There’s no doubt that the holidays can be a stressful time.

It seems as though once the first week of November rolls around, everyone jumps right into the “Holiday Spirit.” Christmas carols can be heard on the radio, and holiday decorations are everywhere. While this should be a festive time, you might find yourself feeling rather frazzled. We may slowly begin to feel the dreaded “Holiday Stress.”

The holidays are wonderfully exciting for our children, who anticipate stacks of gifts and snowball fights, but as adults it means hosting or attending endless holiday parties and thinking about last minute shopping, all while trying to still juggle your regular responsibilities. While stress is often a normal part of life, holiday stress can leave you feeling drained and even depressed at times.

Why not make this time of year a little different? By doing just three simple things, you can spend more time enjoying the small things that make this time of year so special! So put on your comfiest clothes, whip up a mug of warm cocoa (why not add a candy cane to get in the holiday spirit?), and keep reading to find out a few simple ways you can relieve your holiday stress this year!

Start Early

Most of us are guilty of leaving our Christmas shopping until the last minute, and hey, we aren’t judging! Unfortunately, as the holiday draws near, the malls become jam-packed with frantic shoppers scrambling to purchase gifts for everyone on their list. Holiday shopping can be stressful enough without all the shoving and pushing that takes away from what the holiday is really about.

Why not plan to set a specific day or two aside this month to take care of everyone on your Christmas list, so you can avoid the malls altogether come December. This allows you to spend quality time with friends and family, to travel, or to do whatever you enjoy doing during the holiday season.

Shop Mindfully

Instead of purchasing novelty gifts that may soon be forgotten, why not spoil the special people in your life with loving, thoughtful gifts. Perhaps the skincare maven in your family would appreciate one of our gift boxes that you can feel good about giving them, as they are free from all harmful chemicals. Or why not give your loved one a gift certificate to that spa day you know she would truly appreciate and definitely deserves!

You can shop mindfully online and reduce the stress of shopping at the mall, while feeling good about supporting a business that creates handmade goods with love! And when you know that a business gives back, you can feel even better.

Don’t Forget About Yourself

It’s easy to neglect yourself when rushing around to take care of everything on your holiday list, but by taking time out for yourself you will be able to tackle challenges in a calmer, more relaxed manner.

Start your day with a short meditation, here is a great app to help you get started. Try and squeeze in a quick 20 min cardio workout to rev up your metabolism and keep you burning calories all day. Not only will this help to reduce your stress levels, but it will allow you to enjoy that extra holiday cookie without feeling too much guilt!

End your day with a long soak in the tub or ask that special someone to give you a relaxing massage with our Dry Body Oil; after all, you’ve earned it!

We hope that these three simple yet effective steps can help you have your best holiday season ever. Happy Holidays!