Let’s talk about holiday stress! The holidays can be a special and magical time for so many families. But it can also be one of the most hectic, stressful times of the year that leaves you saying “bah humbug.” After all, the beautiful moments we see on Instagram don’t really tell us the whole truth.
Sure, that pie is perfect, but we don’t see the mess of dirty dishes still in the sink. The idyllic post with kids who are quietly watching a movie doesn’t show you that just minutes before they were fighting. And maybe all the focus on family and spending time with your loved ones only reminds you of loved ones who have passed or relationships that are broken. Whatever the cause of holiday stress, there are some things you can do to help manage the craziness so you can enjoy the season.
Take Some YOU Time
You’ve spent time creating your shopping list, tracking down the perfect gifts, planning the family meals, decorating, baking, wrapping… and the list goes on. It can be stressful trying to stay on top of it all. It’s important in all of the chaos to take some time to yourself. So much of the holiday season focuses on supporting the needs of others, but it can be easy to take that too far. You may start to feel like you have no time for yourself since your energy is always used on what other people need. But it won’t be long until your stress level has you feeling both mentally and physically spent.
Remember. It is OKAY to say “no.” The holidays are there for your enjoyment as well. You can absolutely politely decline an engagement or party if you’re really wanting some quiet time to yourself. Enjoy that bubble bath or silly Christmas rom-com. Say yes to the cookies, take a deep breath, and take some time to yourself.
Stay Active
On the subject of Christmas cookies, it’s important to enjoy life and indulge a little bit while also paying attention to our health and bodies. As tempting as it might be to forgo the gym or regular exercise habits in December, don’t forget that when you constantly miss out on your regular exercise, your mood can be negatively impacted. Even if you’re not up for a full workout, there are plenty of little ways to keep yourself moving. Taking just 20 minutes out of your evening for some deep stretching on the living room floor can really help you relax and wind down from the day’s stress.
Reach Out for Help & Support
If you’re feeling stressed out right now, trust us, you are not alone. A lot of people are struggling with stress this time of year, for so many different reasons! Maybe you’re worried about affording all the presents, making sure holiday events go well, spending time with extended family, or even wondering what to do with your kids during their winter break from school. No matter what is making your holidays hectic, don’t be afraid to reach out for support if you need it. Family and friends are often more than happy to help! Especially when they know they can count on you to return the favor if they need it.
Reach for Essential Oils
When you’re feeling overwhelmed with holiday stress, reach for an essential oil that can help calm you down. If you’re at home, you can diffuse, make a relaxing bath, or enjoy a linen spray to help soothe holiday nerves. When you’re out and about, fill your personal inhaler with your favorite oil and pull it out whenever the stress is building up. You could also whip up a lotion using an unscented base and a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Here are a few oils that are known for their relaxing and calming properties:
- Chamomile: Add either the Roman or German variety to your favorite bath salt DIY as a way to unwind after a long day or diffuse just before bedtime to help the mind relax before sleep.
- Vetiver: This oil is calming, soothing and can even help release negative feelings associated with stress. It blends beautifully with floral essential oils, so play around to find what suits you.
- Bergamot: This fresh-smelling oil is excellent for brightening the mood and lifting spirits. If stress has you feeling down, let this beautiful citrusy and fruity fragrance help boost your mood.
- Relax: Wonderful for emotional support, this blend helps promote a peaceful state of mind and creates a relaxing environment. Great for melting away all of that holiday stress.
- Chill Out: This blend is excellent when you want to bring a sense of peace and calm to your life. If you’re experiencing nervous irritation from stress, add a few drops to your personal inhaler and enjoy!
- Grapefruit: If you’re looking for a little pick-me-up to help you get through the day, Grapefruit is the ideal choice. Its sweet, juicy fresh citrus scent can help to lighten up mental fatigue and moodiness.
- Black Spruce: In addition to smelling like a beautiful Christmas tree, Black Spruce, along with other coniferous oils, are wonderful for lifting the spirits and beating the winter blues.
- Calming the Child: Contrary to what you might think, this one is for adults too! The sweet and fruity aroma of this blend helps to promote a tranquil atmosphere. Diffuse it throughout the day or just before bedtime to help calm the mind and slow turbulent emotions.
