Good Tidings To All Can you guess my grown up Christmas wish? Perhaps it’s the same as yours. Let the Christmas and New Year season be a time for relaxation and renewal with family and friends. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out that way. If you find yourself stressing out, consider a new perspective. Here are a few ideas. To entertain family and friends, the house doesn’t have to be perfect. Turning down lights makes for a cozier atmosphere and takes the spotlight off less than perfect housekeeping. A relaxing time with friends and family is the goal. As family and friends get older they become harder to shop for. Rather than stress over the right gift, replace the stress of shopping with a new tradition like dinner out, a movie, a seasonal performance or an entertaining board game. Need an idea? Try the Huntsville Botanical Gardens’ Galaxy of Lights. Its larger-than-life animated light displays are the best in the nation and a treat for all ages. For more family friendly ideas visit Rocket City Mom. Schedule breaks. My choice is to bundle up and walk through the neighborhood enjoying Christmas decorations. My favorite neighborhood walk is Horse Shoe Trail in Southeast Huntsville. While out, be sure to look up to find your favorite constellation. It’s a free trip outside ourselves that for many brings inner peace. My favorite’s the Big Dipper. Don’t miss the opportunity to let others enjoy giving. The best occasions are often where everyone invited has an opportunity to help. While trying to do it all yourself is a noble goal, it’s more likely a recipe for stress. Perhaps you have already reinvented your traditions to accommodate a changing family or circle of friends. I’d love to hear about them. Perhaps you will allow me to share them next year. For more ideas, take a look at “31 Tips for a Stress- Free Christmas." Nancy Neighbors, MD More Ideas Make a change. If the job of holiday cards always falls on you then perhaps it’s time to enlist your family. Encourage participation with fresh cookies from the oven. Really, who can’ t be bribed with fresh cookies straight from the oven? If worried or feeling stress, pause for a few moments and imagine everything you have was taken away. Then remember how grateful you are for what you have. Gratitude is good medicine. Regardless of the seasonal traditions you have followed, before repeating them ask, “Is it still relevant?” and, “Is it still fun?” If trimming the tree has become more of a chore than a creative challenge then maybe it’s time for a creative alternative. “And the Grinch, with his Grinch feet ice cold in the snow, Stood puzzling and puzzling: "How could it be so? It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes or bags!" He puzzled and puzzled, till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before: Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store-- Maybe Christmas--perhaps— means a little bit more." ― Dr. Seuss |
