10 Simple Holiday Habits to Protect Your Family’s Mental Health This Month
By: Dr. Ernie Reilly
Founder & Executive Director of The Counseling Corner, est. 1998
Picture this: It's 8:47 PM on a Tuesday in December. Your seven-year-old is melting down because the elf moved to the "wrong" spot. Your teenager just announced they have a project due tomorrow, and you're hearing about it now. Your phone is buzzing with texts about cookie exchange details. You feel like you're running a hundred miles an hour on empty—too much to do and too little sleep. And you're standing in the kitchen, wondering how a season that's supposed to be about joy turned into something so difficult.
The holidays can feel like trying to keep twenty plates spinning at once—school events, work parties, travel plans, visiting relatives, gift expectations, sugar highs, grief over loved ones who aren't here, and constant pressure to "make it magical" while keeping everyone regulated and happy.
No parent can do all of that perfectly. And here's the secret nobody tells you: you're not supposed to.
The good news? You don't need a perfect holiday to protect your family's mental health. You don't need an Instagram-worthy tree, a spotless house, or kids who behave like they're in a holiday movie.
You need a few simple habits you practice consistently.
Below are 10 practical, doable habits your family can use this month to lower stress, build real connection, and create a season that feels more peaceful, grounded, and genuinely meaningful.
1. Guard Sleep Like It’s a Holiday Tradition
Sleep is one of the most powerful mental health tools you have—and it’s usually the first thing to go during the holidays.
When kids and adults are sleep-deprived, everyone is:
More sensitive
More irritable
More likely to melt down over small things
Family habits for this month:
Choose a realistic “holiday bedtime window” for kids and adults.
Protect 2–3 nights per week as “no late-night events” nights.
Create a simple wind-down: lights lower, screens off, maybe one calm activity (reading, coloring, quiet music).
You won’t be perfect every night. Aim for more predictable sleep most of the time, not perfection.
2. Take a 10-Minute Family Walk (Almost) Every Day
You don’t need a full workout plan to support mental health—just consistent movement.
Short family walks:
Lower stress hormones
Help everyone sleep better
Give you a chance to talk without screens
Family habits for this month:
Pick one time that works most days: after dinner, after school, or a “neighborhood lights walk” to look at decorations
Keep it short: 10–15 minutes is enough.
If you have little kids, let them scooter, ride in a stroller, or hunt for “holiday things” (reindeer, stars, snowmen, different color lights).
You’re not training for a marathon—you’re building a small ritual that gives everyone’s brain a break.
3. Start and End the Day With a 2-Minute Check-In
The holidays pull your family in a hundred different directions. A quick check-in at the start or end of each day helps everyone feel seen.
Family habit for this month:Try a simple daily question at breakfast or bedtime:
“What’s one thing you’re looking forward to today?”
“What felt hard today?”
“What’s one thing you’re grateful for right now?”
For younger kids, you can use:
Rose (best part)
Thorn (hard part)
Bud (something you’re excited about)
This doesn’t have to be deep or dramatic. The goal is to keep the emotional “doors” open so feelings don’t get bottled up.
4. Set Gentle Tech Boundaries in the Evenings
Screens aren’t “bad,” but too much late-night scrolling and background noise can overstimulate everyone—especially kids.
Family habit for this month: Choose one or two “low-tech evenings” per week, where you:
turn off the TV and put phones away an hour before bed
Do simple activities instead: board games, puzzles, crafts, story time, music, or just sitting with a hot drink and talking
You don’t have to ban all devices for the holidays. Just a few intentional low-tech evenings can dramatically lower anxiety and improve sleep.
5. Have One Honest Holiday Expectations Conversation
So much holiday stress comes from unspoken expectations:
How much to spend
Which events to attend
How much time to spend with each side of the family
How perfect the house needs to look
What traditions “have” to happen
Family habit for this month (for adults, and older kids if appropriate):
Sit down and ask: “What matters most to each of us this year?” “What can we let go of?” “Where do we need to say no?”
Agree on:
Asimple spending plan
Which events truly matter, and which you can skip
One or two “non-negotiable” traditions for each person, and then let the rest be optional
Naming this out loud reduces resentment and the sense that you’re failing at an invisible holiday checklist.