- Ylang Ylang: This oil has a soothing and relaxing fragrance that is perfect for easing the mind. Use in your favorite carrier oil for a tranquil massage blend.
- Meditation: This blend helps evoke a calm mood and meditative state of mind.
- Patchouli: Patchouli has a slightly masculine scent that can help aid in meditation. Add a few drops to your diffuser to help alleviate nervous tension and worry.
- Worry Free: This blend helps promote a relaxed state of mind so you can better cope with life’s challenges. Use in your diffuser when you’re feeling anxious and worried.
- Buddha Wood: Remarkably balancing and grounding, this oil is excellent for enriching meditative practices or just supporting focus and clarity during everyday activities.
- Nighty Night: When stress is keeping you up at night, use this KidSafe blend to help you relax and calm down before bedtime.
- Lavender: The aroma of Lavender can help produce a calm, peaceful, tranquil environment. Diffuse during the day or before bedtime to help soothe your emotions.
For more great tips and tricks for managing the holidays, be sure to Safe Essential Oil Recipes (SEOR) Facebook Group!
This blog is a great reminder to slow down this time of year. Stress can have such a major effect on lives. Thank you PT for the words of wisdom expressed here.
Calming the Child is my go to for our house. Everyone enjoys it and it smells amazing.
Great article
Thanks for the reminder to take care of ourselves during the hectic holiday season.
Thank you for the EO recommendations! I will need them this season.
Helpful reminders! Thank you
This is all such great information and great reminders to take care of our well being during the Holidays or anytime of the year! Thank you!
great information in this blog post. I appreciate the tips!!!
thank you for the reminders especially on Staying active. Many times I give up the walking due to the busyness of the holiday season. and of course I diffuse during the night to keep me calm and for a good night sleep
Nice Holiday AdThe pictures are perfect!vice.
Sometimes I think my need to create the perfect Christmas — perfect house, perfect decorations, perfect gifts, perfect food, perfect experience — is really more for me, because I’m such a perfectionist and that causes an overabundance of undue stress. I really need to lighten up and relax as I’m pretty sure everyone else doesn’t give a squirt about whether everything is picture perfect. I’m new to oils. Here’s hoping they will help me to achieve a little peace and calm this season.
Thanks
Consistently good information. Thank you.
This is something I needed to read right now. Seems like life is spinning out of control at the moment. One day at a time!
I am so glad I took the time to read this. All the tips will hopefully remind me to step back and take a little time for myself.
I love everything about this! If I don’t take care of ME then there will not be enough of ME to take care of everyone else!!
Definitely going to try a couple of these!
Thanks so much for the EO Tips!
Wonderful reminders
Thank you, It so important to take care of yourself. Finding the time is often difficult but necessary.
Thanks for helpful article
Thank you for this Blog! It really helped me to learn more about this amazing oils! Must have to every home!
Relax, Take some ME time, Eat well and stay active.
Thank you for the reminders to take care of ourselves!
Always important to remember to slow down during the busy times of the year and enjoy what’s around you.
Thanks for the great stress relief tips! I personally like clary sage for stress as well.
Thank you for the tips! Mom of soon to be 5 boys by next month and hard to ask for help at times.
Great tips! I have some of these oils and love my Relax
I love calming the child, not just for my kids but for myself too. Thanks for a beautiful smelling blend that works!
I love your suggested oils for stress relief! I have most of them! While Vetiver is not necessarily a favorite scent for me, when blended with others, it is great! Its properties make it an optimal choice for this time of year!
Thank you for the suggestions for relieving stress! I actually like the scent of almost all of these
Thanks for the recommendations
Great tips! Thanks for the blog!
PT’s posts, as always, are very informative and helpful. Thank you!
Bergamot is my go to oil to calm me down when things become too intense, especially around the holidays. I need to stop and enjoy the moment.
Thank you for the enlightenment!
Thanks for posting this, Plant Therapy!
It’s very good reminder to let go and pamper ourselves sometimes!
Merry X’mas to all.
