The holidays are just around the corner. Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa and New Years Eve bring memories of friends, family, presents and fun. But do they also create a month filled with stress and anxiety? Does the shopping, traveling, making plans and seeing relatives create more stress than fun?

I stopped making travel plans during the Christmas school break because everywhere you go is jam packed and extremely expensive. However, being home, I have to worry about what my sons are doing on New Years Eve. I don't like to be on the roads myself, much less worry about them going out.

I love buying presents for my family, but stress about finding the perfect gifts. And the stores, forget it. I don't go near them during December. I buy all of my gifts online. That definitely helps make gift buying less overwhelming.

But of course, one of the big reasons we get stressed around the holidays is all in our heads. There is always that knowledge that friends and co-workers will be asking, "What did you do on New Years?" (or any other holiday). If your holidays aren't fantastic, they seem like let-downs, even though they are much better than the average day. Expectations are way too high this time of year.

Here are two articles that might help you during December. 10 Affordable Ways to De-Stress and Keep Your Relationships Safe From Holiday Stress might help you have a more relaxing month. And if you are stressing over what to buy your teens this month, make sure you check out my Top 20 Holiday Gifts for Teens.

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