Ready or not, here it comes again!

The holiday season is upon us once again, with all of its joys and trials. Here are some tips to help us not just survive but actually enjoy the season.  HAPPY FESTIVUS!

1. Take care of you – Always first, don’t forget to take care of yourself.  Remember, you can’t create an incredible holiday for family and friends if you’re sick, tired, or grumpy.  Even good stress takes a toll. Be sure to eat, drink (water :0) and sleep to be merry.
2. Keep it moving – I know you know this! Exercise has so much to offer for health, not the least of which is stress reduction. Exercise bathes the brain in serotonin and endorphins, both of which improve mood and decrease anxiety. Though the temptation will be to give yourself a break from your exercise routine along with the break from work, sticking with your workout will pay off in added enjoyment of your time off.
3. Remember the meaning – In the midst of commercialism, it gets harder and harder to remember just what you’re commemorating. We live in an information world. Hit the web, watch a documentary, go to a faith service, do something to focus on what you’re pausing to recognize. Teach your kids the meaning of your holiday season. It’s fun to give and receive presents, indulge in good foods, hear beautiful music, but take a little time with the real thing. Here’s some things I found online that might get you started:
   1. Christmas: The Real Meaning of Christmas
   2. Hanukkah: Inside Israel
   3. Kwanzaa: The Official Kwanzaa site
   4. Pagan: Hogmanay, Yule
   5. Humanist: HumanLight
   6. Islam: Milad an-Nabi
4. Don’t overbook – Office parties, dinner and drinks with friends, nuclear family, family of origin, in-law family – did I leave anybody out? Try to spend time with each of these groups, all of their members and every event they create and you are likely to drop in your tracks.  Select a few gatherings to attend, then relax and really enjoy them.
5. Give gifts of value, not price –Retail sales during the month of December account for 10-24% of annual sales across retail sectors. In other words, people spend a lot of money during the holidays, more than any other time of year. Ask yourself, what is the real worth of what I’m buying? Are you giving a gift to really please the recipient or to benefit your vanity?
6. Part with perfection –  Food, decorations, gifts, music, fashion…so many opportunities for perfection, or FAILURE, dun dun duuuuuun.  How differently might things go if you aimed for good instead? Learn to laugh at yourself and the mistakes that will inevitably occur and focus on relationships instead.
7. Make new trends and keep the old, ♬ one is silver and the other gold ♬ — traditions bond groups together, providing stability and comfort. Participation in the traditions of your multigenerational family and/or faith community offers deep roots with long historical significance. Developing new traditions promise make your own little family something special and unique.

What are your holiday tips? Let’s help each other this season!