Moving During the Holidays? It Can Still Be Happy…

Moving during the holidays can be a big challenge.  Moving and the holidays are stressful enough on their own,  let alone when you combine them.  Not to fear.  There are several things you can do to lessen the load and make it easier on you and your family.  Preparation and planning are key.  These are my suggestions:

Family Meeting.  The minute you find out you are moving, sit down and have a family meeting.  Discuss with your family the timing of the move and what needs to happen.  As apart of this conversation, itemize important holiday family traditions.  Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanza, Christmas or anything in between, find out what is most important to you and your family and make that a priority.  Keep the few special traditions that you have agreed upon and let the rest go.  Remind yourself that you will have opportunities to celebrate everything in your new place.  Set aside.  As you pack, set aside holiday items that you use to celebrate those special traditions.  Keep them with your temporary living needs.  This will help to bring those family traditions to you and your family in your transitional place.  It will bring comfort and joy to you during the holidays. Social Media.  In this day of instant communication, social media will work to your advantage.  No holiday cards needed.  Use social media to communicate to your family and friends your situation.  This will manage expectations for your family and friends.  They will understand that you are in transition and not to expect your holiday cards or famous baked treat. Mail.  Mail is an important factor in any move but it is pivotal during the holidays.  Grandma may not be on social media and still send you your favorite fruitcake in the mail that you don’t want to miss.  That’s not my fav but I digress.  Irrespective, the point is you still want to ensure your mail, especially those presents from family and friends are not lost.  There are many options USPS offers to you, from holding your mail to forwarding it to a post office box or your new address.  For further information, please read this post on forwarding your mail to a post office box. Food.  Food is always a central part of celebrating a holiday.  Find out what will work best for you and your family during this transition.  It may be doing something completely different like having Christmas Eve dinner at a Chinese restaurant or buying a pre-made meal from a grocery store.  Embrace the change and see it as creating a memory for you and your family. Grace.  Moving is stressful.  The holidays are stressful.  The last thing you need is to crumble like a Christmas cookie and get sick.  Therefore, give yourself grace.  Itemize the big stuff and make sure those get done.  Somethings will get overlooked.  Consider this a unique adventure shared with your family.  As long as you and your family work together and share in essence of your holiday, that’s the good stuff.  See this as an opportunity to create memories that you and your family will not forget.