Get Ready for the Holidays (and Enjoy them too)

I come from a long line of Martha Stewart wannabes, especially at the holidays. However, setting such high standards for yourself can really wear down your spirits over a season that is supposed to be quite the opposite! After years of watching my grandmother and mother literally break down into tears trying to make the holidays remarkable for all of us, I vowed to organize my own holiday preparations to minimize this avoidable stress. Here is my take!

Be Prepared

Ok, I never was a boy scout but I do subscribe to this notion. I begin stocking my fridge and cupboard with holiday essentials that will come in handy whenever guest pop in, such as red and white wine, champagne, cider, hot chocolate, tea and coffee. I keep extra nibbles on hand, cheese, crackers, nuts, store-bought hors d’oeuvres and sweets. For planned parties, I make everything but for the impromptu occasions these work just fine.

Cleaning

Once you get into the middle of the holidays, it becomes really difficult to do that extra special cleaning to bring your home up to snuff. Plus, I always find it difficult to do a really thorough job among the decorations. I use November 11 (Remembrance Day) as my guide to get my ‘fall cleaning’ done. After I’ve given everything that extra spit & polish, it becomes much easier to keep it up over the season. Plus, I take this opportunity to wash all my serving dishes, glasses and stemware and polish the silverware.

Gifts

I always plan a list of the people for whom I intend to buy a gift. But there are always those unexpected people who invite you to their home, surprise you with a small gift at work, or do something special and merit a token of your appreciation. For just such occasions, I like to have a few things on hand – both at home, in the car and at the office. I typically will buy a few extra bottles of wine and a few small gift baskets of nice jams and goodies and tuck them away. If my baking is done, preparing a few small extra tins works very well too! It really removes the stress and awkward feeling of being empty handed!

Special Day

Right in the middle of all the stress, I choose one day or evening that I will take care of myself. I enjoy old Christmas movies so I will cook myself a nice dinner, treat myself to an expensive bottle of wine and watch two or three of my favourite holiday movies. Of course, what constitutes spoiling yourself is different for everyone – but taking time to enjoy the holidays in your own selfish way at least once, significantly reduces the stress and helps to remind you why you love this season so much!

Remember the Meaning

During the holidays it is easy to get caught up in the festivities without reflecting upon why we celebrate these holidays. Embrace the spirit of the season and spread your joy to someone else. Offering up a smile and a kind word during stressful shopping days and parking lot scavenger hunts, says a lot about you.