The crowded malls. The house guests that overstay their welcome. The never-ending food and parties. When you take a minute to think about it, it’s really easy to feel not-so-wonderful during the most wonderful time of the year. Thankfully, we’ve rounded up a few easy ways you can dodge the Scrooge-attitude and have your cup of cheer this holiday season.

A major source of stress for a lot of people is money. It’s so easy to overspend during the holiday season when there are presents, decorations, food, and more to buy. The best way to minimize this type of stress is to set a spending budget as early as possible. This can help curb your spending and trust us, your credit card will thank you come January!

The holidays are filled with parties, social events, and lots of time with family and friends. While these can be fun and memorable experiences, they can be really draining for some and downright toxic for others. If you find you recharge best alone, it’s important to prioritize time for yourself over the holidays. Schedule a quiet morning alone or an afternoon completely tech-free to help you unplug. This is so important to avoid burnout and keep you happy and energized throughout the holidays.

When it comes to vacation time, it’s easy to throw your routine right out the window. It’s nice to take this time to relax, but completely abandoning your routine can leave you feeling a little lost. Remember to add exercise, your hobbies, and other self-care to your schedule to help keep you grounded and give you purpose. When you stick to your routine, you’ll feel happy and balanced instead of overwhelmed and stressed.

When we try to please or impress others, we tend to go overboard. Shopping, cooking, decorating… at some point it becomes too much! Make sure to keep things as simple as possible over the holidays. Don’t overcomplicate things by stretching yourself too thin. Hosting dinner? Ask your guests to bring an appetizer or dessert. Too many events? Politely decline to ones you aren’t excited about. When you do less, you’ll actually end up enjoying more!

The holidays are supposed to be a fun, festive, and joyful time of year. But the extra occasions and obligations can be a whirlwind of busy. Following these steps may help you feel a little less overwhelmed. Do you get stressed out around the holidays? What helps ground you when things get hectic?