The holidays can be a very stressful time of year for everyone. With presents to be bought, treats to be baked, and gatherings to be planned, many find themselves wrapped up in the stress and before they know it the whole season is gone and we are left with the cold and dreary reality of January Here are some helpful tips to aid in the holiday process and help you enjoy the season this time around.

With Halloween in our past and Thanksgiving over the horizon, this year’s bird and pies are on everyone’s minds. Do you bake, fry, smoke, grill the turkey or just give up on the festive bird and go the ham route, or maybe even scratch the whole meat thing and go for a nice stuffed squash? Whatever route you decide to take with your main course, the best plan of attack is to begin the planning early. Set your schedule for the days leading up to Thanksgiving so that the 28does not sneak up on you and you have not even started to thaw your bird or find your squash recipe. Another great idea is assigning who is bringing what to Thanksgiving days or even weeks in advance. Sending out a nice email filled with the things that are the most necessary to have on Turkey Day and leaving room for a few fan favorites never hurts anybody. Plus, this way everyone can be more on top of things and Thanksgiving will be much more joyous.

That splendid time of year called Winter Break is looked forward to by students and teachers alike. That special time where finals are done, one semester of the school year has flown by, and the most wonderful time of the year is fast approaching, never fails to bring smiles to everyone’s faces. Some festive activities to do during Winter Break are ice skating, perfecting your hot chocolate recipe, shopping for gifts, having movie marathons, decorating gingerbread houses, volunteering your time at local animals shelters or food pantries, and even just spending some quality time with friends and family baking cookies.

 No matter what holiday you celebrate, gifts seem to be a tradition this time of year. Along the same lines of Thanksgiving prep, thinking of gift ideas and making a list of what needs to get done weeks and even days in advance will be very helpful so that you are not scrambling gathering gifts. Planning Christmas Eve and Christmas day meals in advance will be very beneficial.

Overall planning, planning, and more planning is the key to a successful holiday season. Taking this season slow and enjoying it while it lasts is one other essential to this time of the year. Do not let the season overwhelm you but instead, let it fulfill you.