Holiday season is happening...

Holiday season officially begins this week, hurtling us toward the end of the year with high hope for festivities and quality time with loved ones. It’s peak memory-making time, but memories don’t make themselves. As much as the tradition-keepers and magic makers may love making things merry and bright, it’s work.

Holiday travel requires research, planning and booking but it also includes knowing everyone’s schedules, frequent flier numbers, full legal names and seat preference. Someone needs to know when the best time to arrive at your destination, factor in transportation to and from activities, consider food preferences and availability, pack for the weather and make sure everyone knows the game plan.

Hosting a holiday gathering? That’s planning, inviting, shopping, cooking, cleaning, hosting, entertaining, thanking, cleaning some more…all with consideration to dietary preferences, schedules, personalities and available space.

We could go on with the visible and invisible labor surrounding gifting (who has the job of knowing what size clothes the kids are wearing and whether or not they are still into Paw Patrol?), but you get the point. Holiday magic isn’t magic at all — it’s the work of people in your life who care. And that magic-making can take a toll.

Pressure to make the holidays or any special occasion perfect surrounds us. Our feeds are full of seemingly picture perfect birthdays, first days of school and travel adventures. The content machines are in overdrive during the holidays. A 2023 survey found Americans feel deluged with marketing content during the holiday season, with 58% saying it adds to their stress levels. It’s no wonder that another survey revealed 66% of respondents reported that they feel more stressed out during the holiday season.

It doesn’t have to be this way. This holiday season, we’re looking at how we might share the load. That can include delegating, distributing and deleting tasks. But it also means looking at how we’re communicating with our loved ones about expectations, goals and to-do lists. We want the holiday magic, and we want to be present to enjoy it, too.

The comments are open on this post so that you can chime in!

• Where might the holiday season hijack your goals and tasks? How do you manage the shift in your to-dos?

• What tips do you have to support the magic-makers in your life?

• And if you’re one of the magic-makers, how might you ensure you don’t burn out just to make someone’s holiday shine brighter?