The holiday season is now in full gear and special family time is always appreciated. The presents you’ve carefully wrapped are ready to be torn open. Then, you receive that phone call from distant relatives announcing… “Surprise, surprise we’re visiting for the holidays!” Anxiety kicks in, and panic-riddent thoughts immediately start running through our minds. We have all been there with surprise guests – you’re trying to tie the Super Cape back on for last minute holiday shopping combined with overcrowded stores that can make anyone’s head explode. As hard as it is to stay calm during these surprises, leave Stress Avenue and take a detour to The True Meaning of the Season Drive.
Holiday Stressor: Last Minute Shopping
De-stressor: Do you have a long last minute gift list that you can’t seem to trim down? Do you dread going to the crowded mall? Make gift-giving simpler by remembering that the season is about being with your loved ones and not material things. Perhaps purchasing gifts that are more focused on people, such as tickets to that game or concert they have been dying to go to but have not been able to get tickets themselves, gift certificates to their favorite restaurant or a certificate for a day at the spa. When all else fails make it even simpler for you – online shopping! If ordered before the store’s cut-off date, the gifts will make it on time. Even better, they will wrap them for you!
Holiday Stressor: Entertaining
De-stressor: So the whole family has designated your house as the gathering place, and you will be the host for all holiday events. Great! Now you are worried about doing all the cooking and making sure the house is squeaky-clean and ‘flawless’ for each event. You may become preoccupied with whether you have enough room for guests to mingle or sit, and playing hostess. Relax and give yourself a break! Try a different approach to entertaining. Have everyone bring a holiday favorite while you supply the beverages, hot cocoa and holiday desserts. Entertain one another; take turns sharing family stories about way back when; and later on sing along concert of holiday songs. Make it all about family time and not so much about the ‘perfect’ party.
Holiday Stressor: Following Traditions
De-stressor: We understand that every family has its own traditions. These often mean doing specific things in a certain way all in the name of tradition. Perhaps you want to please elders and carry on with the traditions they know, or maybe you want to follow the same traditions you did when you were younger in order for your children to learn them and carry them on as well. As adorable as it sounds to have these traditions happen, making sure they occur in the ‘perfect’ way often creates more stress. You can choose to make it a team effort and ask your loved ones which part of the traditions they really like. Keep the winners down to a few and go all out on just those. This way the traditions will not only be more relaxed, but they will also be easier to keep for future holidays. If you are a spontaneous person, another option is to make ‘winging it’, a tradition in itself. Why not do whatever feels festive in the moment? It will keep it mysterious and fun for holidays to come.
This holiday season don’t let holiday stress put a damper on your health. Remember that the season is about spending time with the ones you love and enjoying each other. Take Control of Your Health® and stay stress free this holiday season with ANY LAB TEST NOW®.
