| 10 Tips for a More Meaningful and Less | | | | is plants, you would give everyone something |
| Stressful HolidayDoes your Christmas spirit | | | | from a nursery. If the theme is books, you |
| get lost in the frenzy this time of year? Is | | | | would buy all your gifts at a book store. |
| your household so hectic during December that | | | | If you choose a theme of entertainment, you |
| it could drive even Bob Cratchit to tear out | | | | would buy movie passes for everyone or |
| his hair? Well, you might as well face the | | | | concert tickets. If there are a lot of men |
| fact that not even the Grinch can stop | | | | on your gift list, a hardware theme might be |
| Christmas from coming; so we must learn | | | | appropriate. If you're forgetful like I am, |
| strategies for surviving the holidays with | | | | buying everyone on your list the same thing |
| our sanity (and our hair) intact. It is | | | | makes it easier to remember what you gave |
| possible to go from stressed to blessed. To | | | | whom in past years!7) CELEBRATE FAMILY and |
| tame your Grinch within and create a simpler, | | | | COMMUNITY: Schedule time for fun and relaxing |
| more joyful Christmas this year, follow these | | | | together. Put it on your calendar and make |
| ten Grinch-busting tips and you'll slide from | | | | it top priority. Don't let anything get in |
| overwhelmed to overjoyed faster than you can | | | | your way. If you're too busy to drive |
| shout "God bless us all, everyone!"1) LOWER | | | | through the neighborhood with the kids |
| EXPECTATIONS: Don't fall for the hype and | | | | looking at the lights and listening to |
| myth-takes that can ruin your holiday. You'll | | | | Christmas music, re-arrange your schedule. |
| make yourself crazy comparing your home, | | | | Spend an evening as a family reading |
| your holiday, your family, with anyone or | | | | Christmas stories or poems and writing |
| anything that makes you feel less than | | | | letters to Santa together, thanking him for |
| perfect. Remember, YOU ARE NOT MARTHA | | | | last year's gifts.If you must shop or attend |
| STEWART! Stop trying to win the perfect | | | | concerts or parties, don't go alone. Take |
| holiday award for the best cookies, the most | | | | the family along and include lonely neighbors |
| elaborate decorations, or the biggest gifts. | | | | or elderly friends too. This applies to |
| Remember these four important words | | | | cooking, baking, and gift wrapping too.Invite |
| throughout the holiday season: DO LESS, ENJOY | | | | someone to do it with you. It will make your |
| MORE. Make every day of the season a | | | | tasks more fun and they'll appreciate |
| present to yourself.2) CHANGE ROUTINES: Why | | | | spending time with you. Whatever you're |
| do we feel that we must continue forever to | | | | planning to do, share it with someone and |
| do things just as we've always done them? | | | | make it quality time.8) CREATE LASTING, |
| Don't be bound by past traditions. Think | | | | LOVING MEMORIES: Be selective. Don't fill |
| outside the box and consider new ways of | | | | every moment of the season with frantic |
| doing things to make it easier on yourself.A) | | | | activity. Think quality, not quantity. |
| Instead of exchanging gifts with co-workers | | | | Your goal should be sharing happy times and |
| or extended family , how about choosing a | | | | being together. Reading stories together, a |
| charity to help? If each person gives just a | | | | relaxed tree-trimming, singing carols, making |
| couple of dollars, it adds up and beats | | | | snow angels, or just enjoying the evening |
| searching for the perfect gift for all those | | | | stars and sharing a cup of hot cocoa can be |
| people.B) Who says you HAVE to cook a huge | | | | more enjoyable than attending every play, |
| meal for 30 people every year? Could you, | | | | concert, and party of the season. Volunteer |
| maybe just this once, have a simple gathering | | | | as a family to sort food at a food bank, |
| instead? Better yet, let Aunt Irma take a | | | | organize a toy or coat drive, deliver meals |
| turn at hosting this year's celebration. | | | | on wheels, or serve Christmas dinner at a |
| Have you considered suggesting that this | | | | shelter. These are memories you'll cherish |
| year the women cook and all other family | | | | forever.9) TAME THE GREEDIES: Steer the |
| members do the clean up? Why should the men | | | | family's focus toward the needs of others and |
| of the house gorge themselves till they must | | | | how your family can render service. Help |
| unzip their pants and then collapse on the | | | | everyone to develop an attitude of gratitude |
| couch while the women who cooked for weeks | | | | instead of always wanting something more. |
