With the holiday season quickly approaching, most people think of happiness and togetherness with friends and family. Unfortunately, for a lot of couples, this is not the case. For many, the joy of the holiday season can increase feelings of unhappiness. Even for couples who seem to have it all together, the stresses of holiday prep can lead to issues. The extra money spent, the countless days shopping for the perfect gifts, decorating the house and the balancing act of his family and hers can all lead to unseen issues in a relationship.
In some cases, this added stress and gloom can lead spouses to stray. They may go looking for an escape from the holiday chaos in the arms of another person. Cutting down can help lessen the chances of your spouse running off to the corner bar. But with so much to do, where do you begin?
Here are some tips to help alleviate stress in the holiday season for you and your spouse:
Make a budget.
Don’t just run out and spend an unlimited amount of money on gifts for family and friends. Sit down and talk it out. How much do you want to spend on specific friends and family members? Where do you draw the line for the kiddos? What’s the limit for exchanging gifts with your spouse?
Be respectful of time.
Preparing for the holidays can take a lot of extra time, but this doesn’t mean other duties just go away. Work can be stressful and your spouse may still need some down time before you drag them out to the crowed mall or throw a box of tangles Christmas lights in their lap.
Don’t overbook.
You can’t be in two places at once, so don’t try. Let your friends and family know where you need to go and when. Find out everyone’s flexibility. There’s no need to visit 4 cities in the same day. If there’s not enough time to visit with everyone on your list, feel free to say no. There are plenty of other day sin the year to catch up.
Don’t overdo it!
This goes for finances, time and road trips. Don’t take on more than you can handle. The credit card bills will have to be paid. The decorations will have to be taken down. You will have to get caught up on the work you missed while visiting his family and hers.
While these tips will not guarantee your spouse will remain faithful to you, it can help lessen their stress level, which can increase their enjoyment of the holidays and time with you.
If you do feel your spouse may be cheating, contact Scout Solutions in the Wilmington area at (910) 762-4374.