Excited children, delicious food, gifts, family and friends… do you take time to enjoy the holidays?
The holiday season can be a time of absolute anticipation. We get to see the excitement on the faces of our children, grandchildren and other small family members. The cooking and baking commence like no other time of the year, using family recipes passed down through the generations. Decorating, shopping and parties add to the festive activities.
This sounds like an idyllic scene, but for many, this time of year becomes filled with stress, tension, sadness and anxiety. With too much to do, not enough money, family dynamics, passed loved ones and exhaustion, how do we handle all of this?
Here are some tips to make this holiday season happier and more relaxed:
1. We are always striving to have the perfect Christmas, complete with decorations, food, buying and wrapping presents and entertaining. Talk with your family about the traditions that are really, really important and cut out the rest. If they all agree that everything is important, enlist everyone’s help- each person gets a task.
2. The same family dynamics play out year after year. People will not change their behavior if you do not. Don’t engage in the same emotional dynamics. Sit back and just observe or busy yourself helping prepare or clean up.
3. Take care of yourself. Too little sleep, rushed eating and no routine cause exhaustion, stress and tension. Make sleep a priority (or catnap), plan healthy meals and snacks to make up for the change in routine and take 15 minutes (at least) to relax your body and mind.
4. Remember your loved ones that have passed with a special tradition. Each family can choose what honors their loved one best: an ornament with their photo, a burning candle, an angel, a music box that plays their song or a story shared about the person. We all just want beautiful memories of the person we love and miss.
5. Gifts have become huge, expensive and often expected by children. In this economy, so many people are feeling the pinch; so discussing gift exchange with extended family is often met with relief. There are many ways to give special gifts that are either handmade or free. Teaching our children to be creative, rather than feel entitled is truly a gift to them.
My wish for you is to have a healthy, happy holiday season surrounded by family, friends and love enjoying delicious food.