Ways to Make This the Best Christmas Season

The holidays can be stressful.Your to-do list has suddenly quadrupled. You may be spending more money than you intended. Perhaps you are entertaining house guests, hosting a party, or traveling. For most of us, life is simply busier and more expensive during the holiday season. And for some, the holidays are a reminder of lost or absent loved ones, feelings of loneliness, or financial difficulties and stress.We may have dreams of a Norman Rockwell Christmas, but the reality is probably closer to National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation at least at some point during the holidays. There’s a lot of pressure to make the Christmas season perfect and to cram it with events, shopping, and parties. But I find that some of the simplest pleasures can make the season bright and fill me with the joy and wonder of Christmas.