I’m busy, you’re busy, we are all so busy right now!  It’s crazy how busy…ness in this season of peace and joy can take the peace and joy right out of the holidays.  If you are one of those people who somehow managed to get ready for Christmas before Halloween, this post isn’t for you.  For everyone else, those of us who can’t sleep for worrying about all of the things we didn’t get done today and all the things that are on the list for tomorrow, I hope this post is helpful. We are all so focused on the perfect picture of what the holiday’s are supposed to be that we are missing the possibilities of the present moment.  Here are a few tips to help you reduce stress during this crazy season.

1.  Remember that Martha Stewart has a team of people helping her and you don’t need to have a magazine worthy Christmas. Take a few minutes at the beginning of the day to actually plan your schedule.  Set a realistic to-do list and you’ll feel successful at the end of the day!

2. When multitasking gets out of hand, slow down for a moment and focus on mindfulness.  Remember how grateful you are for family and friends and put things into perspective.

3.  Remember to take care of yourself.  Falling into bed exhausted is not rest.  Take a moment before bed to read a book or enjoy a cup of tea.  This is supposed to be a season of celebration, not hard labor. 

4.  Put the focus on fun instead of perfection.  At the end of the day, the memories will be made with the people you love…no one will remember what the table looked like.

5.  Don’t be afraid to delegate and ask for help.  I’m the worst about trying to do everything myself, but remember again that Martha Stewart has a team of people helping her!  

About my outfit…If I look cold in these pictures, it’s because I was!!!  The wind was so brutal and I don’t think anything would have kept me warm short of a full length mink coat and a hat with the eyes and nose cut out!  Anyway, I love to wear winter white and this outfit is great for just about anything you might need to do during the day.  I wore a chambray shirt from J. Crew with my cozy Ann Taylor leopard jacket, a sparkly necklace from Chloe & Isabel, and great Steve Madden booties with an acrylic heel.  The bag is from Henri Bendel.  I’ve included shopping links to a few similar pieces below.  

It’s day 7 of my 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway and todays prize is a pair of Stone and Tassel Earrings from J. Crew.  To enter, leave your email in the pop-up on the blog, follow me on Instagram and tag 2 friends.  Yesterdays winner was Terry Murphy.  Congratulations Terry!  Thanks so much for reading today and good luck!

Here is a recap of some of my favorite pieces and a little make-up!