--- title: 5 Favourite Stress Busting Tips for the Holiday Season description: We want to give you the tools you need to have a relaxed holiday season. Through the right techniques, it is possible to have a happy & stress-free holiday. image: https://blog.healthone.ca/hubfs/FriendsWarmUp.png --- [Skip to content](https://blog.healthone.ca/5-favourite-stress-busting-tips-for-the-holiday-season#main-content) [![HealthOne-CMYK](https://blog.healthone.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/HealthOne-CMYK.png?width=250&height=51&name=HealthOne-CMYK.png)](https://blog.healthone.ca/) - [healthone.ca](https://healthone.ca/) - [Our Story](https://healthone.ca/about-us/) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [healthone.ca](https://healthone.ca/) - [Our Story](https://healthone.ca/about-us/) Mental Health # 5 Favourite Stress Busting Tips for the Holiday Season We want to give you the tools you need to have a relaxed holiday season. Through the right techniques, it is possible to have a happy & stress-free holiday.  ![HealthOne](https://blog.healthone.ca/hubfs/HOBlogAuthor.png) Reviewed by: HealthOne ![](https://blog.healthone.ca/hubfs/clock.svg)Last Updated: April 17, 2026 . ![](https://blog.healthone.ca/hubfs/FriendsWarmUp.png) Last Updated: April 17, 2026 . ### Table of Content The holiday season is an amazing time to connect with friends and family. However, while ‘tis the season to be merry, we also know the holidays can bring a lot of stress.  Feelings of anxiety, worry, and angst can more strongly affect us during this time of year, as emotions tend to be amplified. At HealthOne, we want to give you all the **tools** you need to have a **relaxed holiday season.** Through the right techniques, it is possible to have a **happy and stress-free holiday**, while enjoying quality time with friends and family to the fullest. **Here are our 5 favorite tips for combatting stress in the holiday season.** ## Keep It Simple Stress related to buying gifts is so prominent around the holidays. Crazy busy malls and running around from store to store can leave you feeling super drained. In addition, many people start the New Year off with added stress due to debt from going overboard on presents.  Ask yourself, how can I give more thoughtful **gifts for less money**? Focus on spending quality time doing **activities** like playing board games, going for a walk, or sitting down to share a meal. Remember, nobody really needs any more stuff! ## Double Down on Self-Care Taking **good care of yourself** becomes even more important during this busy time of year. For a large percentage of the population, socializing can actually be very draining.  Not to mention, it exposes you to more viruses, leading many people to get sick over the holidays. Take time to spend time with yourself, have a **relaxing bath**, go for a **peaceful walk**, hit the **gym**, and make sure to get 8 hours of sleep. ## Lower Self-Expectations Many people have a **ton of traditions** over the holidays that can lead to additional stress. Make a pie for the work party, prepare a game for another get-together, organize a friend’s dinner, buy a present for a gift exchange, take the family to an event, help with a fundraiser, etc. – **we can really overextend ourselves**! Remember to ask yourself, “What really matters here”?  Spending quality **time with people you love** is always most important to everyone.  Some traditions can be skipped from year to year. ## Be Gentle on Yourself Let's be honest, over the holidays, there is basically junk food everywhere, and there will most likely be a few times where you will overindulge.  That is ok!  You don’t need to add **stress and guilt** to your life by getting upset over a cookie you ate last night. Do the best you can to choose **whole-food options**, and forgive yourself when things don’t go exactly as you would have wanted. Focus on being thankful for the beautiful homemade meals you are sharing with friends and family. ## Practice Mindfulness Many people have challenges communicating with their family, and emotions can be amplified over the holidays.  Remember that the only thing we can control is our **own behaviour and reactions**. Before going to dinner with your family or friends, take a few deep breaths and remind yourself to be **positive, happy,** and the best version of yourself. Be fully present with others, be generous with compliments, listen intently to their stories, and enjoy their company. You can’t control that Aunt Mary is argumentative and trying to **force-feed you pie**, but you can choose to put your best self forward and respond graciously. From the whole team at HealthOne, we wish you an amazing **holiday season**! Check us out on **Twitter**, here. [Book a free meet & greet to learn how our therapists can help you.](https://healthone.ca/toronto/mental-health-therapy-to/) ![](https://blog.healthone.ca/hubfs/see-icon.svg) ### Frequently Asked Questions 1\. How can I determine what my insurance coverage is? You can determine your insurance coverage by reaching out to our Patient Care Coordinator. We offer free coverage checks for the majority of health and dental insurance plans so you can learn how much of your treatment may be covered. Please contact us at 416-613-5633 or email [rehab@healthone.ca](mailto:rehab@healthone.ca) 2\. Do you provide direct billing? Yes, we’re pleased to provide direct billing for many insurance plans. We invite you to contact our Patient Care Coordinator who can help you learn more about your options. You can reach us at 416-613-5633 or [rehab@healthone.ca](mailto:rehab@healthone.ca) 3\. How often do I need to come for treatment? The length of Rehab treatment will be unique depending on your situation and needs. Our treatment process focuses on managing and reducing symptoms including pain, swelling, and inflammation and helping you get back to living a life free of hindrances. It can take anywhere from 4-6 weeks to overcome acute symptoms and a minimum of 8-12 weeks for chronic symptoms; however, this can vary from person to person. The minimum requirement you can expect is one session per week for the first 4-6 weeks, followed by an evaluation of your progress and modification of your treatment plan, if necessary. Written by: [![](https://blog.healthone.ca/hubfs/health-one.svg)](https://healthone.ca/) ![HealthOne](https://blog.healthone.ca/hubfs/HOBlogAuthor.png) Reviewed by: **[HealthOne](http://healthone.ca)** HealthOne is a Toronto-based health and wellness centre bringing medical, dental, skin, rehab, mental health and more together under one roof. With three GTA locations and over 200,000 patients served, HealthOne is redefining how Canadians access modern, connected care. 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