Dear Zen Mother,

Every November I am filled with holiday dread. The shopping, the cooking, the relatives -– it’s so much to handle. What can I do to minimize the stress?

Eliza from New Jersey

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Dear Eliza,

Time alone is your best friend. My advice? Head straight to a quiet little cafe with a good murder mystery and allow yourself to dream that you, too, could murder people.

Other than that, please know you are not alone. In fact, I recently came across Mrs. Claus’s diary from last year…