Mom•Logic Friend Counseling Mom helps us lower our stress level.

"Hey, there will be no "How to Beat Holiday Stress" article coming from me. Sorry guys I know you are all dying to know what to do about your stress levels but these articles are so overdone that I think I'll gag if I have to look at one more. I literally remember the first time I saw one of these articles, I remember thinking "Hmm, this looks interesting..." I went on to read the article that at the time sounded like great holiday advice, and it was, back then. But twenty years later, that same article offers the same obvious advice: Don't leave things for the last minute, Avoid overindulgence on fattening foods, Watch your alcohol intake, Wash between your toes, Not too much caffeine, Get a good night's sleep, Don't stress if you forgot to send a holiday card to the neighbor's dog... Duh!!!!

What I will do however for those of you who are a bit younger and have not read it dozens of times, is to let you in on a little secret. Only one thing can lower your holiday stress level,

and that one thing is you. If you are having trouble getting it all done, and the holidays don't feel fun anymore, maybe it is time to re-prioritize. Don't try to do it all. Work on putting your family, that is you, your husband, and kids, first. Do what is important to you and learn to say no. Say no to over-scheduled social calendars. Turn down invitations that don't work for you. Don't spend a ton of money you don't have. Cut down on the number of gifts you buy. Do not commit yourself to holiday tasks that you really do not have time for.

Sacrilege!!! Heretic!!! Look, I know what you are thinking. Gasp! "We can't do that!" I'm not talking about pulling an Ebeneezer Scrooge. I'm just talking about moderation. These issues are the real sources of holiday stress. So do you think that not eating that extra holiday cookie on Christmas day will in some way help you to pay that insanely high credit card bill that is looming in the distance, or that a good night sleep is going help when you have accepted invitations to five holiday parties in a two day weekend? Of course it's not. The bottom line is, the only way to reduce stress is by addressing the issues causing it. Do what you can and be OK with the rest. About now you are thinking "My friends and family will shun me." But, when you base your holidays around what is important to you and your family, they take on greater meaning. Will all of these changes please everyone? I'm thinking not. However, in order to care for others, you need to take care of yourself first, and besides, you have a right to enjoy these holidays too, you know."

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