hire someone else to do it. The idea is to sit down for a meal as a family

The holidays are a time of joy, celebration, and family. So why do we find ourselves angry, stressed out, and wishing that we were orphans? The Christmas season is jam packed with things that we have to do, things we need to do, and the things we want to do. It's enough to make even the most level headed person a little moody. So, how do we enjoy the holidays without going insane? Follow these tips for a stress free Christmas holiday.

1. Don't Procrastinate

Why do we wait until the last minute? Is it just human nature or do we enjoy torturing ourselves? The simple fact is that we bring most of our holiday stress on ourselves by delaying. One way to get rid of holiday stress is to get busy!

Decorating: Get it done as soon as possible! Not only is this chore done, but this chore also helps to put you in the Christmas spirit. Get that tree up and those lights on the house before it becomes an overwhelming idea that you have to fit in between everything else.

Shopping: There is a reason why the holiday shopping season kicks off in November. Organized people (we all know a few), get their shopping done early in the season. Write out your list, set a budget, and get it over with. The sprices may be better later in the season, but the crowds will be thicker and the supply thinner.

Grocery Shopping: If you are making Christmas dinner this year, don't wait until the last minute to go to the grocery. Make a list of what you need and go ahead and purchase it. I speak from experience since I spent the day before Thanksgiving going from store to store looking for poultry seasoning. Anything that will keep until Christmas Day needs to be bought and set aside.

Cooking: While we are on the subject about Christmas dinner, it is a good idea to go ahead and prepare anything that you possibly can and freeze it until Christmas. Why would you want to spend Christmas morning in the kitchen? Pick a day when the weather keeps you inside and go ahead and prepare anything that you can.

2. Make It Easy on Yourself

Do we make things complicated on purpose? Who says we have to have the big Christmas dinner? Who says that each gift has to be wrapped as if it's going to be featured on a magazine cover? We need to conserve our effort for important things and come up with a new way to do those things that take up so much of our time.

Catering: No one is going to call the Christmas police if you don't make an large holiday dinner. If you don't like to cook, hire someone else to do it. The idea is to sit down for a meal as a family, not to toil in the kitchen all day. If anyone complains about not getting a home cooked meal, politely remind them that they are more than welcome to do the cooking next year.

Decorating: It's easy to have a beautiful holiday home these days. With the invention of pre-lit trees, collapsible pre-lit and decorated trees, and such; there is no reason why you can't decorate your house for Christmas without getting frustrated.

Gifts: This is the focus of the season, but can quickly become too much to handle. To save yourself time and frustration, use gift bags instead. Not only does this save you time, but also gives people a way to carry their gifts home. Also, you don't need personalized gifts for everyone. Gift sets of bath and body items are always popular with the females on your list and men normally appreciate gourmet food sets.

3. Stay Away from the Malls

Nothing spoils the Christmas mood than sitting in traffic for hours, searching for parking spaces, and being elbow to elbow with hundreds of strangers. Skip the stores and do your shopping from home instead.

Mail Order: Mail order companies love the holiday season and normally have a wider variety of unusual gifts. Order early (refer back to tip#1) to make sure that your gift arrives before Christmas.

On-Line: With the invention of the internet, there is no need to ever leave your home. You can shop popular stores right from the comfort of your own home. Most sites feature free shipping if you spend a certain dollar amount, so group your purchases together for extra savings.

4. Call In Reinforcements

Why do we try to do it all alone? It's impossible, but we keep trying Christmas after Christmas. The solution? Ask for help. Now is the time to assign responsibilities. Get family members to help with cooking, cleaning, decorating, and shopping.

Cooking: Have each adult in the household take a turn cooking one night a week. This allows the other adults time for other holiday duties.

Cleaning: Make each family member (even the young ones) responsible for one part of the house. Now is not the time to be picky, if it will pass for clean, consider it clean.

Decorating: Make trimming the tree and decorating the house a family affair. Not only does it take the burden off of your solitary shoulders, but you might actually find yourself having fun.

Shopping: Split your gift list among the adults in the family. Each person is in charge of finding and buying the gifts for the people on their list.

5. Remember to Have Fun

This is the idea that sometimes gets lost in the hustle and bustle of Christmas. The purpose of this holiday is family and friends. Enjoy it the best you can and remember that soon it will all be over with for another year.