• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • about
  • Pug Partners
  • contact/pr
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Goodreads
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Threads
    • TikTok

Runs With Pugs

ok, the pugs don't run, but we do

  • race reports
  • Travel
  • Recipes
  • Link Ups
  • instagram Landing Page

The Latest

We’re Streaking: Halfway Through The Streaking With The Cool Kids Challenge

It’s Summer Vacation: Let’s Stay Active

Time To Take A Breath

You are here: Home / Uncategorized / 5 hacks to save your sanity over the holidays

5 hacks to save your sanity over the holidays

September 21, 2023      8 Comments

The holidays are basically here (what?) and we are all in need of hacks to save your sanity through the season. The next few months are full of events, obligations, and demands, but we can get through it all by setting boundaries and expectations now!

Cater

As someone who loves to cook, this is a hard one to admit, but catering can be a lifesaver. I love so many delicious family recipes at our big holiday dinners, but sometimes it’s easier (and even less expensive) to order out. You’ll save hours on prep work and cleanup, and you can spend that time with family, friends, or doing anything other than putting together a huge meal. Outsource desserts or appetizers, and focus on main dishes, or even order something completely untraditional and unexpected for your holiday dinner.

Don’t Reinvent The Wheel

A trap I often fall into is the holiday DIY. I see so many great ideas online, and decide to try to do it myself (which is why I have a life-size chicken wire ghost hanging out in my garage). It’s in my head to make gifts, decor, treats, and so many other things, inspired by people who have way more time and talent than me. At the end of the day, don’t get bogged down by extra work. Take on only the projects that are most important and either buy or skip the rest. Your future self will thank you.

Skip Town

The best way to manage holiday expectations is to just leave town. Find a place to go, pack your bags, and hit the road. There are no rules that say you have to be accessible to people during the holiday season, unless you want to be, so head out on an adventure, if you’re feeling up to it. Bonus: no need to decorate if you’re not home!

“No” Is A Complete Sentence

You don’t have to attend every event you’re invited to. Seriously. The very best hack to save your sanity is to just decline. Choose the things that are most important to you and bow out of the rest. It’s ok to not overbook and it’s ok to need time to recharge. Don’t forget it.

Do The Things That Bring You Joy

One thing I’m learning is that I should do the holiday things that bring me joy. I personally love the entertaining and themed dinners and the decorating, but if I find myself lacking the bandwidth, that’s ok, too. My family likes the effort I put in, but they also don’t mind if our dessert matches the spooky movie we’re watching, or if the whole house is decorated for Christmas rather than just one room. Halloween is my favorite, so that’s where I’m putting my energy this year. The rest will be dependent on my mood.

What are ways you save your sanity over the holidays?

Welcome to Fit Five Friday, our linkup!

We’ve got FIVE incredible co-hosts, and we are ready to link up every Friday to share YOUR weekly fitness favorites! Join My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida every Friday for Fit Five Friday! Who’s ready for some fun? 

fit five friday

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jenny says

    September 22, 2023 at 1:05 pm

    Hooray! I’m so excited to see a holiday themed post : ) I love Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas so this is my absolute favorite time of the year. BUT, I do fall into the trap of trying to do too much. I’m usually good through November, but then I often spend the month of December in a state of stressed out chaos. I definitely have to let some things go- like you said, the dessert doesn’t have to match the movie you’re watching (well, in my mind it does but the rest of the family will never notice!) I have to remind myself not to get crazy about every little thing.

    Reply
    • runswithpugs says

      September 26, 2023 at 6:48 pm

      Haha! I asked A if he liked when I did stuff like themed dinners, and he said it was fine, but also fine if I didn’t. I do it because it makes me happy. We are doing Rocky Horror Picture Show this weekend, and I can’t wait for the little details of the snacks I’m making!

      Reply
  2. Deborah Brooks says

    September 22, 2023 at 1:36 pm

    I can also have big ideas about making everything just perfect for Thanksgiving. Some of them come to fruition and some don’t. It’s hard to say n0 but I am getting better at it!

    Reply
    • runswithpugs says

      September 26, 2023 at 6:47 pm

      No is the most powerful word in our arsenal. I love doing it big, but I also love the idea of doing absolutely nothing, and just enjoying the day.

      Reply
  3. Darlene Cardillo says

    September 22, 2023 at 2:41 pm

    My holidays are pretty low key.

    And more low key as I get older.

    Reply
    • runswithpugs says

      September 26, 2023 at 6:47 pm

      I still do love holidays, even if they look different or are a little more low-key. I’m a celebration girl, through and through.

      Reply
  4. Cari says

    September 23, 2023 at 12:58 am

    Getting out of town is so key. Thats what Thanksgiving and Easter have become since COVID, and I’m not sure Thanksgiving will ever go back. Second to catering is having a waiter. Makes clean up so easy!

    Reply
    • runswithpugs says

      September 26, 2023 at 6:46 pm

      I am with you on Thanksgiving. We don’t get enough of an Easter break to make it worth it, but I would totally escape if we could.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Well, Hello There

bio
Welcome to Runs With Pugs. My name is Jenn and this is the story of my love affair with running and finding myself through fitness. From C25K to marathon, from triathlon to SUP, from broken leg to the recovery journey... I'm sharing it all. I'm a wife and mother of one, living in NE Florida, in love with travel, adventure, and food. Oh. We have a grumble of pugs, too. Thank you for joining us! We're glad to have you along for the ride!

Let’s Connect!

