There seem to be two versions of the holidays: One portrays this time of year as the happiest, while the second is a whirlwind of strained budgets and family fights. Nearly 70 percent of us are stressed during the season, according to the American Psychological Association.

“The holidays bring together almost all of our pressures into one short period of time,” says Tarane Sondoozi, Psy.D., a psychologist serving as an employee assistance provider at Scripps Health in San Diego. But it is possible to sidestep the stress—you just need real-world solutions, and you’ll find them here.