Here are some guidelines that we adhere to throughout the holiday season:

1. DO wear holiday gear.

2. DON’T drive yourself crazy in an effort to be the uber-Martha Stewart. Homemade gifts are for suckers – unless you have some sort of super talent.

3. DO use Christmas to your advantage as a parent; threaten your kids with no gifts until the cows come home – or until Christmas Eve, at which point you need a new tactic.

4. DON’T force your kids to visit Santa. Mine never have and still flat-out refuse to sit on Santa’s lap and I can’t really blame them. There is something a tad creepy about sitting on an old guys lap in a mall.

5. DO something in the name of altruism, at least once.

6. DON’T buy into the misguided notion that drinking must be confined to indoors. Whether we are caroling, tobogganing or on a Christmas light stroll, there is no better company than friends, family and a travel mug.

7. DO eat a few extra cookies. You deserve it. (16 Cookie Recipes for When You Really Just Need a Cookie)

8. DON’T get stressed over the holidays.  It is a time for comfort and joy, not cursing and gesturing.

9 DO document the holiday season with a family photo, something along these lines:

christmastime