2020 ruined a lot of plans for everyone. All your traveling plans may have been canceled, and you may have been stuck at home for the longest time ever. Now that the holiday season is upon us, the year-end parties you were used to may have also gone virtual. Though this doesn’t give you the same feel as going out and trading gifts in person, this doesn’t mean the holidays will feel blue.
Here’s how to prepare for the end of the year with a cheery attitude despite everything:
Prioritize yourself
Moms know the stress of having to prepare for family celebrations. There’s the grocery shopping and the endless gift-wrapping. There’s the holiday planning and, if you’re doing a family reunion, the accommodating. Before you work on your checklist of things to do, tick off the most important task: care for yourself. As you shop online for everyone’s gifts (making it easier to hide their presents and to stay safe!), add sheet masks for yourself. Then, take five minutes of your time to apply these, letting your skin soak up the nutrients from the mask as you wrap gifts or plan the Christmas menu. Give yourself a long, relaxing bath (red wine optional) after calling everyone and informing them of the family’s plans for the holidays. Whatever you do, always remember that you deserve a reward, too.
Dress for the cheers
You might not realize it, but the clothes you choose to wear have an impact on your mood. It’s hard to stay cheerful for the holidays when you haven’t taken a bath and are living in your sweatpants and hoodies. Take out your ugly sweaters and put on a silly Santa hat, then play some Christmas music. You’ll instantly notice the shift in your mood and if they’re not enough, spend a couple of hours looking for holiday recipes on Pinterest to get your creative and cheery juices going. It’s even more fun if you can get the whole family in their holiday spirits, so that even if you’re planning a simple online get-together, the mood still fits the theme.
Edit the guestlist
One of the reasons it’s overwhelming to plan year-end parties, even virtually, is because it’s hard to get people to cooperate. There’s always that one person who can’t seem to remember what time the event will start, and there’s that complainer who will never get tired of reminding everyone that your plan is an inconvenience to them. Ask yourself if these people are worth inviting in the first place. Spare yourself the multiple missed phone calls or the endless conversations reminding them of the details. You get to decide who joins your event, virtual or not, and if there are ways to make the whole planning less stressful, go for it. Even if it means your second cousin will not be a part of it.
Holidays are for celebration and gift-giving. It’s not the time of the year to be blue. When you feel lacking in the holiday spirit, turn to self-care and dress the part to keep the ball rolling.
