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Every year around mid-November, there’s a shift in the air. The pumpkins are barely gone, the Mariah Carey memes start rolling in, and suddenly the “C” word is everywhere: Christmas. She’s coming in hot, heels clicking down the hallway of life, and before we know it, we’re drowning in school concerts, work parties, and the annual “who’s bringing what” group chat that should really be called “how to test your patience in 47 notifications or less.”

This, my friends, is the season of too much. Too much noise, too many expectations, and somehow, never enough time.

But here’s the thing: you actually have seven weeks left. Seven glorious, chaotic, holly-jolly weeks. And what if you didn’t just survive them this year? What if you planned them, intentionally, so you end up crossing the finish line in something other than a tangled mess of tinsel and regret?

Let’s talk strategy, or as I like to call it, how not to lose your mind between now and Boxing Day.

1. Put Yourself on the Calendar (Yes, Literally)

You’ve got meetings, family dinners, dentist appointments, and 47 reasons you “don’t have time.” But here’s the thing: if you don’t claim your own time, everyone else will.

Block off pockets of calm now. A quiet hour on Sunday morning. Fifteen guilt-free minutes before bed. A mid-week coffee with a friend who doesn’t drain your soul. These are the small, sacred windows that keep you grounded when the group chat chaos begins.

And remember, you don’t have to earn rest. You schedule oil changes and dog grooming appointments without question; your sanity deserves the same respect.

When it’s on the calendar, it’s non-negotiable.

2. Use. Your. Benefits.

Here’s the thing: most people wait until something hurts to use their benefits. The backache, the tension headache, the “I can’t turn my neck” moment. But your benefits aren’t there just for emergencies; they’re there to prevent them.

Be proactive, not reactive. Book the massage before you’re stiff as a candy cane. See your osteopath before the stress of December turns into a shoulder knot the size of a fruitcake. Those appointments are there to keep you functioning, not to fix you when you’ve fallen apart.

And if guilt tries to talk you out of it, remember: calm is cheaper than recovery.

Oh, and while we’re at it, use that gift card from last year. Because let’s be real, no one’s buying you another one if it’s still stuck to the fridge with a magnet.

3. Stop Saying “After the Holidays”

That phrase should come with a trigger warning. We use it to delay joy, peace, and productivity, as if January is some magical reset button where suddenly we’ll have time, energy, and discipline. Spoiler: we won’t.

If there’s something you’ve been putting off calling the dentist, cleaning your inbox, starting that book. do one small thing toward it this week. You’ll thank yourself when January rolls around and you’re not digging out from under a mountain of “I’ll do it later.”

And while you’re at it, schedule dinner with your girlfriends. Because believe you me, that’s not just a night out; that’s a full-blown therapy session wrapped in laughter, appetizers, and inside jokes. Consider it emotional maintenance with a side of fries.

4. Make Space for the Chaos You Can’t Avoid

Let’s be real: some chaos is inevitable. The traffic, the kids’ Christmas concert, your sister-in-law Jenny’s unsolicited commentary on your mashed potatoes. none of it’s going away. So instead of pretending it won’t happen, plan for it.

Leave buffer time between events. Bring snacks in your purse like the resourceful adult you are. Pack headphones for the mall. And when Jenny shows up with her stale store-bought buns but still finds time to critique everyone else’s dishes, just smile, take a breath, and remember that your peace is not up for negotiation.

5. Say No Before You Explode

If you don’t intentionally say no, your calendar will do it for you in the form of exhaustion, resentment, and showing up to your kid’s pageant with one earring and half an eyebrow filled in.

You’re allowed to skip the cookie exchange. You’re allowed to say, “That doesn’t work for me this year.” You’re allowed to protect your bandwidth like it’s your Wi-Fi on a snow day.

And trust me, no one is keeping score on how many festive things you did. The only thing that matters is whether you made it through December without needing a full-body reset come January.

6. Romanticize the Little Stuff

It’s easy to get caught up in the big holiday moments, the perfect dinner, the gift wrapping, the sparkle and spectacle. But honestly, the peace is usually hiding in the small stuff.

Light the candle you’ve been saving. Drink your coffee in a real mug. Watch the snow fall without also scrolling through your to-do list. Play your favourite song while you fold laundry.

When you treat these moments like rituals instead of chores, the season starts to feel a little less like survival and a little more like living.

7. Leave Room for Magic (and Maybe Puppies)

Because here’s the thing: no matter how much we plan, life still throws us curveballs. Sometimes they’re stressful. Sometimes they’re ten unexpectedly adorable puppies.

You can’t plan for everything. But you can plan enough that when life inevitably gets messy, you’ve got space to enjoy the beautiful parts too.

So take the benefits, book the appointments, block off your calm. The holidays are coming whether we’re ready or not, so you might as well meet them rested, hydrated, and slightly smug that for once, you’re actually ahead of it.