Stop stressing; chill out and enjoy the holidays

By Jamie Rieger

The mad rush is on. People rushing around trying to get all of their last-minute shopping done, decorating the house, and making sure there will be enough baked goods to serve all the guests over the Christmas holidays. (Trust me, you probably have more than enough, already!)

Why is the most joyous time of the year also the most busy and quite often the most stressful, especially if you try to find a parking stall at the mall in the days closest to Christmas.

So, while we prepare for this most joyous day, we also encounter many more grumpy people than at any other time of the year. People want everything to be perfect and put far too much pressure on themselves trying to achieve that goal.

In exchange for this perceived perfection, one gives up their happy smiles and laid back attitudes. If something does not go exactly as you have envisioned for the occasion, nobody will notice, but you. If you have people coming to visit, they will be there to spend time with you, not for how many Christmas trees set up or how many varieties of cookies you baked. Last week, while standing in the queue at a till in a big box store in Medicine Hat, a rather stressed out woman behind me told me of her 13 trees she had set up and decorated around her home….She was there buying another one!

Really, lady!?! I don’t think you have enough. I think you should go buy a few more. Ugh!

I think some people seriously need to chill out a bit, relax, and actually enjoy the Holiday season…family, friends, fellowship, fun, and laughter is all that is needed. Certainly not a baker’s dozen of fake Christmas trees!

Prepare for the festivities, yes; but there is no need to go overboard with the prep work.

Stay happy and healthy this holiday season. Enjoy it without all the senseless stress!

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