To keep your cool over Christmas
We all know that the holidays can be a stressful time: the shopping, the spending, the bustles of people, the decorations, etc. It really is an endless list that results in high levels of stress! So, what can you do to tame the stress levels and keep that warm cozy Christmas feeling? Careful planning and time management are key, and Fitness.com has a few ideas to keep you chipper during the holiday season.
- Shop Online: there are millions of websites that offer great deals during the holiday season. Especially with the lows in the economy, on-line purchases may be the way to go. Shop.org offers discounts from over 500 retailers, or try deandeluca.com to find any meats, cheeses, wines, and other great food items.
- Plan a Theme Party: if you plan now and come up with an intriguing theme, you will be guaranteed to get all the guests coming to your party. Download some classic Christmas specials – like National Lampoons, or Home Alone, and focus the party around the movie giving guests certain character roles. A more sophisticated theme could be a wine tasting event. Whatever you choose to do, plan it ahead so that people are still talking about it after Christmas!
- Plug in your lights: don’t try to beat that keener neighbor that plugs their lights in even before December 1st. You win in the end, because you save the energy and the money. Plan to have your lights up for the middle of December, and down again just after the New Year. 2 weeks is a sufficient amount of time to keep your house lively and full of Christmas spirit. Spend a little more on LED lights ($13 for 60 lights). They are 4 times more energy efficient, and will last a lot longer.
- Take a trip: Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, are two of the least busy days in airports throughout the entire year. You may be able to nab a really great deal too. Just avoid airports in Las Vegas, Orlando, and Denver – they are the top three travel destinations around this time, so stick to smaller cities that will be less crowded. You can usually find some cheap deals at kayak.com.
- Volunteer: The best time to do this is right after Christmas. Most people try to volunteer by giving to the food bank between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but after then there is generally a short supply. Give back when people are still really cold and hungry. Half-way houses, senior centers, soup kitchens, and food pantries are just few places that could use your help.
This list is to only name a few holiday stress busters – another thing to remember is that turkeys can last up to 2 days in the fridge after being thawed so thaw your turkey early and kick your feet up!
Happy Holidays from fitness.com!
