Hey, Y’all! My name is Kristin Ogden I Live in West Valley, Utah and I’m super excited to share this with you! I spend most of my time baking, singing, crafting, serving, reading, and trying to be the best version of myself I can be. Working two jobs and taking classes at the local college, I try to find time to be a good daughter, sister, friend, and aunt…and let’s be real, I fail a LOT, but I keep trying! Despite the time constraints, this year I’m really trying to focus on bettering myself, looking on the bright side, and working towards lasting goals.
Reading this you might think ‘do I even have time to read this?’ or ‘is this going to be ANOTHER article on recipes I don’t have time to try?’ Nope. It’s not. Think of this as a survival guide for the modern family-or better yet, read this with the hope that what comes next is going to help you be the best mother, father, aunt, uncle, daughter, or son you can be this holiday season.
I love the holidays. The family get-togethers, the warm sweaters, great food, and especially the spirit of gratitude and giving they celebrate. But, even with all that, the holiday season can be some of the most stressful and hectic times of the year.
And I do mean stressful.
I’ve had turkey dinners in diners on the road, home cooked masterpieces that left me tired and in awe, and thrown together dinners that were out shown by the company, and though each one of them had it’s own charm-there was one thing that made all of them feel special in their own way.
No matter how your dinner’s go, your decorations look, or how moist your turkey might be, the thing that will make the most difference is the company. If you find yourself having a Friendsgiving, a family affair of 20+ people, or a quiet night in with your cats – if you have gratitude in your heart for the things that are good in life, it will turn out perfect.
Today I have 5 things for you to remember this holiday season:
1: It will be okay
It might sound redundant and overused, but it’s true. It will be okay. That’s it. That’s the article.
When I started writing this, I just kept on thinking on the last holiday season and how parts of it felt like it was just too much. Too much to do, too much to make, too much family (Maybe that’s just me), and in some cases too much food (not me).
If you’re already starting to feel like this, I want you to close your eyes, take a deep breath, and think of something that you are looking forward to. It doesn’t have to be the pie, or the parties, maybe you’ll think of a beach you visited, or a new book you’ll get to read after the holidays. There are so many things we can look forward to, and if for some of you it’s the end of the holiday season…that’s okay.
2: Remember what’s important
Though it might sound like the bees-knees to make the world’s’ best stuffing this year or maybe make a cranberry sauce that outshines all the rest (and please know that I’m 100% guilty of this), it’s not the most important thing. There. I said it.
While the food and the decorations, or maybe even what you wear or how your car looks when you arrive might seem like the end-all be-all, it’s not. What is however, very important, is how you listen to your cousin about their new job, or give your aunt a hug that isn’t hurried. Or how your grandma smiles at you when you help her make her plate, how your kids sit on your lap and hear family stories for the first time, or even when you give a slice of pie to a neighbor who might be struggling. These are the things you’ll remember, the things that make you look back and smile.
It’s easy to get wrapped up into the commercialized perfect world that companies would have us live, but as we take our seats around the dinner table, diner booth, or by yourself on your couch-it’s how you live, how you give that’s important.
3: Make memories while making food
Let’s be real here, food is great. Amazing even. I love food, especially holiday food. Just thinking of the turkey, ham, rolls, salads, pies and the rest of the amazing food coming at me these next couple weeks has my mouth watering.
But I think the BEST thing about holiday food is getting to make it, and memories with the people who I love the most. Some of my best memories of the holidays takes place in the kitchen, making messes, and learning about recipes that have more than just a dash of love.
Though it might be messier, take longer, or even sometimes mess up the recipe, taking the time to cook with siblings, children, grandparents, friends, and spouses can make a meal a memory. Maybe this is the tradition that helps bring your family together years to come.
4: Use all your resources
I love the saying ‘it takes a village to raise a child’. Life is hectic, but when you have a support system and people around you that are more than willing to help you-let them. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the idea that you must do everything by yourself, be the best mom, the best cook, the best friend…the best. Let yourself off the hook.
I hate feeling like a burden to others, but I know that when I ask for help from my family or my friends, it’s something that they are happy to do-and vice versa. I have nieces and nephews that I love to spoil, and when one of my siblings asks for a babysitter for date night, or a minute to get stuff done I’m excited. If you need to bake, clean, and somehow pull out the holiday decorations all at the same time, take advantage of your village, let them help! I know that it’s hard to admit that we aren’t Superheroes, but even super-moms and super-dads need help sometimes.
Another resource to take advantage of is technology. It might sound random, but I can hop onto Pinterest right now and find hundreds (if not thousands) of 5 minute recipes, tips and tricks for easy decorations, crafts to keep the littles happy, meditation exercises, and anything else you might need this time of year.
Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone to try something new! For example, I have this cookie recipe, right? It’s amazing, you make it, let it set in the fridge for 24 hours, it uses a different type of flour, and if I’m going to go through all of that trouble you better believe I’m getting those really nice chocolate chips; it might sound crazy but they turn out amazing.
BUT I’m probably not going to make those cookies when my time is limited, I have family visiting, and I’m still working my normal job. SIMPLIFY! There’s been so many times when I’ve gone online and used a new, quick recipe to shorten my kitchen time and have been pleasantly surprised by how good the food had turned out.
5: it will be over before you know it
Now, after all of this maybe you think that I am not a big fan of the holidays-but you would be wrong. I LOVE the holidays, I love the feelings of gratitude, the decorations, the food, the family, everything. I hope you have excitement rather than expectations, think on the happiness rather than how hectic it is, and be grateful rather than grudging. As ‘Today’s The Best Day’ eloquently said – Find the Bright Side.
I remember hearing ‘You should appreciate these moments’ too many times to count when I was little. Now, as I’ve grown older and *somewhat* wiser, I realize how true it is.
Between work, school schedules, distance to travel, and the desperate need for a break, sometimes it’s hard to get together, to make those memories happen.
SO, if you have that chance to spend your holidays with people you love, take it. Appreciate it. Make memories, be grateful, help others, be kind out there and be HAPPY.
Have a wonderful holiday season, I hope you love every second of it!
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Danielle is the owner of Today's the Best Day. She strives to provide creative and uplifting content in order to enrich the parenting experience for women everywhere. Danielle hopes to help you and your family to make every day the best day! 
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