Tis the season of STRESS!

I loved Liz's post last week. We are still moving (since we moved only a short way from our old house and it isn't sold yet, we are taking our time moving some things every day and organizing as we go--we sure have a lot of junk!) and I'm only bringing over what Christmas decorations I can handle putting up before bringing more. December 12th is coming! I'm looking forward to it and hope I can get enough done that I don't have to keep decorating while they're here.

Besides the move, I'm also stressed about presents, parties, expenses, work, etc. At least I got my Xmas cards out early to give everyone our new address. And I finally decided we wouldn't travel for the holidays, even though I really wanted to, so I just finished up the easy gifts, wrapped them, and will ship them tomorrow. But I still have so much to do! It never ends! I like being busy, but this is ridiculous!

So I've come up with some ways to de-stress during the holidays (and beyond):

• listen while you work - I love music. I like to sing, too. Whether just listening to some soothing holiday music or belting out my current favorites, music is a big de-stresser for me and makes the work less of a chore.
• watch while you work - then there's the other option of watching a Christmas special or other favorite movie or show while you get your wrapping/cleaning/online shopping done. I scroll through the guide and schedule shows to record on my DVR - then I can watch them later and FF commercials, they stress me out too!
• get physical - I was doing well with my eating plan (diet) and lost 10 lbs this summer. But as soon as we got back from vacation and began our selling/moving process, my scale and my diet went into storage. It worked before, and it will work again--starting right after the holidays. In the meantime, exercise is a great stress reliever, so I set an alarm on my phone to do some exercises each night. I hope it works!
• organizing and prioritizing - writing down my to do items in a nice neat list, I feel I can accomplish them. I also know my limitations, so my daily list is reasonable. When I cross things off the list, stress recedes.

Some people bake, some jog or do yoga, and some take long baths... How about you--any de-stressing ideas or techniques? Please share!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!