How to achieve a stress-free holiday season

The holidays can be hectic, with a lot of work going into gift-giving, cooking, setting up decorations, and planning parties. Fortunately, there are ways to find time to slow down, take it all in, and enjoy time with family and friends.

One of the top holiday stressors is dealing with finances, which is also one of the last things that we want to think about during this time. According to Kerry Reynolds, head of consumer marketing at PayPal Canada, awkward conversations about money can be avoided.

“The average Canadian is down $462 in outstanding IOUs, partly because they’re uncomfortable asking to be paid back,” she says. “Using PayPal, we can quickly and easily make peer-to-peer payments at the touch of a button so that uncomfortable follow-ups can be a thing of the past.”

Here are some more tips to reduce stress this holiday season:

1. Make a list of dates. Mark your calendar with key dates like events or travel and include important milestones leading up to them. Consider when you need to pack, hire a babysitter, purchase an outfit, and arrange transportation so you aren’t left coordinating at the last minute.

2. Do as much work in advance as possible. If you’re hosting a dinner party, pre-chop veggies and make your salad dressing in advance for easy assembly. If your meal can be pre-cooked and frozen for reheating later, take advantage and get the work out of the way well ahead of time.

3. Get out of line and go online. Spend more time playing and less time paying when you shop online from the comfort of your home. And be sure to leave yourself enough time for delivery to avoid any unnecessary stress.

– NC