We all have some habits that probably aren’t the best and could use a little bit of work. During the holidays, a whole different set of habits suddenly begin to form. Sometimes these habits are ones that already existed but just intensified or became more obvious during the holiday, and other times they’re ones that only come out during the holiday season.

As great as the holidays are, some of the habits they can bring are just not that great. Here are 8 bad holiday habits that you may have but need to get rid of this season!

1. Focusing on holiday weight.

When the holidays come around, it’s no question that feasting on delicious meals will be an activity that is going to be well participated in. This factor often has some worrying about holiday weight, almost to the point of obsessing over it. I’m not saying that you should suddenly throw away all of your healthy eating habits, but you shouldn’t obsess over a few pounds. Just like any other time of the year, you should focus on a healthy balance instead. It’s okay to eat some cookies or go back for seconds on Christmas day. It’s not going to hurt to enjoy yourself, especially if you’re only indulging in that way on one or two days out of the year!

2. Forcing yourself to be around toxic family.

The holiday season means big family gatherings, we all know it. There are so many different memes that come out around this time of year with jokes on how to respond to those nosy, disrespectful family members. The thing is, those jokes represent real life and, though the memes are funny, the true toxicity of it all is not. I think that plenty of us want to try our best to come to the holiday gatherings because we don’t want to upset our grandparents or may get a feeling of guilt, but that has to stop. You should not force yourself to be around toxic family members just to make others happy. If anything, it’s time to let the nosy auntie know that we’re not having it this year or any other year after!

3. Pretending to be happy.

Christmas is “the most wonderful time of the year”, but that’s not the case every year for everyone, even lovers of Christmas like myself. Life happens and not everyone feels cheery during the holiday season. Whatever the reason may be, it’s okay to not feel the holiday spirit and it’s easy to play pretend in order to not look like a “Debby Downer”. I don’t think you should sulk into your sadness, but I do believe that it’s okay to tell people “not today” if you’re just not feeling it. You should never force yourself to do or feel something for the comfort of others and that’s for any time of the year.

4. Stressing about gifts.

A habit that could be simple to stop, but is hard when you have so many loved ones you’d like to gift. Christmas is not about the gifts…I repeat…Christmas is not about the gifts! I’m about to go a little Cindy Lou Who here, but it’s true. It’s about being together with your family overall. Stressing about giving out gifts to everyone, especially if you don’t have the means to do so, can cause much bigger problems in the end. The biggest tip I can give is to give what you can, when you can.

5. Working through the holidays.

Unfortunately, not everyone has the option to quit working through the holidays. If you’re someone who works for themselves, however, then you do have the option. I understand working for yourself can turn you into an absolute workaholic, but it’s time to relax a bit. Everyone deserves a break, even the boss babe who can handle it all.

6. Stressing to have everything go perfectly.

As a perfectionist, this one is for me. I always want anything I plan to go perfectly, but it never does. The truth is, it’s not going to go perfectly, nor does it need to be perfect. Even when putting up the tree, I was extremely focused on having the ornaments perfectly placed. I had to take a moment and ask myself “Why am I taking this so seriously?” Whether it’s with decorations, party planning, or even Christmas photos, try to remember that things aren’t going to go perfectly and you shouldn’t stress over it. Besides, the holidays are a lot more fun when you choose to just let go and enjoy the moments.

7. Setting unrealistic goals/intentions for the new year.

I’ve done it. You’ve done it. We’ve all done it together.

With social media and all of the trends, even before these trends were a thing, there’s this view of how we should live our lives. This view turns out to be quite unrealistic for many people and the reality of their lifestyle. However, it’s how people think they should live or want to live because it looks so glamorous on social media. This causes people to set unrealistic goals for the new year, like reading in the morning when your schedule barely allows you time to eat breakfast. The point of goal setting is to make realistic goals that also fit who you’re trying to become…not who you see someone else becoming.

8. Forgetting to let out your inner child.

As adults, we tend to forget to let out our inner child and the most magical time of the year is the best time to do so! I think it’s easier when you have kids because you’re fantasizing and playing along with them, but I think it’s your true inner child coming out also. For people without kids, such as myself, it’s okay to do it on your own. Don’t get so wrapped up in working that 9-5 or focusing on your holiday sales so much that you forget to be a kid again. It doesn’t matter what age you are, we all need to satisfy those inner childhood memories. It’s also necessary because, let’s face it, being an adult overall is kind of trash (that’s my opinion anyways). Whether you choose to wear Christmas pajamas, take photos with Santa, or indulge in childhood Christmas movies, remember to do something that feeds the child within.

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It’s time to break these bad holiday habits and you can start right now. It’s never too late to form better habits for the years to come!

Which bad habit(s) do you tend to form during the holidays?