A Millennial’s Guide to Surviving the Holidays

The holidays offer an abundance of reasons to stress- from the family gatherings, the appetizers for a party, and reunions with friends, and office parties. But for many young adults the two main sources of stress are money and time. Here are a few tips to help you survive the holidays:

Free Time: You finally have a break from school, or a few days off work, don’t over-do it. While your time off may be limited, remember to pencil in some time for y-o-u. If you are a part of the planning committee for your office party, or your annual friendsgiving, try and schedule them close together. That way you can still have a weekend or few days mid-week to finish that book, or curl up on the couch and binge-watch your favorite show.

Family and Friends: I know one of my favorite parts of the holidays is catching up with old friends. My friends and I all plan one night we can all get together, grab dinner and head down to the local dive bar and catch up. Whether it’s reliving the glory days or encouraging each other to apply for that new position or celebrating a recent promotion. It’s fun to catch up and take the walk down memory lane. Remember, not everyone may be in the same financial situation as you. Don’t be *that* friend that shows everyone up by taking care of everyone’s tabs. Be modest, and respectful. Buy a round, and leave it at that.

Finances: Balancing student loan debt and other financial obligations during the holiday season can induce unneeded panic and stress. Don’t let the financial burden of travelling and gifts get you down. Be smart. Create a holiday budget: The costs of travel (if any) + gifts + party expenses. You might not be hosting the holiday party, but you don’t want to show up empty handed. For gifts, set a maximum amount you want to spend on each recipient. Don’t feel obligated to buy everyone in the office a gift. If your department is doing a gift exchange, suggest one with a reasonable price limit. Or opt to only exchange gifts with your closest work pals separately. (No hard feelings for those not included.)

With just a little planning, you can avoid holiday stress and really focus on enjoying yourself.