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