A few days left to Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Time to think about Christmas and checking your bank account how far it will go. It is also a time to reflect how your year was, what went well and what did not. For many single parents, the holiday season can be a rough time, balancing the fact that you will not see your children on days you used to and figuring out ways to cope with the pressure of buying Christmas presents. Here are nine tips to help you readjust and reduce stress.

Thanksgiving marks the official beginning of the holiday season. Although usually less fraught with anxiety than Christmas, if it is the first “big holiday” since your estrangement from your spouse, you may be dreading the day. It also may be your first holiday without your children.

Going through a divorce can give you the perfect “excuse” to break with tradition and forge your own way of celebrating. Spending the holiday home by yourself watching videos and eating Chinese take-out (yes, they are open on Thanksgiving) may be just what you need to do!