As the holiday season approaches, our excitement reaches a fever pitch, and we enter it with great enthusiasm. There are so many things to look forward to, including sumptuous meals, the exchanging of gifts, and quality time spent with our nearest and dearest.

However, the holiday season can also become a time of chaos as we seem to run from one holiday into another. Sometimes, we might forget the things about the holidays that are the most important.

Here’s how to approach the upcoming holidays with clarity and mindfulness:

1. Remember the reason for the season

The holidays have become very commercialized, and their true meaning has been lost along the way. People become so wrapped up in the materialism of it all that they forget about what the holidays are all about.

A time that should be about fun and quality becomes a competition. Who can buy the most expensive gifts? Who does a better job of decorating their home for Halloween? Which family has the most heavily laden Thanksgiving dinner table?

These things are not what you should be focused on. It’s what you do and not what you buy that makes the great holiday memories you’ll talk about for years to come.

2. Don’t let your finances get on top of you

Not only is the holiday season a busy time, but it’s an expensive time as well. It’s hard not to spend more than you’ve planned to when the stores are full of goodies to buy. In an ideal world, you would have been budgeting for the holidays right from the beginning of the year. However, the reality is that this is seldom possible.

Asses your short term loan requirement before the onset of the holidays. If you can see that your budget isn’t going to stretch as far as you’d like it to, find out about a loan. You can repay it once things are back on track in January.

3. Don’t overschedule

Making the holiday season a whirlwind of commitments and social engagements will leave you exhausted at the end. You’ll enter the new year feeling like you haven’t had a break at all. The point of it all is to spend quality time with the people you love. Rushing from one activity to another won’t accomplish this.

As the holidays approach, you’ll receive a flurry of invitations to events. You might even be planning one of your own. Don’t feel pressurized to accept all the invites. Instead, choose the ones that are priorities to you and your family.

4. Unplug

Smartphones, computers, tablets, and television are big distractions. They prevent people from spending time together as a family. It’s hard to go around the table and talk about what you’re grateful for when your kids are engrossed in their social media accounts.

Set some ground rules before the holiday season starts. Part of your mission should be to get everyone in your home to unplug and spend time away from their devices. Plan family activities that will fill the gap, such as games evenings.

5. It’s about you too

Your focus during the holidays is probably on everyone except yourself. You’re making Halloween costumes for the kids, cooking up a storm for Thanksgiving, and shopping for a long list of Christmas gifts. It’s easy to forget to enjoy the season and all its wonders.

Make time to unwind and relax during the holidays, and don’t forget to spoil yourself a little bit too. Give everyone in your home a list of chores to do while they’re at home, so that it doesn’t all become your responsibility.