The holiday season can be filled with joy and merriment. But it can also be a time of stress and anxiety. To help assuage your concerns, we consulted some of the artwork in our galleries for advice on how to best enjoy the season’s celebrations.

Frederic Remington | The Puncher | 1895 | Oil on canvas | 24 x 20 1/8 inches

SRM: Travel during the holidays can be a mess. Do you have any tips for transportation?

Puncher: Find a dependable vehicle. The last thing you want to worry about is your carriage falling apart, leaving you stranded far away from home. Me? I count on my trusty steed. A cowboy is only as good as his horse.

Charles M. Russell | Trouble on the Horizon [Prospectors discover an Indian Camp] | 1893 | Oil on canvas | 26 1/8 x 34 inches

SRM: Do you have any advice for packing lightly for holiday travel?

Prospectors: As you can see, we enjoy a minimalist lifestyle. We can carry only what will fit on our packhorse. However, minimalism does not equate austerity. While we are prepared to pan for our fortunes, we do not neglect such creature comforts as a good pot of coffee.

“Catlin Feasted by the Mandan Chief,” George Catlin (1796-1872), (Cartoon No. 133: The author feasted in the wigwam of Mah-to-toh-pa, the war chief of the Mandans, dining on a roast rib of buffalo and pemican.) Oil on card mounted on paperboard, 18 ¼ x 24 9/16 in., National Gallery of Art, Washington, Paul Mellon Collection

SRM: What does it take to host a good holiday dinner party?

Mandan Chief: One word: hospitality. I like to let my guests know that I put their needs first. That’s why I never eat with my guests, but rather sit by them, wait upon them, and prepare for after-dinner festivities.