Mom’s Guide for a Stress-Free Holiday Season

The holidays are meant to be fun but often end up being overwhelming. Believe it or not, the holidays can be stress-free! Here are some tips to help you cruise into the Holiday season…

Be like Santa…MAKE LISTS

Make a list for groceries, people to shop for, cards to write, decorations to buy, etc. Sit down with a calendar and give yourself target dates for getting things done. You can even find holiday planning guides online. Be sure to put all your parties, kids’ plays, and other special occasions on your calendar as soon as you find out about them!

TAKE IT A LITTLE AT A TIME

Wrap gifts as you buy them (be sure you mark the outside so you remember who the gift is for!), respond to invitations as soon as you receive them, if a family member mentions something specific they want as a gift, buy it right away. Don’t put everything off until the last minute; you’ll save yourself from so much stress this way.

PLAN AHEAD & BE PREPARED

Know you’ve got a bunch of parties coming up? Hit the stores and stock up on hostess gifts. (We love gift sets—you can get two or three hostess gifts out of one set!) Also, stock up on some small gifts for those surprise visitors and some fun activities for any children that may visit during the season.

Before holiday gatherings, make room in your coat closet for your guests’ belongings (remember to put a few extra hangers in there). Also, clear out the refrigerator so you have room when your guests arrive with beer, Champagne, and foods that should be chilled.

INVOLVE THE KIDS

They can help decorate — everything from rooms to cookies. So even if they’re in the way, they’re helping you get the job done!

WRAP IT UP

If you don’t have a “wrapping station”, make one. What this means is that you have one space in your home for your wrapping paper, ribbons, bows, gift tags, tape, scissors, and you can get to it easily when you’re ready to wrap each gift. Plastic under-the-bed storage bins are perfect for this—they’re long enough to hold wrapping paper and have enough space for your other supplies too.

REFOCUS

What is most important? Sending 150 cards to everyone you know or being sure your nearest and dearests get cards? Making “Pinterest perfect” treats for everyone in your child’s classes or enjoying an evening with the family watching holiday movies? Take a look at the tasks you have ahead and see which one you can eliminate or make simpler.

GET YOURSELF SOME ELVES

Most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask for help! The Occasional Wife can decorate shop, wrap gifts, address cards, organize your home before guests arrive, and many other tasks that will keep your holiday stress to a minimum! Santa’s got elves to help him out but you’ve got The Occasional Wife!

For more information, go to theoccasionalwife.com

Ladies Night Out: Tips for a Healthy, Stress-Free Holiday Season

The holidays are supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year but for some it can be stressful. Join Touro Nutritionist Julie Fortenberry and Kay Morrison, the owner of the Occasional Wife, for tips on how to manage stress and enjoy yourself this holiday season. Also, learn how to avoid that dreadful holiday weight gain and how to remain healthy.

The Occasional Wife
Thursday, December 8, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
3036 S. Carrollton Ave., New Orleans, LA 70118

As a senior executive for one of the world’s top hotel conglomerates, Kay Morrison spent the first 21 years of her career literally up in the air as she flew from property to property. An accomplished professional, Morrison faced the same challenges that all career-oriented people do: how to successfully balance work, life, family, and friends and maintain sanity. Thus, The Occasional Wife was born…