| continue to slave away in the kitchen | | | | Talk about ways to share the season's joy |
| tackling a mountain of dishes? Would it kill | | | | with others. Instead of wish lists, make a |
| them to help in the kitchen once a year as a | | | | list of ways to practice generosity. These |
| special Christmas present to you?C) When did | | | | might include helping someone with shoveling, |
| we decide we needed 37 different varieties | | | | shopping, decorating, or baking. Or choose |
| of Christmas cookies each year? You know, | | | | a volunteer project you can work on together |
| all your family REALLY wants are chocolate | | | | as a family.Keep the TV turned off as much as |
| chip cookies! Why do more than is necessary | | | | possible to avoid commercials. They only |
| to keep them happy? If you MUST have a | | | | give your kids ideas of more useless things |
| variety of cookies, go to or host a cookie | | | | they think they must have. If you want to |
| exchange where everybody bakes one type but | | | | watch a Christmas show, rent the video or |
| takes home several of all the other | | | | record programs and watch them later.10) |
| varieties. That makes NOT baking a jillion | | | | CREATE FUN NEW TRADITIONS: Buy a new cookie |
| different types of cookies fun!3) DON'T DO IT | | | | cutter each year to add to a collection, or |
| ALL YOURSELF: Involve every member of the | | | | shop as a family to buy an early Christmas |
| family right down to the toddlers. If you | | | | present for yourselves: a board game you can |
| can't do it together, then maybe it's not | | | | play each evening in December. Share at the |
| something you need to do at all. Instead of | | | | dinner table every night something you've |
| buying gifts for children to give, engage the | | | | each read such as a Christmas story or poem, |
| kids in the process. Turn decorating, | | | | a riddle, or holiday trivia.A friend began a |
| shopping, gift-wrapping, baking, and even | | | | tradition of having boiled shrimp for |
| house cleaning into family time activities4) | | | | Christmas dinner, along with garlic toast, |
| PLAN AHEAD: Work smarter, not harder. Do as | | | | salad, and Christmas eggs (boiled eggs dyed |
| much as you can in the months before | | | | red and green). Preparation for this meal |
| Christmas to leave December open for | | | | takes almost no time at all, and the cleanup |
| spontaneous joy. Get the car serviced in the | | | | is equally easy. Everyone can enjoy the |
| Fall so it will be ready for holiday travel, | | | | afternoon visiting, playing games, napping, |
| bake and freeze cookies throughout November, | | | | etc. In the evening, they enjoy leftover |
| start addressing Christmas card envelopes | | | | shrimp fried in garlic butter with the |
| during the summer while you're sitting in the | | | | traditional Christmas pies and cookies.Here |
| sun sipping lemonade. If it's too late to | | | | are a couple of traditions that can lighten |
| plan ahead and you're already in the middle | | | | your work load: Instead of an elaborate |
| of mass chaos, don't panic. Memorize the | | | | holiday meal, how about having friends in for |
| Serenity Prayer and repeat it daily! (God | | | | a potluck Christmas Eve supper where you |
| grant me the serenity to accept the things I | | | | provide only the dessert? Another tradition |
| cannot change, the courage to change the | | | | kids love is going out for pizza on Christmas |
| things I can, and the wisdom to know the | | | | Eve.It's the little things that make life |
| difference!)5) SPEND LESS MONEY: Nothing adds | | | | more meaningful. I like the idea of starting |
| stress to the season like worrying about how | | | | a Christmas tradition of practicing |
| you'll pay the credit card bill come January. | | | | not-so-random acts of kindness each holiday |
| Remember that it's the thought that counts. | | | | season and maybe even extending this |
| Think of creative gifts you can give that | | | | "kindness throughout the year.ITEMS 7 |
| cost less but express your love.A) Tell | | | | THROUGH 10 CAN ALL BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH |
| those on your gift list that instead of | | | | VOLUNTEERING to focus on others and help |
| presents this year, you'll be providing warm | | | | someone outside your family. Kids love to |
| clothing and food for a needy child or | | | | give and help. They just need |
| sending a donation to your favorite charity | | | | encouragement, guidance, and opportunities to |
| in their honor. Chances are they really | | | | reach out.Volunteering is a great way to |
| don't need anything anyway, and it will warm | | | | teach children compassion. It develops |
| their hearts to know you're doing good in | | | | character, leadership, self esteem and a |
