The holidays are meant to be a time of celebration spent with those you love, seeing old friends, attending festive parties, baking yummy treats, and embracing the slower seasons of life.

The holidays can also bring the opposite. Immense stress, sleepless nights, nasty hangovers, and a to-do list a mile long can often accompany this beloved time of year.

So how do you combat those stressful moments?

To help you out, I’ve rounded up six easy ways you can stay calm this year and keep the holiday cheer at an all-time high.



Go easy on the booze

With holiday parties comes alcohol, especially with drinks like hot buttered rum or red wine to get you in the spirit. But, drinking more than one or two a night can bring a hangover, dehydration, and even more stress into the mix.
This can be avoided by limiting yourself to one drink a night or avoiding alcohol altogether. Make it easier on yourself and plan to bring a few alternative options, such as the Pink Lady or Pomegranate Kombucha. You can even experiment with a fun mocktail by adding in fresh fruit puree or sparkling soda to your drink.


Schedule in “off days”

Your calendar can fill up faster than you think if you continue to say yes to every party and event that comes your way. In order to avoid burnout, make sure to schedule in “off days” on your calendar. If someone asks you why you can’t attend, all you have to say is that you’re unavailable that day. Easy as that!


Add in some daily movement

Moving your body can help you combat stress during the holiday season. By going on morning walks, taking time to stretch, or hitting the slopes from time to time, you’re sure to take your mind off of your piling to-do list or away from the stresses of the holidays.

Keep a gratitude journal

Even though the holidays are meant to be cheerful, each one can also bring feelings of guilt, doubt, and often anxiety. These feelings can be avoided by keeping a daily gratitude journal right by your bedside. Write down 5-10 things you’re grateful for each morning you wake up or right before you go to sleep.


No shame in opting out

Don’t feel guilty for saying no from time to time.  Take time for yourself and be intentional this holiday season by only committing to certain things that fill your cup instead of drain it. There’s no shame in that.


Make post-holiday plans

After the craziness of the holidays fade away, be sure to plan something fun for you or your family! Plan a staycation, book a trip, have a spa day – whatever it is that rejuvenates your soul, make sure to do it after the holidays are over so that you can fully relax and bring in the New Year right.

About Cass:

After losing a parent in 2013, Cass began blogging as a way to express her stress and emotions. Little did she know, this online outlet would open up a whole new world of opportunities as well as an exciting and meaningful career path in the digital space.

Cass is now a full-time wellness blogger, social media consultant, and brand strategist who specializes in developing authentic communities, both online and off. When she’s not trail running down a mountain or grabbing a drink with a friend, you can find Cass tucked away in her Bozeman home, sipping her Cayenne Cleanse, and writing about all things real, relatable, and well.

Today's blog is written by our very own Daina Trout, MS, MPH

Daina is not just our Co-Founder, she is also a nutritionist that has spent her adult life dedicated to finding and sharing health and wellness through food. With 2 masters' degrees in nutritional biochemistry and public health, Daina has called upon her education often while leading the way at Health-Ade - from how we make every batch of kombucha, to how we talk about gut health to consumers, to even how healthy our employee workplace is! She even writes a few blogs here and there. Happy reading! :)