The holidays come around every year and each year brings the promise of magic and
wonder. Christmas delights entire families and gets them excited for gifts, celebrations,
and time off from their regular routine. The excitement generated by Christmas can
quickly fade when things start to feel overwhelming. Without proper planning, Christmas
time can morph into a stressful time filled with too many activities and not enough
resources to meet your expectations. Luckily, there’s a simple way to avoid stress
during Christmas time.

You may have heard about mission statements and how they help organizations and
businesses laser focus on their overall goals for their business. It’s directly connects to
the why of why they are in business. A mission statement helps businesses, and those
who run them, weigh their decisions and make the best choices possible that align with
their mission.

In the same way that mission statements serve business, they can serve families. When
it comes to Christmas, having a mission statement can help families make decisions that
support their mission and reduce stress spending time on things that don’t suit their
mission.

A sample mission statement for Christmas could be- To focus on family and friends
making memories that last. Another could be- To use the season as an opportunity to
serve others.

Taking the time to define what matters most helps remove any doubt about where to put
your emphasis and where to set healthy boundaries. If your family mission is to serve
others, it makes sense to set aside resources to donate or volunteer during the holidays
while giving up other activities. If your mission is to focus on family and friends, it makes
sense that you would plan activities that are family oriented.

Try these tips for creating your Christmas mission statement

Tip– Involve the whole family. Make creating your mission statement a family affair.
Involve everyone in determining what matters most to them and crafting a mission
statement that reflects the goals for the season. It might be something unique like- to
experience Christmas as a family on a vacation.

Tip– Write out your mission statement and post it. Make sure your mission statement is
front and center to remind your whole family what they have agreed is their focus for the
holiday.

Tip– Weigh your choices against one another. When you are faced with decisions about
what to do with your spending, time, and obligations, weigh them against your mission.
If the opportunity doesn’t support the mission, it’s an easy no.

One of the easiest ways to reduce stress during Christmas time is to agree ahead of time
what your focus is going to be. Creating a mission statement can help your family
identify their primary focus for the season and avoid unnecessary stress