How to Maintain Your Calm During Holiday Stress

 

Every year, I enter the holiday season with a familiar cocktail of emotions: equal parts excitement, anticipation, and “why did I agree to host again?” I love the idea of cooking and decorating—the creativity of it, the memories tied to it, the joy of making things feel special.

But do I love pulling my house apart and then putting it all back together?
No. No, I do not.

Cooking for a crowd?
Let’s just say… my smoke alarm has opinions (true story).

And then there’s holiday shopping—the unspoken expectation that every gift should be thoughtful, creative, meaningful, personalized, and maybe even handcrafted by woodland elves. The pressure to find the perfect gift for every person is a lot for one human brain, especially one already busy organizing guest rooms and negotiating with decorative garland.

So this year, as I dive headfirst into the chaos, I’ve been taking intentional breaks to instill peace and calm in the crazy: drawing tiny, silly, zero-pressure sketches that remind me of why the holidays are so magical.
Not the Pinterest version.
Not the family-expectations version.
The joyful version.

And that’s where drawing comes in.

These quick doodles calm my brain, make me laugh, and help me visualize what would make this season feel good—not perfect.

If you’re also a festive-but-overwhelmed human, here are five super-easy, humorous drawing prompts to help you imagine a holiday you can actually enjoy.

5 Easy + Funny Drawing Prompts to Add Joy to the Holiday Hustle

1. Draw Your Holiday Mood as One Simple Shape

Circle = calm
Triangle = “focused and holding it together”
Spiral = realistic
Add a tiny smiley face (with a Santa hat) for optimism.

2. Reverse-Color Your Holiday Calm

Grab one of our Reverse Coloring Pages and let the colors guide you.
Follow the shapes until they turn into:
• a cozy ornament
• a wonky wreath
• a swirl of winter calm
• the aforementioned woodland elf
Or let them stay delightfully abstract—the magic is in the movement, not the masterpiece.

Holiday-themed reverse coloring example from our Winter Reverse coloring collection (Look for the woodland elf)

3. Draw a Playful Ornament or Candy Cane — Just for the Fun of It

Choose a shape. Make it yours.
Add stripes, polka dots, sparkles, goofy faces, or unexpected colors.
This tiny act of creativity is often enough to shift your mood—a reminder that joy lives in the small moments when we pause long enough to play.

4. Elf Yourself — Because Holiday Stress Responds Well to Goofiness

Print one of our Holiday Doodle sheets and turn yourself into a holiday elf with:
• glittery accessories
• jingle bell hats
• a title like “Chief Cocoa Inspector” or “Director of Cozy Vibes”

It is shockingly hard to stay stressed when you’re staring at a cartoon version of yourself wearing pointy shoes!

        Check out our Holiday Doodle Activity

 

5. Draw Your Ideal “I Need a Break” Holiday Hideaway

A comfy chair.
A blanket.
A warm drink.
A cozy fire.
A sign that says, “Do Not Disturb Unless You Bring Cookies.”

Keep it stick-figure simple. Bonus points if your elf-self from prompt #4 is taking a nap there.

Maintaining the Magic Despite the Mayhem

Sometimes the simplest drawings—squiggly lines, stick figures, or a goofy little elf version of yourself—help you remember what you really want from this season: ease, connection, warmth, laughter, and a tiny break from the pressure to do everything beautifully.

Whether you’re hosting, shopping, cooking, crafting, or drowning in lists, I hope these prompts give you a soft landing spot. A few minutes of calm. A moment of play.
And maybe even a chance to rediscover the joy that can get buried under all the to-dos.

Because at the end of it all, the real gift of the holidays isn’t the décor, the food, or the perfect present—it’s the togetherness. The shared moments. The laughter around the table.

The connectedness and memories are where the magic lies—not in striving for perfection.

Happiest of holidays to you and yours!