How to Really Have a Happy Holiday...maybe.

The holidays are upon us.  The Halloween costumes are put away and the holiday season is building momentum.  Countdowns to Christmas.  Planning Black Friday sales tactics.  Making last minute travel arrangements.  Losing that last 5 pounds to make room for more.  Spending time with people you love.  Receiving holiday cards from someone you haven't spoken to in way too long.  The holiday music!  Oh, the holiday music.  Can you believe Dominic the Donkey was voted the worst Christmas song??  (Mercury News, November 17, 2017)

The holidays can also mean preparing to be around family you can't stand.  They can also bring us back to emotional places of loss and sadness.  What if the water heater goes while you are out of town?  Maybe money is tight and you can't give your loved ones the things and experiences they want and deserve.  Single people get stuck in the zone of avoiding dating until after the holidays because of the pressure to get a gift for someone you barely know.  Married people who have contemplated divorce might wait for the holidays to pass so they can file for divorce when it's all over.  January is "Divorce Month."  Seriously.

So, how do you get the best bang for your buck this holiday season?  How do you get through it without feeling stressed?  What is the best way to relax and take in all that is the wonder of the season?  Here are a few tips from a 2012/2013 Huffington Post article .

#1. Eat well. It’s common to pack on 5-10 pounds during the holiday season, but there are ways you can eat both healthy and well! Know which foods are high in caloric content and low in nutrition. Don’t deprive yourself of such treats, but indulge in moderation. Eat smaller meals instead of “saving yourself” for one huge buffet. Opt for healthy options at home, and when visiting others, bring a healthy dish to share. Be careful of liquid calories, including alcoholic beverages.

#2. Stay active. Exercise is just as important during the holidays as any other time of the year. You should be active at least four to five times a week, preferably with some aerobic exercise every day. The weather may be cold outside, but the winter offers additional fun, too! Ice skating, sledding, snow sprints — all of these can be great exercise. Enlist your loved ones to join you for quality bonding time.

#3. Prevent illness and injuries. Colds and the flu are most prevalent in the winter. Prevent them by washing your hands regularly and urging others to do the same. Stay warm by dressing in layers. Sprinkle sand on icy patches. Watch young ones and assist the elderly, who are at increased risk of falls and other injuries during this time.

#4. Check your heating system. Making sure your heating works and is safe. Carbon monoxide is a silent killer. Install a carbon monoxide detector and test it once a month. Keep grills and generators out of the house, and don’t run your car for long periods of time in the garage. Most residential fires also occur in the winter; never leave fireplaces, stoves, and candles unattended.

#5. Travel safely. Whether you are going down the block or halfway across the world, follow extra precautions. Give yourself plenty of time in the additional holiday traffic. Never drink and drive. Be on the lookout for reports of extreme weather and heed warnings. If you’re traveling away from home, make sure to pack and take your medications. Know how to contact your doctor when you are away and have a medical problem, and where the local ER is.

#6. De-stress. Holidays can be a stressful time. You may be working, and feel the stress of managing your work duties along with additional commitments to your friends and family. You may feel the financial stress of gifts and the interpersonal stress of conflicts. Try to anticipate sources of stress and develop a plan to manage them. This may involve committing to fewer get-togethers or setting a tighter budget. Don’t feel guilty; you have to take care of yourself before you can take of others.

#7. Help others. Watch for signs of depression among your friends and family. Take an active role to support those in need. Invite those colleagues or friends who are alone over the holidays to spend them with you. Volunteer and give to those less fortunate.

#8. Treat yourself. The holiday spirit is about helping others around you, but you also have to make time to take care of yourself. So treat yourself with something over the holidays. It may be something as simple as sleep. Wake up late and enjoy a day of rest; you need it. How about reading that book you’ve been meaning to for a long time, or getting a manicure or massage? Take the time to do the things that make you happy.

And for those of you still reading, here's a little Christmas treat, courtesy of Dominick...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYlvfX3nwlc