21 Ways to
Keep the Hush
In Your Holiday Rush,
So You Can Stay Relaxed All Season
by Christina Katz
ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS
BUT DREADING THE END-OF -YEAR RUSH?
If so, you are not alone. Most parents approach the season with equal parts excitement and trepidation,
which can lead to difficulties with decision-making from moment to moment. That’s why I’ve created this list
of twenty-one reminders to help you preserve your family’s good cheer all the way through the most
wonderful time of the year.
GO FOR GOOD ENOUGH. If you have an idea in your mind of the “perfect” holiday,
you may to be disappointed when your imperfect brood can’t uphold your image. Aim for “good
enough” instead. You’ll smile more if you can let unimportant things—like slightly burnt cookies, lights
that won’t blink in unison, and late holiday cards—slide.
JUST HIT DELETE. If you think your holiday schedule is grossly overloaded, call a family
meeting and vote on what to scratch off your joint to-do list. Decide what you don’t want to do, first.
Then decide what matters most to each family member. A one-gift-per-family-member tradition might be
a sanity-saving plan that sticks.
CALL IN FRESH RECRUITS. Even if you don’t normally hire a housecleaner, you
probably could use some help now. Why not call in a cleaning service in mid-December and in
mid-January to bookend the holidays, even if you don’t use one the rest of the year? Consider it a
holiday present to yourself.
HUM YOUR FAVORITE TUNES. Haul out your seasonal music early before you tire of
the omnipresent muzak that is sure to come. Load up your smart phone or iPod and carry headphones in
your purse to jolly things up when you are ticking chores and errands off your to-do list. If your old faves
are getting overplayed, jazz up your playlist with some fresh downloads or albums.
SHOP THE PL AN. First, the plan: write down the names of everyone you truly want to give
to and what you think they would like. Then, the shop: keep the list in your wallet to jog your memory
when hunting down a gift for each person you cherish. For store shopping, pay cash so you won’t
overspend. For online shopping, search for coupons before ordering and act early for cheaper shipping.
20 | S T . J O H N S
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