Holiday Gift Giving Panic – 5 Steps to Avoid Holiday Stress

It has happened again this year. You’re in a panic. It’s Christmas time once again. And you have no gifts, yet!

What are you to do? Should you recycle those weird things you got last year from the office party? Or should you go to the mall and buy a handful of gift cards for everyone?

Don’t freak out. You’re just experiencing the holiday gift giving panic. The holiday gift giving panic — happens to the best of us.

No matter how well we plan things. Or how organized we may be, we all usually succumb to the holiday gift giving panic at once in during the season.

If you want to prevent another case of holiday gift giving panic you should follow the following six steps.

Step one — Calm down. Take a couple of pain pills or take a nap and relax. Do anything but sit and worry about what you haven’t done yet. Concentrate on the next step that you have to take — and then go from there.

Step two — Focus on what is truly important. The holidays should be a time that you come together with your friends, family and loved ones.

Despite the commercialization of it all, you should use the holidays as an opportunity to show those you love just how much you care about them.

Step three — Know your shopping style. Are you an early gift giver who has a shopping list by August type of shopper? Or are you like a dash-in, buy it at the last minute type of person?

Trying on a new shopping style during the Christmas holidays is an exercise in failure. Simply go with the flow.

If you know that you prefer to have a shopping list in hand and checking it twice then you should always make sure that you have plenty of time for some slow shopping.

On the other hand, if you are a last-minute shopper then don’t beat yourself up trying to make yourself a different type of person.

Keep aware of the special discounts and sales that are only available for people like you and embrace your procrastination!

Step four — Be careful of who you share your holidays with. One of the most stressful things about the holidays is other people!

Okay I know in two step I said that getting with friends and family were some of the most important things about the holidays.

But we all know there are all sorts of people who can ruin the holiday spirit for us all. So if possible, avoid those people as much as you can.

Now stressful people don’t necessarily have to be the “Scrooges”! In fact some of the most frustrating people can be the ones who are terminally cheerful during the holiday season.

They are having a great time and are determined for you the have one to! Either type of person can unfortunately stress you to the breaking point. So you must take care to guard yourself against those who may push you over the edge.

Step five — Except your limitations. Instead of going all over town trying to buy a ton of different gifts for a variety of people, keep your shopping to one central location if possible.

For example, you can check out the Mountain Made holiday gift list by clicking here (Handmade Holiday Gifts) — and you will find a variety of wonderful gifts from the whimsical to the unique or the collectible.

Understanding what things (or people) that triggers your holiday stress and avoiding them can help you have a wonderful and joyous gift giving season.