| their name.B) Keep a journal of all your | | | | sense of community. Volunteering also helps |
| expenditures. Know each day how much you've | | | | offset the materialism of our culture. The |
| spent so far. You will probably be shocked | | | | key is finding a cause the whole family can |
| to learn how fast it adds up and this | | | | identify with.One creative idea is to set up |
| knowlege may help you control your | | | | a gift-wrapping station in a mall to raise |
| spending.B) Stay out of stores as much as | | | | money for a charity. A great way to |
| possible. Every time you step foot into a | | | | volunteer that can involve kids of every age |
| mall, you are subjected to clever marketing | | | | would be to visit nursing homes and maybe |
| tactics. Shop fast. The more time you | | | | even take holiday decorations that your |
| spend in the store, the more money it will | | | | family has made. Here's another suggestion: |
| cost you.C) Consider inexpensive but | | | | Find some children who need cheery mail and |
| heartwarming gifts like handmade frames | | | | work as a family making cards for them. |
| filled with favorite photos or cassette | | | | There are hundreds of such children in need |
| tapes of your family reading books. Home made | | | | of smiles featured on the HUGS and HOPE |
| breads, jams, or sauces make great gifts | | | | Club's web site at Your family can also |
| that everyone appreciates; and creating them | | | | sponsor a child for Christmas through the |
| provides family time to boot.D) One year, my | | | | Hugs and Hope Elf Program. It's fun to shop |
| family had great fun cutting evergreen boughs | | | | for and wrap items from your sponsored |
| and making wreaths for everyone on our gift | | | | child's wish list.Then . . . you can |
| list. All we had to buy was wire and | | | | RELAX:To enjoy this season, we must remember |
| ribbon.E) How about giving a few of your own | | | | what is truly important. All ten of our |
| special treasures as gifts? Perhaps a book | | | | suggestions involve togetherness, sharing, |
| you love or a special knick knack or piece of | | | | helping, enjoying, savoring the moments. The |
| jewelry someone has admired? A gift that's | | | | events of 9-11 have taught us that our time |
| worth more than anything from a store is a | | | | and the people in our lives are precious. |
| handwritten letter telling someone how much | | | | This Christmas will be a season filled with |
| they mean to you.If you must shop, a list is | | | | opportunities to reach out to and enjoy |
| your best friend. To avoid impulse buying, | | | | others. Don't miss them! Commit to |
| buy only what's on your list and pay only | | | | spending more "down time" with others just |
| with cash. You'll think twice before | | | | hanging out -- it's more important than you |
| purchasing an extravagant gift you really | | | | may think. Experience really feeling the |
| can't afford.6) SIMPLIFY GIFT SHOPPING:A) | | | | joy of the season. Make it a "feel good" |
| Plan ahead, make a list, and stick to it. | | | | holiday season rather than a "look good," |
| Shop throughout the year rather than doing it | | | | one-day, picture-perfect event. Create a |
| all at the last minute.B) Instead of | | | | warmer, more loving celebration by focusing |
| individual gifts, buy one item for an entire | | | | on sharing and just being.Now that you've |
| family such as a board game, fast food | | | | learned how to tame your inner Grinch . . . |
| coupons, gift certificates for restaurants or | | | | take a deep breath, turn on the tree lights, |
| stores, phone cards, school supplies, or food | | | | gather your loved ones around you, relax in |
| baskets. Or exchange names within your | | | | your favorite chair, and watch angel |
| family so everyone needs to buy only one | | | | Clarence earn his wings for the forty-third |
| gift, rather than many. I've heard of | | | | time. Only this year, you'll be able to |
| families who stipulated that it had to be a | | | | affirm with George Bailey that it really is |
| garage-sale or a thrift-store item under a | | | | "A Wonderful Life."Marsha Jordan is author of |
| certain price. That made it a lot of fun, as | | | | "Hugs, Hope, and Peanut Butter" a compilation |
| everyone tried to find the best buy.C) Divide | | | | of inspirational essays illustrated by |
| up the shopping. Maybe the wife could | | | | critically ill children. Proceeds from book |
| purchase all the gifts required for women and | | | | sales help sick kids. Jordan founded the HUGS |
| the husband buy all the men's gifts. Teens | | | | and HOPE Foundation, which provides smiles |
| can select gifts for kids their age too.D) | | | | for hospitalized children. |
| Choose a gift theme each year. If the theme | | | | |