Tips for celebrating - not just surviving - the holidays
About this time every year, I long for the holiday season. Parties, shopping, big family gatherings—it truly is the most wonderful time of the year. Then the season hits, and I say to myself, “What were you thinking?” All the parties I have to go to, the gifts I have to buy, the never-ending get-togethers! Will it never end? Yes, the holidays are both joyous and stressful. Whether it’s finances or family, some stress is hard to avoid. And it’s not all in your mind.
Experiencing stress causes your body to release hormones that help you get ready to respond to the source of the stress. They make your heart beatfaster, raise your blood pressure, increase your breathing rate and burn stored energy.
Unfortunately, stress is hard to respond to. We can’t fight being stuck in holiday traffic, and we can’t run away from credit card bills. So all those extra hormones are not eliminated properly. Overtime, these chemical changes can weaken your immune system, strain your heart, cause stomach or intestinal problems and more. For most of us, stress won’t lead to extreme health problems, but it may cause headaches, loss of sleep, irritability and indigestion. So, how can you reduce holiday stress?
Be realistic not idealistic. Admit it now: I am not Martha Stewart. It’s OK. One way to lower stress is to lower your expectations. Plan your activities—including shopping, baking and partying—on a master calendar. Stick to your schedule and feel free to say no to things that aren’t on it.
Make good choices. “You don’t have to do it all,”says Elaine St. James in her book Simplify Your Christmas. “If you learn to make good choices, and keep those choices to a minimum, you can have your Christmas and enjoy it, too.”
Take “me” time. Ink in some time for yourself. Block off times to do something just for you, whether it’s reading a great novel or getting a massage.
Go with the flow. You’re not perfect the rest of the year, so learn to go with the flow, whether it’s because you burnt the yams or because your youngest said something inappropriate during dinner. The holiday season is for celebration, not competition.
Practice moderation. Don’t use the season as a license to overdo it. Eating too much, drinking too much and spending too much money will only make you feel worse later. But don’t deprive yourself either. Moderation is what’s key. —By Shelley Flannery