Take Advantage Of Safeway's Christmas Eve Hours & Cut Yourself A Break

The week of Christmas is one of the most stressful times of the year for moms. Parenting is a full time job already, so adding in last minute trips to the mall, gift wrapping, organizing a festive meal together, and making sure your older nephew doesn't spill the beans about Santa to your four-year-old on top of your usual responsibilities is exhausting. Plus, the wonky hours of stores during the week of Christmas makes everything more hectic as you try to squeeze in a grocery store run, so to help you out, here's the rundown on Safeway's Christmas Eve hours.

I'm not being dramatic about how stressful Christmas can be. As Forbes reports, depression and anxiety are proven to increase during the holidays, whether it's from having to spend more money, increased social pressure, or having to see family members you typically avoid for your mental health can all cause you stress. Taking care of yourself becomes the last thing on your list of priorities, and the lack of self-care can lead to a simple failed trip to the grocery store causing a breakdown. Grocery shopping is a loathsome task for parents at any time of year, so the idea of showing up to see your trusty Safeway closed on Christmas Eve when you need a roast for Christmas dinner and the ingredients for the special cookies you have to make for Santa every year with your toddler on your hip is pretty much a nightmare. Lucky for you, Safeway will be open on Christmas Eve according to Holiday Shopping Hours, but most locations will have shorter hours so you'll want to look up the hours of your local Safeway to see what time you should plan on rolling up on December 24.

Showing up earlier rather than later is probably your best bet since many places will be closing early to give employees time with their families. Most Safeway locations will also be closed altogether on Christmas Day, so the earlier you can get to the store on Christmas Eve/during the week of Christmas the better. Plus, that's definitely the best way to ensure you get the best grocery items available. You know everyone is buying similar items during the week of Christmas — roast beef, potatoes, gingerbread, eggnog, etc. — so if you wait until the evening of Christmas Eve to get everything you need, odds are your grocer will be out of at least one of the things on your list. Staring at an empty shelf where cookie dough should be would definitely add to your stress.

There other simple ways you can decrease your Christmas stress. Using Instant Pot recipes for Christmas Eve and Christmas day, too can save you from feeling tethered to the kitchen all day, as can Crock-Pot recipes for the day before Santa's arrival and the day itself. Finding some time to do what you want to on Christmas, whether that be getting everyone together for a photo or finding a way to take a nap to catch up on all the sleep you've been losing wrapping presents, can do wonders for your holiday spirit as well. Think of it as a gift to yourself, and rest easy knowing you definitely deserve it.

After experiencing a traumatic c-section, this mother sought out a doula to support her through her second child’s delivery. Watch as that doula helps this mom reclaim the birth she felt robbed of with her first child, in Episode Three of Romper's Doula Diaries, Season Two, below. Visit Bustle Digital Group's YouTube page for more episodes, launching Mondays in December.