3 Tips For Parents to Navigate the Holiday Season With Less Stress

This post is sponsored by ONESIES® Brand. I’m a brand ambassador for ONESIES® Brand and am sharing my experience with the brand’s products with my readers. All opinions are my own.

Thanksgiving is this week. Crazy. How did we get here? Wasn’t I just shopping for Halloween costumes like 10 minutes ago?

I love this time of year, but if you don’t slow down to enjoy it, it’s easy to miss. I do know from experience, that if you’re prepared ahead of time, you really can be less stressed.

Shop Early (Obvious, I know!) or Give Yourself a Reasonable Deadline

I started some of my holiday shopping in October to lessen my load. However, someone please remind me in a few weeks that I have trucks and a train stuffed in my closet. There’s a pretty good chance I will forget I bought them! 😳

And for those of you who don’t shop early or wait till the last minute, (I’m talking to you dear husband!) at least give yourself a shopping deadline. Like, “I will have all of my shopping done by December 22nd.” That’s reasonable, no?

Make a List of Holiday Family Activities and Put Them on Your Calendar

Besides getting shopping done ahead of time, it’s also a great idea to make a list of doable holiday-themed activities you want to do with your family. That way you can carve out time, specifically, for those activities and you won’t feel rushed when December gets here.

• Christmas Countdown: 12 days of fun activities

Some of my favorites: 

• Take a neighborhood Christmas lights tour
• Watch classic Christmas movies while eating popcorn with the whole family
• Make homemade ornaments for the family tree or as gifts

Take Inventory of Your Kids Toys and Clothes. Donate What They’ve Outgrown

I love that my family is so generous when it comes to buying presents for my kids, but the truth is, any amount can seem like a lot when you have four children.

Right around this time, each year, my husband and I go through the toys (when they’re asleep!) and make small piles of items they haven’t played with in a while or have grown out of. As long as nothing is broken or missing pieces, we donate it to Salvation Army. It’s a win-win, because I feel a little more organized when our playroom looks neater and I love passing on well-loved toys to new homes.

If you think your kids won’t mind helping you, it’s a good thing to do together, too.

And don’t just stop with the toys. A colder season is approaching for a lot of us, so it’s also a good time to go through your children’s clothes too.

If you’re looking for ways to save on clothes for your little one this holiday season, the exclusive ONESIES® Brand at Walmart has a variety of baby essentials starting at just $2 per piece in stores and bundles for $8 online.

This brand has been great for little Crosby who just turned 6-months-old. You may remember when I donated all of my older boys’ clothes last December when I didn’t know I was pregnant. So, each season now, I have to buy new or second-hand for our little babe.

ONESIES® Brand pieces are great for gifts, stocking stuffers or if you need to pack extras in your diaper bag.

Do you have any holiday traditions that you make sure you do every year?