Dealing With Holiday Stress

December is here at last and while everyone is counting down to Christmas, a lot of us are also counting the days of added stress caused by the holidays. The crushing weight of crowds at the malls, the interminable waiting at restaurants and in traffic--you know the holidays are here when you feel like decking not just the halls, but annoying people as well. 

Check out these tips on how to manage your holiday stress and keep calm. After all, Santa still has plenty of time to move you over to the naughty list. 


The First No(el)
Attending too many parties and overextending yourself can be a secret cause of holiday stress. Not only do you have to juggle your hectic schedule, you also have to be in a festive mood at every party you go to--not an easy thing to fake when you're feeling fatigued and stressed. When it comes to holiday parties, choose quality over quantity; don't feel pressured to say yes to everything. Choose parties/events where you know you'll be able to relax, enjoy, and catch up with friends you've not seen in a while. 

Debt the halls
One of the major causes of holiday stress is the paper kind, not wrapping paper, but money. Celebrating Christmas means spending more than your average expenditure--on food, drinks, restaurants, gifts--the list of expenses are as long as Santa's gift list! Many turn to their credit cards to help them get through the holidays and decide to face the whopping bill come January. Make like Santa and make yourself a list at the start of the month. Set a budget and list down your expenses according to priority. Plan your holiday dinners at home with a set budget--you'll be surprised how creative you can get when working with a list and a budget. 

Christmas crowd
Dealing with heavier-than-usual traffic and a thicker crowd at shopping malls can make tempers run hot and leave you stressed and frustrated. Some people are suited to a "one time big time" errand run, where you go to the mall as soon as it opens and finish everything you need to do in one go. For others, try using your lunch break during work to make short errand runs and get things done incrementally. Make sure to hit the malls during leaner hours (early morning or mid-afternoon weekdays) if you're extremely crowd-phobic. If you're shopping for bulkier items, make sure to bring a small cart or a bag trolley to help you manage your load. Apps like Grab Taxi can help you book taxis to and from your destination--the volume of users may mean you'll still have to wait, but at least apps like these will ensure you'll get a cab from a reputable source. 

Present problem
To gift or not to gift, that is the question plaguing everyone these days. Don't feel pressured to go beyond your budget to give everyone presents--it doesn't have to be expensive, a well-thought of present with the recipient in mind matters more than the gift's cost. Hit bazaars, night markets and the like to get bargains for bulk purchases--you'll also find unique stuff that'll make good gifts. If you have time during the weekend, explore making your gifts yourself. Check out craft tutorials or attend workshops to help you give handmade presents. 

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