Whether it’s finding the right last minute gift, getting the sugar cookies to come out perfect with out burning the snicker-doodles, assigning room arraignments for visiting family members, keeping the little ones (including pets) OUT of the Christmas tree and away from the “secret closet”, figuring out exactly what you said to your boss at the end of the office Holiday party, or getting ready to hit the airports and travel to a completely different climate hoping that your luggage is under 70 lbs and you can get it all to fit in one so they don’t charge you and extra fee for a second bag and … yea. It all adds up. STRESS. We know this, you know this. SO why not be prepared with a little back up plan in your corner?

Well, Take a deep breath! doesn’t always do the trick. What do you do then?

Try our Sassy Starter Holiday Stress Reliever:

Go to the nearest store, buy a box of those shiny, pretty, colored ball ornaments (you can usually get a good many of them for just $5.00), go back home, tell friends, family, kids, guests that you need a few minutes to finish something up, go pick out a spot with hard floors – concrete – or even a trash can, open the box, pick one up, and THROW. Throw it down as hard as you can. Then repeat the last few steps a few times. Now remember, don’t put all your eggs in one basket, save a few ornaments for next time (just in case). Of course you’ll have to clean up the mess, but you’ll have that smile back on your face! ;)

Not that we encourage violence or anything like that, but sometimes you just need to physically get something out to feel that sense of relief. If you think about it – it’s just the same as punching a pillow or going outside to scream. If you want, you can name each ornament with a certain thing that’s adding to your stress. Black sharpies work wonders on those things.

Please remember to take proper precautions before exercising this stress reliever. We don’t want you to miss your target and accidentally hit someone. That would completely defeat the purpose.

For more sensible tips on how to work the Holiday Season, check out Angie Mizzell’s How to Reclaim Your Holiday Spirit. Her list helps get rid of the Scrooge that may sink in during this time. (and if those don’t help, well – there’s always the ornaments)

Keep an eye out for the mistletoe & try to stay warm, cozy and sane this week.