9 Holiday Sanity Ideas – Ways to Actually Enjoy the Holidays

By Dr. Mary C. Kelly, Leadership Economist & Hall of Fame Speaker

Let’s be honest — the holidays are supposed to be joyful, but for many people, they feel more like a juggling act with glitter.

Between work deadlines, family expectations, financial pressures, and the never-ending quest to make everything perfect, it’s easy to lose the “merry” in Merry Christmas.

If you’ve ever found yourself exhausted from trying to be everything to everyone — the perfect host, the gift-giving hero, the family peacemaker — you’re not alone.

Here are nine ways to actually enjoy the holidays this year, no matter how chaotic things get.

1. Lower the Bar — No One’s Holiday Is Perfect

The movies lie.
No one’s family is that coordinated, that calm, or that photogenic.

So, stop trying to make your holiday look like a Hallmark movie. You’re not failing if the pie crust cracks or if Uncle Frank brings up politics again. You’re succeeding if you still like each other when the day is over.

Progress, not perfection, makes for a better holiday (and a saner January).

2. Do Less — and Enjoy More

Busy does not equal meaningful.

You don’t have to attend every party, bake every cookie, or decorate every inch of your home. Pick what truly matters. Choose the things that fill your soul instead of draining your calendar and let the rest go.

If you can’t remember it a year from now, it’s probably okay to skip it.

3. Say “No”

You can’t be everything to everyone. And you don’t need to be.

If something doesn’t align with your priorities, values, or bandwidth, say no, kindly and firmly.

Remember: every yes to something you don’t want to do is a no to something you actually enjoy.

Boundaries are not selfish — they’re a gift to everyone around you, because they help you show up as your best self.

One of my friends said that if it is not a “Heck yes!” that means it is a “Heck no!”

4. Delegate Like You Mean It

You don’t have to do it all.

Let other people help.
Kids can wrap gifts. Partners can handle errands. Guests can bring side dishes.

New holiday rule: if someone can do it, let them.

Perfectionism is the enemy of peace. Delegation is the shortcut to joy.

5. Protect Your Peace (and Your Wallet)

Financial stress is one of the fastest ways to ruin the holidays.

Give within your means, not beyond them. The people who love you don’t need expensive gifts. They need your presence, not your presents.

6. Make Time for Some Quiet

The holidays are loud — music, laughter, traffic, and sometimes chaos. But remember, your mind needs quiet.

Even 10 minutes of stillness with a walk, a cup of coffee, or a few deep breaths can reset your mood and remind you what this season is truly about.

7. Let Go of Guilt

You can’t please everyone and trying to exhaust you will only exhaust you.

Maybe you cannot make every event, send every card, or host every meal and that’s okay.

You’re doing your best, and that’s enough.
Perfection isn’t the point. Connection is.

Let go of guilt so you can hold on to gratitude.

8. Focus on Gratitude and Grace

Gratitude turns chaos into contentment.

When you pause to notice what’s good — the laughter, the warmth, and the fact that you’re still standing — you shift from pressure to perspective.

And grace matters too. Give grace to others who are doing their best and to yourself, because you are, too.

9. Take Two Steps in the Right Direction and Keep Going

Even during the holidays, momentum matters.

You don’t have to overhaul your life before January 1^st. Just take two small steps in the right direction each day.

Eat one healthy meal. Send one thank-you note. Sleep for one extra hour.

And if something isn’t working, change it.

The Bottom Line

You don’t have to earn your joy this season. You just have to enjoy it.

Let go of the need to please everyone, spend wisely, breathe deeply, and be present for the moments that truly matter.

Because when the lights come down and the decorations are packed away, what you’ll remember isn’t the gifts or the chaos, it’s the laughter, the love, and the peace you made space for.

That’s what makes the holidays extraordinary.