Right about now, the craziness of the holidays is getting to everyone. This year is particularly stressful because Thanksgiving was so late in the year that we have barely had a month to cram in all our shopping, holiday parties, family visits and regular life. There are, however, ways to deal with the stress. It all comes down to simplification.

Prioritize events

We tend to be bombarded with Christmas parties that all take place on the same weekend. While we want to get to everyone, it’s impossible to be everywhere at once. Prioritize the events that you know you must make it to – be it your sisters holiday party or that yearly dinner with your boss. For the events you can’t make, show that person you care by sending a hand-written holiday card to them. In addition to wishing them happy holidays, let them know that you can’t make the event but look forward to seeing them in the new year. Another option is to have flowers or a holiday package sent on the day of event to wish them a successful party.

Find a great concealer

With all of the running around that we do during the holidays, we tend to get less sleep than usual. We end up looking more tired than we’d like to, and it shows in our skin. The colder weather doesn’t help either. One of the best things you can do for yourself is to get your hands on a reliable concealer that covers dark circles and signs of fatigue. Use this as often as you need to to look well-rested throughout the season. My personal favorite is Bobbi Brown concealer and corrector. It’s a two-step process, but it works every time!

Simplify your gifts

Shopping for other people can be difficult and stressful. While you want to get a thoughtful gift, it can be tough to know what a person is really going to like. In order to get some direction, choose a theme for your gifts each year. Within that theme, pick a gift that you know each person on your list will like. For example, if you choose “pamper yourself” as a theme, you can get Jo Malone candles for your sister, Philosophy fragrance for your mother, a plush robe for your husband, and shearling slippers for your father.

Simplify your clothing

One of the stressful things about the holidays is getting dressed for special occasions. You want to look nice, but with work and everything else going on it’s difficult to stay on top of your appearance. I tend to choose one holiday outfit to wear each season so that I have less to worry about. Pick something you like and can easily change into whether you’re at home or work. For more on holiday style, see my earlier post from this week.