If cooking the Thanksgiving turkey throws you into a tizzy, your ears start ringing when you hear Jingle Bells on the radio, stringing Christmas lights leaves you strung out, you get analysis paralysis over finding the perfect holiday gift or you break into a cold sweat over the thought of another family gathering with your quirky Aunt Sally, then heed some advice from Bobby McFerrin and “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” this season.

For many, the holidays often add many more tasks to already jam-packed schedules. Gift shopping, family gatherings and traveling piled on top of work demands can make anyone irritable and flustered during the holiday season. Not immune to the holiday season stress myself, I sought out some tips on how best to keep your cool when your stress level shoots up like a bottle rocket.

First of all, acknowledge your feelings. If you feel down, you are not alone; many people feel down during the holidays. Realize that it is ok to feel sadness or grief if someone close to you has recently died or you can’t be with loved ones. Allow yourself to cry and express your feelings. Reach out if you need some company, seek out community or social events or lift your spirits by volunteering your time to help others.

Be realistic. Don’t worry about how you think things should be. Nobody is perfect and the holidays don’t have to be that way. Accept your family for their uniqueness and differences and just enjoy the time spent together. As families grow and change, traditions will change as well. Hold on to special memories in your heart and be open to creating some new holiday rituals.

Try a new tradition. If it’s the usual family get-together that makes you stress, try something new. If the thought of hosting the family dinner throws you into a state of panic, discuss options with other family members. Maybe a sibling would enjoy hosting instead or could split the responsibility with you. If you feel that you want your family to focus on the importance of giving during the holiday, suggest donating to a charity or adopting a family through the United Way to help support someone in need.

Plan a budget and stick to it. Before you begin your holiday shopping, plan a reasonable budget and stick to it. Decide how much you can realistically afford to spend on food and gifts. If most holiday shopping excursions leave your pocketbook bare, then try making homemade gifts instead. The local library and websites such as Pinterest offer an array of ideas. If you still enjoy buying gifts and have a large family, suggest a gift exchange, drawing names for a family member to purchase a gift for. This often makes that gift more meaningful and more thought out.

Plan ahead. Once Halloween is over, the store shelves are crammed with Christmas décor and the holidays are here before you can blink. It’s hard to find time to fit in everything on your to-do list if you don’t plan for it. Set aside specific days for baking, shopping, visiting friends and other activities. Line up a shopping buddy and help for party set-up and clean-up. Write out your shopping lists for everything you can think of. This will help eliminate scrambling for last-minute gifts or forgotten items from the store.

Don’t overdo it. Learn to pace yourself, you don’t need to get everything done in one weekend. I admit, I myself have trouble heeding this advice, trying to remind myself that Rome wasn’t built in one day. Learn to say no and commit only to what you truly feel you are able to. Saying yes to something that you should have said no to will leave you resentful and exhausted. Before the holiday gatherings begin, decide on your limits and stick to them to avoid getting overwhelmed. Spend a couple hours at a holiday party instead of all night. To prevent the anxiety that many face during the holidays, allow some time for yourself; even just fifteen minutes of time alone stargazing, listening to music, meditating or deep breathing might just rejuvenate you enough to handle your impending tasks.

Maintain relationships. The holidays are the perfect time to reach out and tell your loved ones that you are thinking of them. Pick one or two relationships you would like to improve and schedule time to catch-up. Take the first step in reaching out to someone you’ve lost touch with over the years.

Stay healthy. It’s hard to control a healthy diet and exercise program when encountered with frigid temperatures and delicious food. Overindulgence during the holidays only adds stress and guilt to the list of holiday stressors. Exercise reduces the levels of stress hormones and stimulates the body’s natural mood elevators. Keep a regular meal routine; don’t skip meals to prepare for a big dinner or you may find yourself eating more.

If you do overindulge on eggnog or gobble up too many turkey trimmings, don’t beat yourself up for it.

Embrace the holiday spirit. This season is about gratitude, giving and reflection. When you feel anxiety or worry setting in about getting everything done, re-route your thoughts back to counting your blessings instead. Tell others you value and care about them and take time to reflect on what you are most thankful for in your life.

If your family resembles the Griswold’s in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” just roll with it and enjoy the time spent together. If you find yourself coping by drinking an excess of eggnog, put down your Santa mug, step back and embrace the holiday excitement, taking in everything around you and reflecting on your blessings. You might just find that you have something in common with your quirky Aunt Sally and maybe she isn’t so weird after all.

Sources: www.forbes.com, www.mayoclinic.org, www.webmd.com, www.usatoday.com