The holidays can bring out the best and the worst in all of us. After all, with all the shopping, decorating and cooking, it’s sometimes hard to really appreciate the season! If you feel like you’re missing out on the season, here are some last-minute tips to help you stop and smell the peppermint!
act like a child
Is there any age group that loves the holiday season more than children? We can’t really think of one! For most children, the holidays are a magical time filled with presents, parties, fun TV specials and silly decorations. Maybe it’s because kids don’t have to worry about bills or work or anything else, but they always seem to see the holidays in a special, unfazed way. Take a page out of their book this year and enjoy the holiday season for what it was made for — happiness and joy. Take the time to watch a few silly TV specials over the next few days, make a gingerbread house, do whatever it was that made the holidays so whimsical for you as a child.
Do something charitable
It sounds cliche, but doing good makes you feel good! Giving back to those less fortunate than you can really put you in the holiday spirit this time of year, so find a cause that’s close to your heart. Give back to a local charity, donate a toy to Toys for Tots, donate your time to a food shelter… whatever you do, just give back! Doing so can really help you feel the hoiday cheer and make you stop to enjoy the season.
Start a new tradition
If you feel like you’re just going through the motions and getting everything ready for the holidays in an automatic, robotic way, it’s time to spice things up a bit. Starting a new tradition can help add excitement to the season and give you something new to look forward to each year. Plus, starting a new tradition with the ones you love can help bring you closer and strengthen those bonds.
Stop making the holidays about gifts
When you make the holidays just about gifts, and forget the most important parts — family, friends, cheer, etc. — you’re missing out on what’s truly important. Putting such a huge focus on gift-giving around the holidays can really stress you out and make you develop unrealistic expectations. We’re not suggesting you stop gift giving entirely — we’re not crazy! — but we are suggesting that you stop stressing so much about gifts. Does it really matter if you don’t find or receive the perfect present? Nope, it doesn’t! By Dec. 26 most of you will have forgotten about half the gifts you received anyway, so stop all the stress!
More holidays
Gift guide
Our favorite holiday fragrance sets
Beauty-ful stocking stuffers
Leave a Comment