Funny Holiday Stress Reduction Tips – Part 2

In the first installment of funny holiday stress reduction tips, we admitted that holidays are stressful. To offset the stress, we offered stress management games.

Today, we turn to tips about funny things you can do personally, by yourself, to reduce holiday stress. We give you funny personal stress management tips.

1. Stress Management for Loneliness

Personal stress management begins with recognizing that many of us feel lonely during a holiday. We may be surrounded by people, but somehow, the holiday brings feelings of loneliness. While it may be easy to feel lonely in a crowd, it’s more difficult if you’re reaching out to others. Try these amusing personal stress management tips.

* Funny holiday story. Write a funny holiday story for a child. Put yourself into it. Laugh aloud when you think of something funny to add. You don’t have to be a good writer. Children are very forgiving. When you have your funny story finished, visit a local hospital, and get permission to read it to the children. The more the merrier, but cheering even one child with your funny story will help your own personal stress management as well as theirs.

* Clowning around. Be a holiday clown. Step out of the lonely you, and don a wig. Make one from a mop or newspaper strips if you wish. Add baggy clothes in bright colors, and paint your face. Visit a school, hospital, or nursing home with a handful of balloons and a big smile. If you enjoy baking, donate a box of cookies, too, as part of your personal stress management.

2. Stress Management for Meal Times

People of many nations celebrate holidays with food. If you love to cook, fine, but even the most enjoyable meal preparation may call for a dose of personal stress management. Keep it fun, and lighten the air.

* Dance. You’re getting ready for a big evening party or dinner, family members are underfoot, and you desperately need personal stress management. Drop everything and put on some music. Make it energetic, positive, even comical music. Now, whether you know how or not, take 5-10 minutes to dance and whirl, merrily and crazily. You will burn energy and reduce stress. You will learn, too, that personal stress management can be fun.

* Sing. When even simple meal preparation begins to bow to stress, sing a silly song. Make one up, if need be, but sing merrily. You will amuse yourself and your children with an operatic performance proclaiming the glories of your hamburgers or soup. If something burns, scrape it and hum a dirge as you carry it to the table. This kind of personal stress management is contagious, and your whole family will probably join you.

* Swap Jokes. If young children are underfoot while you’re preparing a holiday meal, you can apply personal stress management to both them and you. Take turns telling jokes – any kind of jokes. If you don’t know any, make them up. If they aren’t funny, combine a big groan with a big laugh and move to the next one.

Whatever the holiday, and whatever the source of your stress, use funny personal stress management to reduce the feelings of anxiety. Above all, force yourself to laugh frequently. Laughter is good medicine, and well able to cure much of your holiday stress.