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5 Self-care Ideas To Manage Stress This Holiday Season

November 7, 2019 It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but it can also be among the most stressful. With both social and financial pressure weighing on you, it can be easy to feel like you’re missing out on the joy of the season. So, if the stress is already setting in, try these self-care ideas to raise your spirits without draining your bank account.

1. Give yourself a gift.

You work hard all year long, then you hustle to make the special holiday meals and gifts happen for your family and friends. But… aren’t you forgetting someone? Buy yourself something from your holiday list, even if it’s small. Then do yourself a favor and set up an , so you can treat yourself throughout the year too. You deserve it! 

2. Plan a DIY craft day with the girls.

DIY projects are a fun and inexpensive way to lighten the mood. Spending time with your girl group will help you relax and have fun despite the million things you have on your holiday to-do list. You could even knock something off that list (and save money) by using your craft day to make meaningful homemade gifts. If you need help with ideas, try out these creative !

3. Carve out some quality alone time.

Alone time is important, especially this time of year when there are so many social activities on your calendar. Take some time to watch a few of those cheesy Christmas movies you love or sit down with a cup of hot chocolate and get lost in a book. Do exactly what you want without expectations. Chances are it’s long overdue.  

4. Stay active (even when it’s cold).

Staying active can relieve stress and help burn off some of those extra holiday calories (we’re looking at you, cookies!). Get your endorphins going with some fun winter activities like sledding or ice skating, which are usually pretty affordable (bonus!). Or take a walk and look at all the holiday lights in your neighborhood – hot cocoa optional. You can even invite the whole family, so your exercise is part of bonding time. Two turtle doves, one stone! 

5. Revel in the holiday spirit!

We all have to-dos we need to tackle this time of year, but you can make them a little less stressful by infusing them with a little holiday cheer. Put on a playlist of your favorite holiday songs while you’re cooking, or treat yourself to a peppermint mocha while you’re out running errands. Grab your ugly Christmas sweater and get to it! By taking a break from the holiday hustle and bustle and prioritizing self-care, you can stay ahead of the stress while keeping the holidays happy and on budget. You might also be interested in Financial success isn’t how much money you have — it’s feeling good about what you’re doing with the money you have. Here are some tips on how to prioritize your debts and bills, negotiate with creditors and get your late payments back on solid ground. Even in these challenging times, there's  whole lot of good happening! At Summit, we've always believed financial success happens together and that's been truer than ever this past month. Here's what "together" has meant for our community. Navigating finances after college is hard, but you can take it one lesson at a time. Get tips for managing money and paying off student debt after graduation. Navigating finances after college is hard, but you can take it one lesson at a time. Get tips for managing money and paying off student debt after graduation. If you’re not sure if something is a scam, it’s ALWAYS better to act like it could be! Fraudsters are always coming up with creative new ways to steal from you and quick to take advantage of a crisis. Here are some of the most popular recent scams to watch for. With a little planning, you may be able to actually save a little money during the holidays. Check out these tips to keep costs down without missing out on the holiday fun. Some scams go right for your money; others try to get you to part with personal information – like account numbers, Social Security numbers, passwords, and personal identification numbers (PINs). Find out what you should look for and how to protect yourself. The holidays can be stressful & that’s why it’s important to prioritize your self-care. Use these tips to reduce stress without draining your bank account. Your home is your castle, your refuge and—let’s face it—a place where it can be very easy to sink a big chunk of money. Which is why you’re always on the lookout for “sweet spots”:  those home improvements that add comfort, safety or a little zing of style while you’re living in your house and will boost the asking price when it’s time to sell. And if you can find a way to save money on those improvements or cut home expenses at the same time, well that sweet spot just got a little sweeter! Featured Products Certificates Checking Accounts Home Equity Loans Home Loans Business Banking Certificates Checking Accounts Home Equity Loans Home Loans Business Banking Financial Education Upcoming Events Programs Tools & Calculators On-demand Webinars Podcasts Upcoming Events Programs Tools & Calculators On-demand Webinars Podcasts About Equity in Money™ About Summit Careers News Community Giving Equity in Money™ About Summit Careers News Community Giving Help & Support Contact Us Member Support Center Schedule an Appointment Find a Branch Contact Us Member Support Center Schedule an Appointment Find a Branch Please read the following before proceeding to: The website you are about to visit is solely the responsibility of the merchant or other party providing the site. The content of this third-party site, including materials and information, is solely the responsibility of the provider of the site. The Credit Union is not responsible for any such third-party content. Any transactions that you enter into with a vendor, merchant or other party that you access through this third-party site are solely between you and that vendor, merchant or other party. The Credit Union does not endorse the content contained in this third-party site, nor the organization publishing the site, and hereby disclaims any responsibility for such content. The Credit Union Privacy Policy does not apply to this third-party site, and for further information you should consult the privacy disclosures of the third-party site. NCUA Insurance Estimator Privacy, Security & Accessibility Rates, Fees, Terms & Disclosures Routing Number *  The Wisconsin's #1 Mortgage Lender designation is based on the number of loans in 2022, gathered from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data compiled annually by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The results of the data were obtained through the LEI: 254900NTAC4H10MGSU23 **  SBA Lender of the Year Award for Credit Unions as awarded by the Small Business Administration of Wisconsin in 2023. Copyright 2024 © Summit Credit Union. All rights reserved. If you are using a screen reader and are having problems using this website, please call 608-243-5000 for assistance. Insured by NCUA