else’s family 

Wait, what family would give up gifts for Christmas?!?!

And how does this help me remove the stress of buying gifts by buying gifts for a whole other family?

Hear me out. 

Adopting a family is easier because they typically give you a list of wants and needs.  

You don’t need to find the perfect gift for each family member (this can be a painstaking hunt).  

Also, your kids eventually learn it is better to give than receive.  

Think about it.  Most of the ‘things’ your kids and spouse want are things we can get almost any day of the year if we need them.  

Many families don’t have this luxury, so why not teach the importance of giving by blessing a family in need?

3/ Stoke the embers of a new ritual

Holidays are all about tradition.  

Why not start something new (our blog about new rituals here). 

Try creating a new ritual that your family gets excited about every year.                

One idea we explored after having some of the most delicious pancakes diner pancakes was trying to recreate the perfect fluffy diner-style pancakes.  

Try a new recipe from scratch (no pre-boxed pancake mix).  

Let it get a little messy. 

Then each year, try to top the previous year's pancakes. Slathering those pancakes with butter and your neighbor's homemade maple syrup doesn’t hurt, either. 

4/ Learn a new party trick, as a family

We have gotten into the rhythm of doing family cooking classes together over the holidays.  

One year we learned to cook gritty south Philly Italian in a Philly neighborhood right out of the Rocky movie. 

Where do you find something like this? 

Look at Airbnb Experiences in your local area.  

Or check out a Masterclass.    

YouTube is a great place to learn how to DIY just about anything (learn to whistle loudly like a train or impress guests by learning to juggle).  

Do it together as a family. Even if it is a bust, there will still be a Christmas story that will likely live on for years. 

5/ Don’t do things, do experiences

Go to a museum with your family. 

Go on an epic hike (or snowshoe if you are in Northern Michigan) where the destination is a treat (bakery, breakfast, or brewery). 

Make a scavenger hunt (here’s one you can print off) in your neighborhood, and let the winner or winning team pick the next activity. 

The Takeaway

Let’s make the Holidays easier on ourselves and a little less stressful by finding ways to connect more and focusing on experiences rather than things.