For myself & probably for a lot of other parents, the holidays can be pretty stressful. There are gifts to buy, Christmas cards to mail, holiday travel plans, food plans, & the list goes on and on sometimes.

Even though the holidays are one of the most stressful times of the year, for me as a parent, I know that it is so important to make the holidays special for my children no matter how overwhelming it can feel. 

So I have come up with 5 helpful tips to think about this holiday season when you start to feel overwhelmed & stressed about getting everything done on your to-do list.

1. DON'T ADD TOO MANY PROJECTS TO THE CALENDAR

The holidays are already stressful enough. My first tip is to say no to too many projects. If you find that you have so many things to do in the month of December, then definitely don't add other to-dos on top of that. Your family wants a happy mommy for the holidays, not an overworked, unhappy mommy. And they definitely don't expect super mom. Only take on what you have the time for this month.

2. KEEP DINNERS SIMPLE & EASY TO MAKE

This month has been one of those months where my slow cooker has come in handy. It is so easy to have dinner ready for the family with a slow cooker. Roasts and dips are some of my favorite things to make in my slow cooker. Not a ton of ingredients thrown together in a pot and cooked to perfection in a few hours. Dinner made simple.

3. KEEP A NOTEBOOK OR PLANNER

My notebook and planner have kept me sane this month. I have to write things down otherwise I will forget. I think with the number of things needing to get done this month such as gift buying and Christmas cards, it can get a little overwhelming. I have honestly been planning since the end of November for the month of December. I like to feel organized about things before the stressed-out feeling creeps in.

4. GET YOUR BEAUTY SLEEP

I know during the holidays it can feel like there is no time for rest, but getting enough sleep is definitely important. Getting the right amount of sleep will benefit your mood & overall motivation of getting things done this holiday season. Not to mention the right amount of sleep will help you glow girl!

5. ASK FOR HELP

Never shy away from asking for help. Once you find that you will just not have the time to take care of something really important this holiday season, the best thing to do is ask for help. Ask a family member, spouse, friend or even your kids for help to get everything checked off the holiday to-do list.

Now that everything is done, relax and enjoy the season! Happy Holidays!