The winter holidays are a time for peace, joy, togetherness, and a LOT of extra stress. If you’re struggling to stay cheerful, the good news is you’re not alone. And the even better news is, there are steps you can take to keep calm and merry on. 

Here are five tips to keep you from Scrooging out this holiday season… and only two of them involve weed! 

1. Don’t be afraid to buck tradition. 

From hanging the stockings to lighting the menorah to Christmas Eve “Die Hard” marathons, traditions can be a magical way to get into the holiday spirit and reconnect with loved ones. But times change, and people change, and sometimes the traditions we once loved no longer serve us. When that happens, it’s ok to let them go. 

Maybe your family goes hard on the gift-giving, but you’re prioritizing other financial goals this year. It’s ok to request a spending limit (or implement one for yourself), or a “homemade gifts only” rule, or an affordable game of Yankee Swap. 

Maybe you’re sick of braving icy roads or crowded airports to reach far-away relatives. You’re not a Scrooge if you ask them to visit you instead, or if you decide to defer your visit until a less stressful time of year. 

Maybe you’ll lose your mind if you have to watch “A Christmas Story” one more time. Feel free to expand your holiday movie horizons!  

The point is, some traditions – especially those you’ve kept since you were a kid – can start to feel like obligations as the years wear on. But traditions aren’t laws. You’re free to break them, and even to make new ones of your own. Which brings us to our next tip… 

2. Don’t try to please everyone. 

Sure, the holidays are a time for generosity and selflessness – but remember to be generous with yourself too. You don’t have to attend every party, or get the cards out on time, or stage elaborate dioramas with your kids’ Elf-on-a-Shelf. Unlike Santa Claus, you can’t be everywhere at once, so try saving your energy for the things that genuinely bring you joy. 

Granted, setting holiday boundaries is sometimes easier said than done. It’s hard to feel like you’re disappointing a loved one… and some people may, in fact, be disappointed. Family members might feel sad, for example, if you decide to skip the plane ride and spend a quiet Christmas at home. But they’re adults, and they will survive, and when you do eventually visit (ideally at a less stressful time of year), they’ll get to spend time with a more relaxed, present version of you.  

Nothing spoils the holiday spirit faster than resentment. Sometimes the most loving thing we can do for our friends and family is to take a break so we can show up later as our best selves. 

3. Go easy on the alcohol. 

Some experts estimate that Americans nearly double their alcohol consumption during the holidays. Whether that’s a coping mechanism for seasonal stress, or simply a side effect of so many end-of-year parties, a month and a half of binge drinking is probably not going  

We’d never tell you to eschew the eggnog altogether, but there are at least two good reasons to pace yourself. One, frequent over-imbibing – and the hangovers that follow – put a lot of stress on your body, potentially disrupting sleep and even making you more vulnerable to illness.  

Two, too much booze can reduce our inhibitions, compound existing stressors, and lead us to do things we might regret in the cold light of January. We all know that one coworker who makes a spectacle of themself at every company party, or that loud-mouth uncle who forgets the no-politics-at-the-table rule after his fifth glass of rum punch. Do not be that coworker, or that uncle.  

If you’re not interested in a fully sober celebration, we would be remiss not to offer our favorite plant as an alternative to the usual holiday booze bath. We’ve written before about the many reasons cannabis can be a valuable alternative to alcohol, and how to best introduce it to your canna-curious loved ones. (This year, we’ve made the substitution even easier with hemp-derived THC infused beverages, available now on shopwanderous.com.)  

4. Take care of your health. 

When there are presents to buy, cookies to bake, and Q4 goals to meet, it can be easy to neglect your usual wellness routine. But carving out time to take care of yourself – whether that means getting enough sleep, eating a healthy meal, or moving your body in whatever way feels good – can help you stay grounded amidst the holiday chaos. 

Prioritizing rest is especially crucial at this time of year, with cold and flu germs flying around like evil Reindeer. Inadequate sleep can have a serious impact on your immune system – to say nothing of your mood and overall merriment. Prioritizing your seven or eight hours a night is the best foundation for a holly, jolly, healthy holiday 

Of course, good sleep isn’t always possible when our minds won’t stop cycling through the endless holiday to-do list. If you need to call in reinforcements, Wana’s best-selling Sleep Gummies may help you power down without disruptive next-day grogginess. Our low-THC Quick Calm formulation might also come in handy if you’re stuck in a thought spiral, or need to keep your cool without getting high. 

5. Go ahead and feel how you feel.

Look, not everybody likes the holidays. Maybe they add stress to your already busy schedule. Maybe they bring up bad memories, or make you miss someone you’ve lost, or bring difficult people into your orbit. There are plenty of highly valid reasons you might struggle to stay merry and bright this December. 

You know what usually doesn’t help when you’re feeling down? Trying to pretend you’re not. Instead of faking holiday cheer, or beating yourself up for being a Scrooge, try simply acknowledging your true feelings without judgment. You don’t have to act on those feelings, or impose them on other people… but you do have to actually feel them. It can be as simple as saying to yourself, “You know, this time of year is really hard for me, and that’s ok. I’m doing the best I can.”  

We all are – doing our best, that is. And if there’s one gift you give this year, let it be kindness… to strangers, to your loved ones, and especially to yourself.