Oh boy, here come the holidays. Though it is a joyous season of giving gifts and giving thanks, it can also bring a whole heap of unnecessary stress and anxiety.
LET THE PARTY PEOPLE HELP YOU PLAN
Even for some of the most organized people in this universe – like event planners (wink wink) – the holidays can get overwhelming. Here’s a few tips and tricks from us party people at EOE on how to achieve a stress-free(ish) holiday.
PLAN AHEAD
We’re currently recovering from a very busy event planning season and even some world travelin’ – so when it’s time to take a break from work, we take it. Take advantage of that half day of work the day before the feast and get a plan in place. If you can, take the full day off before a big holiday and give yourself time to focus. One of the biggest causes of stress is when you feel you are getting pulled in multiple directions. For your sanity, sit down and organize. You’ll thank yourself for this when you realize you actually have time to sleep before the big day.
KNOW WHEN TO SAY NO.
The word “no” doesn’t really show up in our vocabulary. So for us, this is a big statement. But sometimes, the easiest way to avoid extra stress around the holidays is to simply say “no.” “No” to allowing Aunt Susan’s Great Dane to come over, “no” to offering three turkeys cooked three ways, and certainly “NO” to that glass of Merlot on the new white living room couch. Know your limits and keep in mind that the word “no” is not only an option, but necessary.
DELEGATE
As professional event planners we rely on the help of others – audio visual experts, A+ florists, gourmet caterers – you get the idea. Without them we wouldn’t be able to pull off events like ours. And despite what Pinterest makes us believe, we are not all wizards with a glue gun. Even if you’re a party planner of one this holiday season, you can still get some help with your table decor! Grab a potted plant from your grocery store or maybe some cute place mats from our friends at Amazon Prime (or Etsy if you are ahead of yourself with time) and leave the floral arranging to the professionals.
WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN
A classic EOE best practice is to make checklists when we have a lot on our plate. It keeps us focused and leaves us with a sense of accomplishment when we complete a task. Can we all agree that nothing is better than crossing things off of your to-do list? You can also use post it notes – but if you are one of us, your whole house will be covered in them, which is a little counter-productive.
DETAILS, DETAIL, DETAILS.
As the old saying goes – but my, my, is it true – the devil is in the details. So, organize all the details you can in advance – fold napkins, place your centerpiece on the table or vacuum the spare room two days before guests arrive. It’s all this last minute stuff that will get you every time. It’s never too early to start setting up!
THINK ABOUT IT
Be thoughtful in your decisions to avoid extra work on your holiday. Simple checkpoints like not using your expensive china on the kids table will keep you from a big headache when you are in the middle of your day-of holiday tasks.
GIVE YOURSELF SOME CREDIT
At the end of the day, your family and friends will appreciate the wonderful effort you put into making each holiday feel magical. Not all superheros wear capes. Do the best you can, and if your day is filled with love and warm food, you did your job, host! At the end of the holiday when everyone has been fed and the last dish is getting cleaned remember that you cannot control everything and although you may have done things differently there is no event that goes 100% as planned. TRUST US. Take all the things you learn and apply them to the next one.
If you need to treat your workplace family to a holiday dinner to say “thanks,” let us know!