I love the holiday season! In fact, it’s my favorite time of year! There is something so magical about all the Christmas lights, music, family gathering around and telling stories of the past, baking cookies/cake, and of course, who can forget all the holiday movies?!

Now that I am married and have a family of my own, the holidays have become a time of high stress and anxiety for multiple reasons. Two years ago, I wrote a blog on How to Save Your Holiday Traditions After Marriage, and it’s only right to follow-up with, how to stay stress-free within your marriage during the holiday season.

While there is so much I can write about when it comes to marriage advice for the holidays (because trust me, we’ve been through it all), I want to instead share with you all the best advice that I’ve gathered over the years from other couples that make it work year after year and create beautiful memories for themselves and their families.  

Here are three very IMPORTANT Marriage Tips to get you through the holidays without so much as one argument!

1)    Communication is Key and Compromising is Vital

Set the stage for a productive conversation. Talk to your spouse and listen to what they have to say when it comes to the holidays. Use this weekend as your chance to sit and talk to your partner. Put a budget in place for holiday spending (gifts/food/decorations, etc.). Map out where you will be celebrating Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.Talk about which church service you want to attend. What meals you wish to serve, who you will invite (if you are hosting family members).  Tis the season of giving, so how about putting their needs in front of yours. Just doing this simple task of selflessness will open your marriage to more bliss. Understanding each other will save you from so much stress.

 2)    Have a Plan in Place

I can’t say this enough! Being organized will save you from stress, wasting time/money, and keep you and your spouse HAPPY! This goes hand and hand with Tip #1 so everything you talk about lay it all out on paper and afterward watch how smooth the holidays will go. Bini and I started doing this years ago, and I love it. We now have an understanding as to what to expect from each other, which keeps the stress levels DOWN.

 3)    Remember what the holiday is all about!

Christmas isn’t about the gifts, the food, the fancy decorations, or even Santa. No, it’s about the birth of Jesus Christ, and once I remembered that and put it above everything else, everything I once thought was such a big deal, suddenly didn’t seem so important after all. We want our children to love this season as much as we do, with the understanding that we are celebrating Christ and gathering with our loved ones to do so. This keeps them humble and keeps our family love at the core of the holiday.

Well, there you have it! Three things you can do starting TODAY to keep your marriage stress free this holiday season. I hope this blog helps you or someone you know. As always, I’d love to hear from you. What are some ways you stay stress-free this holiday season?

Yours,