8 Easy Ways You Can Get Ahead of Holiday Stress

Do you often have that feeling that the time between Thanksgiving and New Year's races by, and the holiday traditions you love somehow fall by the wayside? Set aside a little time now, before the crunch, to prioritize. Have each member of the family make a list of their favorite seasonal activities. Whether it's an evening of ice skating or a day of volunteering, pencil it onto the calendar. And remember, you don't necessarily have to wait until Thanksgiving to start checking things off the list!

Take a look at your ornaments and decide if you need to make any purchases. Test out the lights and discard ones that no longer work. Then, set the date to decorate the tree.

If baking is part of your holiday tradition, set aside an hour or so to think about what you'd like to make this year. Peruse cookbooks and recipes online, as well as your traditional favorites, then make a list of all the ingredients you'll need. Next time you're at the supermarket, stock up everything that won't spoil in the near future, including flour, sugar, vanilla extract and other flavorings, sprinkles, and colored sugar. You'll be ready to roll when the time comes!

Want to gather the gang at your place for an open house or a New Year's bash? Give some thought to the type of party you'd like to throw, how many people you want to invite, and when you want to have it. You can take this as far as you like — you may want to send out a "save the date" email, plan out the menu, even put together a playlist.

If you are considering giving homemade gifts, now is the time to get started. Decide on the projects, purchase your supplies, then estimate how much time they'll take and put that on your holiday calendar. The time you spend making the presents will help ease you into the spirit of the season in a wonderful way.

Sending out holiday cards should be a pleasant activity, but not if you wait until the last minute. Choose your cards and buy your stamps now, and get your address list up to date. Try to set aside an hour or two a week to work on them. By December, you should be ready to drop them in the mailbox in a calm, cool manner.

You may not be ready to tackle the big presents yet, but start looking for fun, interesting items for all the little gifts you'll need (think: your kids' teachers, a special neighbor, the Secret Santa at the office). With time on your side, you can take advantage of pre-season sales, clearance items, or online deals.

Do an inventory to make sure you have enough paper, ribbons, tape and tags, as well as a pair or two of scissors. Then, create a wrapping station. If you have room to set up a table and leave it up throughout the season, great. If not, keep your supplies in a box and store it in a closet or under the bed.

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