It’s the most stressful time of the year — at least for a lot of people. Whether you get overwhelmed with your seasonal to-dos, you know this time of year will trigger feelings of loneliness for you, or you’re dreading getting together with family members with whom you don’t see eye-to-eye, know that you’re not alone. Holiday stress is very real for a lot of people.

If you know this time of year has historically spiked your tension, this year gives you the opportunity to do things differently. We’ve all learned a lot about adaptation over the last couple of years. And making small changes this time around can help you keep your holiday stress at a minimum. Here are five things you can try this year.

Remember what you enjoy

Back before responsibilities became your main focus through this season, you probably loved a thing or two about the holidays. Was it sitting by a crackling fire or stringing up lights on your house? Was it pulling out your favorite holiday music or making a treasured family recipe?

Take a minute to sit back and think about what really made you excited about the holidays as a kid — or even just a less stressed-out adult. You might even want to make a little list. Then, as you go through December, look for ways to dig into those treasured parts of the season. Reminding yourself what you like about this time of year and looking for ways to savor it can help return some of the joy of the season.

Say no sometimes

You don’t have to do it all. If the company party or the neighbor’s cookie swap sounds stressful, politely decline the invitation. Here’s the thing: you have an out.

Pretty much everyone would agree that this is a busy, hectic time of year. We’re all operating under the assumption that each of us is juggling a whole bunch of to-dos — from family gatherings to gift shopping. And that means people will probably be pretty understanding if you say you can’t make it this year.

Keep a budget

Overspending is a major source of holiday stress. Your budget doesn’t have to be complicated or ultra-restrictive. But keeping track of what you’re spending can help you avoid that pit-in-your-stomach feeling when you look at your accounts in January.

It can help you make smarter choices, too. If you used up your gift budget buying for your family, maybe you consider making your friends’ gifts or thrifting for them this year.

Let your traditions evolve

Expectations are a major holiday stress driver. You might feel like there are certain things you absolutely have to do this December because you’ve done them each year before. But the truth is, you don’t. And your traditions can change as your needs and wants do.

If you’ve seen the Nutcracker every year and even caught a Zoom showing last year, don’t stress yourself out trying to make it to a performance if it’s not bringing you joy. Watching a movie version of it can deliver the nostalgia you’re craving without the stress.

Take care of yourself

Just because this time of year gets weird with irregular work/school schedules doesn’t mean you should give up your healthy habits. Sleep still matters. So does healthy eating and regular exercise. In fact, these things can be powerful tools to help you best manage any holiday stress that does creep up.

Don’t put yourself on the back burner during this time of year. If you want help practicing self-care, managing holiday stress, and developing tools to manage challenges (like that opinionated uncle), we’re here.