Follow on Bloglovin


Partners

Click here for FREE SHIPPING
Save With Code RUNSWITHPUGS

Pugs Run 50 States

Search Posts

Recent Posts

  • We’re Streaking: Halfway Through The Streaking With The Cool Kids Challenge
  • It’s Summer Vacation: Let’s Stay Active
  • Time To Take A Breath
  • Friday The 13th: Unlucky Running Edition
  • Our Top Tips For Summer Racing + Running

Currently Reading

Jennifer's books

The Other Mrs.
The Skylark's Secret
Holly
Queen of Shadows
Archer's Voice
Heir of Fire
The Assassin's Blade
Lore Olympus: Volume One
By Any Other Name
Out There Screaming
Crown of Midnight
Throne of Glass
How to Kill Men and Get Away with It
Verity
Wrong Place Wrong Time
A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them
Sisters in Law: How Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg Went to the Supreme Court and Changed the World
The Girl in the Leaves
The Pale-Faced Lie
Yellowface


Jennifer PugRunner's favorite books »

Archives

Footer

disclaimer

I am not a doctor or medical professional, nor do I play one on the internet. This blog reflects my personal experiences on my own fitness and running journey, and the processes that work for me. Before you begin any exercise regiment, please consult your physician.
Team Bears Bocce Battlestar Galactica made it to t Team Bears Bocce Battlestar Galactica made it to the third round of the 2nd Annual Bocce Fest, benefitting @stronglikesteve!

This is always such a great community event, centered around an incredibly inclusive event and with proceeds going to provide awareness, community outreach, education, advocacy and funding for organizations and individuals caring for adults with intellectual and developmental differences.

Founder @steph_sanalila does such a wonderful job with this event, making a fun environment for players, creating volunteer opportunities for local students and honoring the memory of her brother.

Visit https://www.stronglikestevefoundation.org/about for more info on how you can help!

#boccefest #bearsboccebattlestargalactica #worldgolfvillage #worldgolfliving #bocce #stronglikesteve #bethechange #makeadifference
The pug side eye side eye. @lunanleonidas #pug The pug side eye side eye.

@lunanleonidas

 #pug #sweetlunapug

 #pugpuppy #puglife #pugsandkisses #pugbaby #pugsofinstagram #pugstagram #grumbleinc #grumble #pugstagram #pugworld #carlino #thetomcoteshow #dogstagram #petstagram #pugoftheday #pugsdaily #pugstyle #904dogs #keelysafternoontea #pugfeaturedaily #pugclub #dailybarker #woofpackbros #woofpackbros4life #woofpackhotties #woofpackkitties #woofpackfamily #dogsconnectingtheworld
Drinking in that sunshine for sure! It was a bea Drinking in that sunshine for sure! 

It was a beautiful morning that turned quickly into a beautiful day. Sundays are hard because they are immediately  followed by Mondays, and Mondays are hard.

Lots to catch up on this week! April is chock full of holidays, birthdays, days off, and events, so let’s get to it!

#Running #streakingwiththecoolkids
About this morning… I was up and out early to d About this morning…

I was up and out early to drive to Flagler Beach for the #Missionpossible5k.

It was a small, well organized event, with an easy-to-follow course (the last mile was almost exclusively an ocean view), with great shirts and swag.

I was really pleased with my performance, and even more pleased with this beach sunrise. I’ll share more on the #RunnersRundown on Wednesday, so stay tuned!

Where did you run or race this weekend?

#Running #streakingwiththecoolkids
Oh, hello long sleeves. I’m here for it. So goo Oh, hello long sleeves. I’m here for it.

So good to stretch the legs today. I was super sore after a @runsmartofficial cross training session last night, and needed to just get out there and let the fresh air work its magic.

What are you up to today? I really need to take a moment with my calendar and get some plans locked into place. 

#running #streakingwiththecoolkids
He’s gonna get it, one of these days. 🍌 @lu He’s gonna get it, one of these days. 🍌 

@lunanleonidas 

 #pug #sweetlunapug

 #pugpuppy #puglife #pugsandkisses #pugbaby #pugsofinstagram #pugstagram #grumbleinc #grumble #pugstagram #pugworld #carlino #thetomcoteshow #dogstagram #petstagram #pugoftheday #pugsdaily #pugstyle #904dogs #keelysafternoontea #pugfeaturedaily #pugclub #dailybarker #woofpackbros #woofpackbros4life #woofpackhotties #woofpackkitties #woofpackfamily #dogsconnectingtheworld #cheesetax
Check out those blue skies! I got to sleep in AND Check out those blue skies!

I got to sleep in AND take advantage of some cooler temps. It really didn’t warm up until my last mile and that was just fine.

I feel like this month and next are really just flying by. So much is going on, and I want so badly to enjoy it all, including the crisp, sunny days where we find them!

#Running #streakingwiththecoolkids
Kind of a meh day. I got in some walking miles and Kind of a meh day. I got in some walking miles and some balance and strength work through @runsmartofficial.

Tomorrow will be cooler and more productive for sure!

#running #streakingwiththecoolkids
Happy Monday! I don’t know about you all, but y Happy Monday!

I don’t know about you all, but your girl is TIRED. It is so hard to roll out of bed some mornings. Ugh. 

I managed (finally) and banked six miles in some gross humidity. And now it’s time for some self care and then back to work.

Also. We have somehow acquired a pecan tree? Any tips on the growth and care of this would be greatly appreciated!

#Running #streakingwiththecoolkids
Sunday fun day! Just a short walk to start the da Sunday fun day!

Just a short walk to start the day and work out some stiffness. Some days, my ankle just doesn’t want to cooperate 🫤

I have been making graphics and content all day for a client, and now I’m about to do hair and makeup for a little event. Wheee! 

This week is going to be BUSY! There’s a lot of changes to the regular routines (nails, a digital learning day, after school and weekend programming) and I have a race on Saturday and bocce ball on Sunday! 

Who else is ready to dive in?!

#Running #streakingwiththecoolkids

Copyright © 2025 · Wordpress Theme by Hello Yay!