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Home › Articles › Holiday: Winter › Holiday De-stress

Holiday De-stress

Decking the Halls Without Blowing a Gasket

By Mark Stackpole

Pages:  1  2  3  

Karl Kottman, head of research and development at a major clay and brick plant, lives with his wife Mary in Temecula, Calif. Together they have raised four children to adulthood and are now happily able to focus their holiday energies on being grandparents. Looking back on a lifetime of both holiday joys (extensive family baking sessions) and disasters (a broken washing machine that flooded the closet where the family's gifts were stashed), Kottman is reflective about avoiding stress and keeping the holidays special.

Holiday De-stress-Decking the Halls Without Blowing a Gasket"The best Christmases when the children were little were those when the presents were bought in July and August," says Kottman. "Mary would be sure to stock up early, which I always appreciated, and when the holidays came, there was only the wrapping to do. We bought a tree and always decorated it with something new. Santa came, ate cookies, drank the milk and always left a thank-you note signed 'S.' The rest was rest. And it was nice."

As the years went by and Kottman's role evolved from parent to grandparent, holiday rituals changed. The focus, however, did not: "The holidays are a family time," says Kottman.

Despite the stress of travel and a busy work calendar, it's still important for family to welcome the holidays and each other. "As a grandparent, I like grandchildren in my house, not so I can relive those uniquely happy moments of Christmas morning but because I really like my grandchildren," says Kottman. He realizes that life is busy and travel can be a sacrifice, but the basic lessons of the season are immutable. "The sight of family enjoying the holidays is so important to children, as it will make them pass the traditions on to the next generation."

Get Organized

What can a dad do to make sure there is more joy than exhaustion when the holidays roll around? Organizing Strategist Debbie Williams believes that getting organized early, and staying that way, is the key. "Your holiday preparations do not have to be stressful if you create a 'holiday countdown' – a checklist to halt the madness," she says.

In addition, Williams suggests these easy-to-implement solutions:

  • Be prepared. Create a gift list and a budget, and stick to them. Keep it handy so you can easily add ideas for presents.
  • Slow down. Use slow times to run your errands so you won't burn out. Grocery shop in the early morning or late evening, and visit the malls during your lunch break while others are at work or in the classroom. Take bottled water and a snack for quick energy.
  • Limit interruptions. Screen incoming interruptions to eliminate stress at work and at home. Use voicemail, caller ID and e-mail filters to avoid "chaos creators."
  • Have a game plan. Create a plan for preparing holiday meals. Cook rolls, stuffing, desserts and meats in smaller portions for easy heat-and-serve dinners on the big day. This will enable you to keep your focus on family time rather than kitchen duty.
  • Open your heart and home. Consider having an open house rather than trying to squeeze in several parties. Invite everyone to visit one home at staggered times for some good cheer. This can work on the "big day," too, especially if all the in-laws live in town. It sure beats driving around all day from house-to-house.

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