Look Out! Here Comes Christmas!!

Close your eyes. Brace yourself. Because ready or not, it’s coming.
Christmas is on its way.

Now that Thanksgiving is officially over, it’s time to turn our full attention to the next major holiday coming up in just a few weeks (and for my friends who celebrate Hanukkah…time’s up. Hope you’re ready).

Why is it that Christmas, a holiday which signifies such joy, produces so much stress? We find ourselves getting caught up in the cooking, the shopping, the wrapping and the baking. Can’t we hearken back to a simpler time, when the most exotic item in a Christmas stocking was an orange and a shiny new penny? Girls would squeal over dolls made from corn cobs and boys would hoot with joy over a hoop and stick.

Okay, I’m stealing scenes from the “Little House on the Prairie” books I used to read. But isn’t there a way to simplify our holiday “to do” list? Is there a way to reduce our stress levels while focusing on the true meaning of Christmas? I have a few suggestions.

Stay out of the mall, Target, Wal-Mart, and most of all, Toys R Us. There were no malls or super stores back in olden times, your gift choices were limited to what was carried by the kindly old gentleman who ran the general store. Hmmm, a stick of horehound candy or a set of silver buttons for Ma’s new dress? Decisions were quick and easy. Nowadays, going to any store after Dec. 1 means stress looking for a parking space, finding that perfect gift and standing in long lines at the checkout. If you enjoy feeling your blood pressure creep up as you shop, by all means, hit the stores. Otherwise, take advantage of that thing called the internet and do all your shopping online. Many sites have free shipping during the holidays, and if you’re traveling (like my family always does) you can have your presents shipped directly to your destination. (Horehound candy is available on amazon.com!) If you truly enjoy the act of shopping, try smaller, independently owned toy, book and gift stores. You’ll stimulate the local economy and get better service too.

The type of Christmas music you listen to can have a huge effect on your stress level. Anything by Mannheim Steamroller or The Trans-Siberian Orchestra is guaranteed to send your heart rate through the roof. I don’t know who loves these frenzied instrumental renditions of “Deck the Halls” and “Carol of the Bells,” but whenever I hear them on the radio I have the urge to run my car straight off the road. Better to create your own personal playlist of Christmas tunes from artists like Bing Crosby, James Taylor and Harry Connick Jr. But if you just can’t resist, The Trans-Siberian Orchestra is playing the TD Garden on Dec. 15. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

A word about baking. Martha Stewart would like you to think that everyone bakes their own cookies, pies, cakes and goodies for the holidays. How else would she be able to sell all her cookbooks, baking pans and other items available at your local K-Mart? If you enjoy the act of baking, (and I do) by all means, go for it. Otherwise, there are these fabulous places called bakeries, where bakers rise at 2 a.m. for the sole purpose of creating armies of gingerbread men, legions of cupcakes and countless other holiday treats perfect for gifts, holiday bake sales and Christmas concerts. Instead of spending time in the kitchen, why not enjoy a relaxing massage or facial?

And now the biggie: Christmas cards. I know one friend who makes her Christmas cards by hand each year. Whether or not she actually pounds wood pulp to craft her own paper is unknown, but her cards are a work of art, complete with bits of ribbon and other embellishments which leave me with feelings of awe mixed with a nagging sense that I’m a slacker. Photo cards really stress me out, not sending them but receiving them. I feel guilty throwing away photos of other people’s children (yet they inevitably end up in my circular file). This year, why not try sending an e-card for Christmas? Buy a small box of cards to send to those family members who have not yet heard about the internet, and let everyone else enjoy a digital greeting that takes up very little space on their hard drive, should they choose to save it. Save a tree, save a stamp and save yourself a trip to the post office.

These suggestions may not be for everyone, but I encourage you to take whatever steps you can to reduce your stress and enjoy the holiday season. Will I take my own advice? Maybe. I’ve already sent one shipment of gifts to my parent’s house in New Jersey. My iPod is playing gentle holiday tunes as I write this and my husband is exploring ways to turn a recent family portrait into a holiday e-card. And though I may bake some of my own homemade cookies this season, you can bet I will stay far away from the TD Garden on Dec. 15.