Hosting the annual holiday gathering can be one of your favorite memories of the year. Achieve this by avoiding many of the expensive, anxiety-inducing traps you’ve probably seen in drama-filled seasonal movies. With these tips, a stress-free, cost-effective, and joyful way to celebrate the holidays is just around the corner.
1. Organize a movie marathon
Movies are the perfect way to break up long periods of obligatory conversations with a feel-good holiday activity. Have a list of movies on hand that you know your guests will love. Throw in some comedy to add some laughter to the party.
For even less stress, consider pulling out old DVDs and Blu-rays. Use this instead of streaming reduces the ecological footprint of watching a movie with every rewatch. It also saves money on theater tickets for the latest Christmas release.
2. Encourage inexpensive, edible gifts
It feels awkward to arrive at a holiday and not have any presents for some or all of the attendees. You never know what other people are going through this time of year. Reduce the stress of gift giving by suggesting low-cost to low-cost gifts, preferably if they are edible.
No one has to stand out or feel inferior to others by not spending as much as everyone brings homemade hot chocolate or cookies. This is also a more environmentally friendly option. It prevents overconsumption due to wasteful white elephant exchanges and eliminates the risk of unwanted gifts ending up in landfills.
3. Make mocktails
A recent study showed this 21% of Gen Zers will hold sober holiday parties in 2024. In 2023 this was 19%, which shows an increasing trend. Alcohol harms people’s wallets, health and the environment. Just because it’s an expectation doesn’t mean you need it. Instead, create a menu of festive mocktails. Here are some typical ingredients to get ideas started:
- Sparkling water, cider or grape juice
- Lawyer
- Spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
- Seasonal juices such as pomegranate, apple and cranberry
- Hot chocolate with various chocolates
- Mint
4. Wrap gifts together
Host a gift wrapping party with friends and family and have everyone bring paper and labels to share. Place stations throughout the house so people can go to separate rooms if they need to remain secret. Wrapping lots of gifts for others can be difficult, and you can make it less stressful by lending a helping hand.
5. Keep kids busy
Navigating a holiday event requires even more multitasking when children are present. Devote energy to their enjoyment by encouraging quality time with them while providing plenty of budget-friendly, eco-conscious activities for their entertainment while adults mingle. Consider the following:
- Have ready-made cookies ready to decorate with multiple colors of icing
- Print holiday-themed puzzles or games on paper
- Set up a card making station so they can express their holiday cheer
- Create a scavenger hunt so the kids go to specific parts of the party where you can keep an eye on them
6. Have a potluck
Preparing a feast isn’t the ideal holiday task for everyone. Create a sign-up sheet with guests to ensure everyone brings something unique and useful, taking into account any dietary restrictions. Have people bring containers for leftovers so you’re not contributing to the… 92 billion pounds of food waste the US accumulates annually.
7. Plan appropriate activities
Does your mother hate charades? Does your best friend get embarrassed singing Christmas carols or karaoke? Take into account the likes and dislikes of each guest so that there is no tension at the party. You can also have games and other entertainment prepared. Do it so everyone can pick up something and play without creating a forced itinerary.
8. Create a slideshow
Create a slideshow of cheerful winter memories to play during the party. It reminds your loved ones how much you care about them and focuses the festivities on positive memories rather than potentially stressful ones. You can even make it a joint activity. Let everyone submit or send photos digitally. Or maybe you can events photographer to capture these new special moments you create.
9. Clean up the invite list
This holiday, spend time with those you care about most by setting boundaries. Limit the number of people you are willing to juggle at one event. If necessary, organize two gatherings: one for family and one for friends. You want to find a balance between playing host and enjoying the company. This requires a smaller turnout.
10. Make DIY decorations
Just like a gift wrapping party, host a gathering before the main event to make DIY Christmas decorations. The household that organizes the annual festivities and gift exchanges can let everyone bring and share craft supplies to make something. Once people are done, you can cut down on the time-consuming decorating by having everyone hang and display their creations. Inspire guests with this list of ideas:
- Wreaths
- Ornaments
- Clay creations such as small trees
- Knitted creations such as tree skirts
- Paper snowflakes and other origami
- Door hangers
- Dried orange or gumdrop garland
Buying new decorations every year is a growing problem path similar to fast fashion and his unsustainable record.
11. Rethink tradition
Is there a holiday tradition that stresses you out? Is picking a tree every year a difficult experience? Is watching a certain movie difficult because it reminds you of a deceased loved one? Ignore these and replace them with a modern idea that produces more smiles than problems.
12. Make the holidays phone-free
Seeing people on their phones while you spend time planning an elaborate party is demotivating. Attempt enforcing strict telephone rules so guests can focus on personal connections instead of delving into digital distractions. It prevents resentment from piling up and awkward confrontations with loved ones.
13. Give back
Many holiday stressors disappear when your season has a greater purpose. Donate time, food, textiles or money to charities that need it most. This could include shelters for women or the homeless, and soup kitchens.
A stress-free season
It’s time to change your perspective on holiday celebrations. You can make everything cheap and environmentally friendly and increase the cheerfulness factor at the same time. This year, you’ll reduce potential stress even if you use one of these tricks. Which one are you going to work with?
Author biography
Jane is an environmental writer and founder and editor-in-chief of Milieu.co where she covers sustainability and eco-friendly living.
