The magic of holidays.

We are 10 days from Christmas. And although some of you may celebrate other holidays or nothing at this time, one thing that big celebrations have in common is stress created by overwhelming sense of responsibilities. There is cooking, cleaning, shopping, planning, attending parties, etc, etc.
I find that making lists is a HUGE way to decrease the anxiety of this time.  I start my lists early on. Usually sitting in front of the TV, when my mind is relaxed.  Make a list of lists and the add to them. From presents to food, shopping and things to remember (like pay a bill). With all that is going on, we tend to forget the most common responsibilities.
I make a list of what day to cook or prepare a dish. Some can be frozen or prepared in advance, others need to be done just before serving.  If you need to prepare a turkey and like to soak it in brine 2 days before baking, you'll need to remember that.  Make a grocery list down to the last piece of parsley. I've had to send my husband to the store on Christmas Eve for butter and he was not happy.
Holidays can be magical. Just make sure to prepare, delegate and stay grounded. If you feel like things are getting out of hand , step back. Go somewhere, take a shower, have a cup of tea or call someone.  Becoming overwhelmed, tired, stressed out or sick will not make the holidays special but you might remember them for the wrong reasons.