6. Build Tiny Gratitude and Joy Rituals
Gratitude doesn’t erase stress, but it balances the picture so worry isn’t all your brain sees.
Family habit for this month: Pick one tiny gratitude or joy ritual:
A gratitude jar where everyone adds a note each day
A “best moment of the day” share at dinner
A weekly “look back” where you remember favorite moments, not just stressful ones
For kids, keep it playful:
“What made your heart feel happy today?”
“What was your favorite silly thing that happened?”
Over the month, these little moments shift the emotional tone of the season.
7. Protect “Do-Nothing” Time
Back-to-back events sound fun at first… until everyone is overstimulated and exhausted.
Rest is not laziness—it’s essential for emotional regulation.
Family habit for this month:
Block out at least one half-day each week as “nothing scheduled.”
Use it for pajamas, movies, naps, reading, slow play, or just being home.
If you’re a planner, literally write “REST” in the family calendar. Treat it like a real commitment, not a backup slot to fill.
8. Make It Safe to Talk About Big Feelings
Kids (and adults) experience big feelings around the holidays:
excitement
jealousy
disappointment
grief
overwhelm
Many children and teens don’t have the words yet—so it comes out as acting out, shutting down, or “attitude.”
Family habit for this month: Normalize emotional language:
“It makes sense you feel disappointed that we can’t go to that event.”
“I notice you seem extra quiet tonight. Do you feel sad, tired, or something else?”
“In our family, feelings are allowed. You’re not too much.”
You don’t have to fix every feeling. Just being calm and present is powerful.
9. Share the Mental Load of the Holidays
Usually, one adult carries the invisible list:
gifts
events
food
travel
coordinating with extended family
That mental load can quietly fuel burnout and resentment.
Family habit for this month:
Make the invisible list visible with a quick brain dump.
Assign age-appropriate responsibilities:
Kids: set the table, help wrap, pick music, water the tree or plants
Teens: help with grocery runs, babysitting, cooking one dish, managing part of the decorations
Partner: specific tasks, not just “help more”
When everyone carries a piece, no one has to fall apart.
10. Know When to Ask for Extra Support
Even with good habits, some families still feel overwhelmed:
That doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means your family may need extra tools and support, just like you would for a physical health issue.
Family habit for this month: Be honest with yourselves:
“Is this just a stressful season, or is something deeper going on?”
“Would it help to have a neutral, trained person walk with us through this?”
Reaching out for counseling can be one of the most loving gifts you give your family—because it doesn’t just change this holiday, it equips you for the rest of the year.
The Truth About the Holidays: They Don't Have to Break You
Here's what no one puts in the holiday cards: Most families are barely holding it together in December. The smiling photos hide the exhaustion, the arguments, the tears, the stress that makes everyone snap at each other over nothing.
You're not failing because the holidays feel hard. You're human. And your family deserves support that meets you where you are—not some impossible standard nobody actually achieves.
The habits in this guide aren't about adding more to your plate. They're about protecting what matters most: your family's mental and emotional well-being.
When you guard sleep, move your bodies, talk honestly, share the load, and make space for rest—you're not just "getting through the season." You're teaching your kids that their mental health matters more than perfect decorations. That connection beats perfection. That it's okay to say no, set boundaries, and ask for help.
And sometimes? Asking for help is the most loving thing you can do.
When the Holidays Feel Heavy, You Don’t Have to Do It Alone
If your family is feeling stretched thin, you’re not the only ones. The holidays are a common time for anxiety, depression, grief, family conflict, and emotional overload to spike.
At The Counseling Corner, our Orlando therapists specialize in supporting:
We use warm, evidence-based care to help your family:
Understand what’s underneath the stress
Learn practical tools for communication and regulation
Build routines that support mental health long after the decorations are put away
📞 Call today to schedule an appointment: 407-843-4968
🌐 Learn more or request an appointment:
You don’t have to white-knuckle through another holiday season.
Small, consistent habits—and sometimes a bit of professional support—can make this year feel calmer, kinder, and more connected for everyone in your home. And when you need more than habits alone? We're here, and we're ready to help.
More Resources to Help Your Relationship Thrive:
📖 Relationship Counseling Helps You Create More Connection and Joy Instead of Conflict and Stress
You deserve to look forward to the holidays—not dread them. Let's make it happen.