I’m new to oils. So glad to have a trusted company that teaches me how to use them properly. Looking forward to trying some of these oils out!
Definitely need to reduce my stress, too anxious w/Xmas coming and worrying about not having the funds. I miss working full time and having money to spend and share. The last few years have been hell, so I thank you for reminding me about stress relievers!!
thanks for the great tips! looking forward to checking these essential oils out!
I want to try these oils, especially the Calming the Child. Thanks for the good suggestions.
Another must have for me during the holiday season, is Sniffle Stop. It has really helped me and my family with the sniffles that seem to come with family members around.
Looking forward to using some of these tips!
I really like using the grapefruit oil as a energizer. It is so uplifting and lovely.
In a time of year where everything is busy and often times focused on others, its nice to remember that self-care is still necessary
Nice tips! Though not in agreement with everything mentioned.
Thank you for reminding us that the holidays are also about self care as well as all the other things. Thank you as well for the recommended oils to support during this busy time(;
I just delivered a respiratory blend (DIY) to two friends — bummer to be sick right now, or any time!!! Love that Plant Therapy provided quality oils so I could take care of my friends! Also running diffusers around the house – making things more peaceful, healthy and warm and cozy. Merry Christmas and thank you!!!
Thanks for the great tips and reminders!
All of the oil tips to help relieve stress are great. I never knew all of these helped in that area and will be adding some to our next order. I am so thankful for all of the tips and information your company provides along with your great oils that are budget friendly!
Thanks for the tips. Love my PT oils and the suggested once to use. Thanks
Thanks for the tips. They will come in handy especially with all the stress of a new diagnoses.
I’m a beginner…thank you so much for all of your information. Love the oils I’ve gotten from you!
All good tips for daily use and a good reminder as we get so wrapped up in the holiday season.
This blogpost had one great tips and I especially like the list of which essential oils are helpful during the Holiday season.
Bring on the CBD
Thanks for the suggestions I will surely add this into my every day self care
Great Tips! Thanks!
Great tips for the very stressful holiday season!!
great advice! Too many of us let the holidays turn in to all stress! Wonderful ways to enjoy them and more importantly, take care of yourself first in order to take care of others!
Great tips! Thank you!
Thanks for these helpful and timely tips.
I really love calming the child! It smells amazing and uplifting for me.
Thank you
What great suggestions, thanks Plant Therapy !
I love that you remind people that its okay to say no if you want to stay home in your comfy pants!
Spread the love, these tips along with a bottle or two of the suggested oils would make a welcome gift.
as an adult, i enjoy calming the child.
Thank you for all the tips, recipes and info you give us.
Thank you for the great content of your blogs. I need to remind myself that saying “no” is okay. I tend to be a people pleaser.
Thanks for the great info!
Thanks for the suggestions!
Awesome! Thank you!!!!
This was a great read! Super excited to try your products
I ordered let it go last week. Owh cant wait.
Don’t forget your personal inhalers if you have to travel – I was on a plane recently and the man next to me smelled so badly of cigarettes I could hardly breathe – pulled out my stress inhaler with bergamot, orange sweet and neroli and inhaled it for the entire flight. I would not have survived with out it!
Great read! I’m newer to oils and I appreciate any tips!
Great read\!
Great Tips!
These are great, helpful tips! In always looking for new ideas, and products! Thanks so much!
for some reason Christmas is a hectic emotional season…we should all read this and take time for ourselves to reboot!
Definitely have started to find a balance with the hustle of the holiday season, having two kids under 5 and two families to see! It all gets very overwhelming for this mama who suffers from mild, high-functioning anxiety. My husband will take the kids to a family gathering and allow me some alone time when things start getting to hectic. Having newly discovered Plant Therapy, I am excited to try both the Relax and the Let It Go blends. I am also interested in trying out CBD as I have heard it has worked wonders for anxiety in some close friends! Thank you for offering such a large selection of quality essential oils at such affordable prices! My household is very grateful!
We love the children’s line. Amazing oils for such reasonable prices. To top it off even more, they actually really help my kiddos! I see and hear differences with them after applying to their little bodies!
I’m glad we get all this information.
This is spot on!!! Great reminders for this crazy time of year!
Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for the tips, I’m putting black spruce on my list
These are great tips! I really love Tranquil synergy for relaxing as well. Diffusing it as I read a book before bedtime always melts the stress of the day away!
Great advice on which oils to use to help relax and enjoy the holidays!
Thank you!! Even after the thanksgiving holiday Christmas stress is right around the corner
Thank you, have yet to try the spruce black as well as let it go. Will have to get these on my wish list
Great ideas and specific oil uses were wonderful.
Very nice article that we should all put into practice!
Thank you so much
Let it go is my favorite oil for stress! It’s true to its name! I use it in my diffuser.
Great read. I struggle with saying no.
So timely for these advices as holidays gives added and double time work! Many oils really help from the citrus single oils to the blended ones and not to forget the Spruce Black which I purchased by 2’s and in 30 mls…PT oils works wonders!
A very timely reminder! Thank you for the reminders and tips that help us try to balance the stress of this time of year.
Great advice!
Yes! All of these are necessary every day, not just the holidays.
Great tips…I’m glad to see “saying no” is okay.
Thank you for the tips!
Thank you, for the tips and oil suggestions.
Great reminders!
We love using the lavender essential oil during overwhelming times like the holidays. Chamomile will now be on my list though!
Thank you for the tips to manage stress! So helpful❤
I ALWAYS struggle with ‘me time’…thanks for the reminders that it’s important to do so…
Eating well is probably the #1 way for me to get through through holidays well. Oils are the second way. And Hallmark movies and knitting is the third.
Great stress relieving tips
good reminders 🙂
Peppermint is my happy place fragrance. It always just helps me to find my center and calm and peace. Vetiver is my other favorite for just bringing me
Back to center and peace.
I’m grateful and I show it in my actions how I treat others! Taking time to reach out to an old friend or loved one helps me to feel connected and smiling at strangers! I get stressed with my Xmas to do list and raising a toddler at 60 so grateful I am using your oils to help me in all sorts of positive ways! Need a new diffuser now but gotta wait until the price drops at least 20%.
Love plant therapy oils!
Wonderful suggestions on staying stress free during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. I love the list of the oils that help ease stress. Bergamot and calming the child are great oils and I would love to add others to my collection.
Great tips for staying less stressed during the holidays! I need to say yes to that bubble bath more often!!
Ah I love this! I am always looking for good stress free oils, and I knew half of these but half were also new so it’s nice to have a little list to keep and save for a little wish list for future orders so I don’t forget. 🙂
My adult sons live 2 states away and unable to visit this year. Knowing that creates a level of stress and disappointment but diffusing grapefruit lightens the mood and energy in the house!
Good suggestions!
thank you for the reminder!
Good stuff and a great reminder. Thanks Plant Therapy!
Great information and tips. Taking time for you and exercise are great but oils make everything a little better !!
So important to find time to destress and enjoy the preparation (at least parts of it!). Diffusing whatever sets the calming mood is so helpful. With kids at home, I tend to use the kid safe oils/blends and they love the “smell” but I also see the benefits for them in other ways, too. Thanks, Plant Therapy!
I love that I am seeing more about taking time for yourself a lot more these days. Thank you so much plant therapy for reinforcing that in this awesome article. It was tastefully done and is so important for everyone’s mental health. It saddens me to hear stories about what everyone has to do and that there is no joy anymore.
Thank you for the post! They are quite informative and helpful.
excellent… thank you…
Good thoughts. Thank you
So many Christmas presents thanks to plant therapy!
Thanks for the blog great products
Such great reminders!
Let it go is problem my all time favorite
Practicing deep breathing, meditation, and yoga of course go a long way as well. Awesome tips!
I’m so glad I took time to read this. I especially needed the point made about reaching out to my support people (but it can be so hard to admit when you need help). Thanks for the reminder. And for a short list of good relaxing oils to use to jump start my wind-down time. Going to put Calming the Child into the diffuser right now!
Thanks for the great tips!
Thank you so much for this blog post. What would have been an awesome Christmas has turned into a dismal flop due to an emergency visit to the vet for one of my cats. Maybe next year!!
Thank you for the EO tips!