Are you at that point yet? Running on fumes and too exhausted to enjoy any of the parties you were looking forward to?

Or, are you counting down the days until all of your commitments are done and you can actually relax?

‘Tis the season to be merry…and stressed out and exhausted.

Or, with a few small holiday hacks you can go back to the good ol’ days when the holidays were fun and exciting. Yippee!

#1 – Drink a little less and enjoy more energy

Having multiple holiday parties may mean multiple post-party hangovers to recover from. I don’t know about you, but I just don’t have time for that. And, one hangover can drain my energy for days.

Holiday hack – pour a ½ glass of wine (or other holiday beverage) at a time, and then have a glass of water in between drinks. This method keeps a drink in your hand for the whole party, while dramatically cutting down on how much draining alcoholic you drink. Good-bye hangover!

#2 – Keep your fruit/veggie intake high when you're extra busy

This can be difficult but can make a big difference. And, with a few simple hacks it can be a lot easier :).

Holiday hacks –

At parties, hang out at the veggies/fruit plates FIRST. Enjoy a nice plate full before heading to the other holiday delights. By the time you get to those foods you’ll already be kinda full and you won’t eat as much.

Enjoy fresh juices whenever possible – our bodies need extra nutrients at this time of the year and fresh (not pasteurized) veggies juices are a perfect solution. Pull out your juicer from the back of the cupboard or pick them up at your favourite juice bar :).

#3 – Get to sleep

A string of late nights and early mornings can be really hard on the body…and a good night’s sleep can make a huge difference.

Holiday hack – go to bed! Be careful not to loose track of your preferred bedtime when lost in the world of online shopping (or Netflix). And, whenever possible, leave the party a bit early to get to bed on time. Sleeping well throughout out this month can keep you party ready right to New Years.

#4 – Use some holiday helpers

Adaptogenic herbs, like holy basil, passionflower, and ashwaghanda can help your body deal with the change in your diet and schedule that’s inevitable this season.

Stress getting you down? – try holy basil (tea or tincture), it helps relieve stress-induced depression.

Brain won’t turn off? – try passionflower (tea or tincture). It helps reduce stress and can help stop a spinning brain (especially if it keeps you up at night).

#5 – If possible, cut down on your shopping list –

Is your shopping list feeling a tad too long? I’ve totally been there. Cutting your list down can make holiday shopping fun again!

Holiday hacks -

- Keep an eye out for anyone else who is also tired and stressed by their holiday list, and agree to take each other off your list. A short conversation of “why don’t we skip buying presents for each other?”, or agree to just donate money in lieu of a present can create a lot of holiday relief for both of you.

- Suggest to your family or co-workers to pick-a-name/secret santa instead of everyone buying for everyone. This method can take MANY people off your list, and allows everyone to find one very thoughtful present instead of many rushed ones.

(and this is also good for our planet, as we could use less stuff and more thoughtfulness…but that’s a conversation for another day :)

Do you have any great holiday hacks? Tell me all about it in the comments below :D.