5 Things You Can Do For a Happier Holiday
Holidays are upon us and with that comes the pressure.
Holidays are wonderful and full of colors and lights, music and food, warmth and love. But also stress. We get loads of additional stress on our time, money, relationships, waistline, and physical, emotional, and mental energy. Something that can help is to go in with a plan.
So here are some of my hot tips for making it all a bit easier:
Write a calendar. From parties to family events to baking to shopping and wrapping, holiday activities take hours and hours of time. It is easy to over-extend and become exhausted. Print out a simple paper calendar and write down your holiday activities. You can do this on a digital calendar but I find that seeing it in black and white is more impactful. Can you really bake and wrap and attend two holiday parties? Maybe not. Seeing baking and shopping and wrapping on your calendar on a day you work may make you think twice. Maybe do that shopping online or have the shop wrap some of your gifts to save time.
Limit your gift-giving. This year I am giving gifts to only my immediate family and a few close friends and they are each getting one gift. In years past I have shopped for stocking stuffers or lots of things to beef up under the tree but that takes time and energy. Buying one gift for only those closest to me has allowed me to actually be even more thoughtful and intentional and even though I spent more on the items I ended up spending a lot less in the long run.
Create a workable social life. Some of us get too many invitations this time of year and become exhausted by trying to do too much. We need to pick and choose what we really can do, even if this means showing up late to the party or leaving early. Some of us do not get any invitations and loneliness can really plague us. We need to call a friend and go out for a special dinner or get a ticket to a holiday concert. Sometimes we have to make our own magic.
Eat the cookies. But wait, what about the waistline? Well, you might gain a pound or two over the holidays but keep yourself from gaining 10 by going in with a plan of eating what you want but limiting the portion. One trick for this is to get a small plate or napkin and put what you're going to eat on it. Do not eat directly from the tray/box. Allow yourself some treats without a complete binge.
Let something go. We all have a part of the holidays that we don’t like. What if we just let that piece go this year? Is it a family event? Putting up the tree? Sometimes we feel like we have to do everything. Tradition! But by letting something go we can give ourselves more fully to something else.
So there you are, my friends. I hope that you have a happier holiday!
