The Canadian Mental Health Association offers 10 tips for holiday peace of mind:
? Plan ahead. If you're entertaining, use the "keep it simple" strategy. Try menus you can make ahead of time or at least partially prepare and freeze. Decorate, cook, shop, or do whatever's on your list in advance. Then you can really relax and enjoy visiting friends, relatives and coworkers.
? Organize and delegate as much as possible. Make a list and check it twice. Have a family meeting and make a commitment to share tasks. Kids can help with gift-wrapping, decorating, baking, or addressing cards. Don't overextend yourself with too many commitments. Focus on doing what's really important to you and your family. If it's hard to choose between activities, rotate outings every two or three years.
? Beware of overindulgence. Having a few too many glasses of eggnog can dampen your holiday spirit since alcohol is a depressant. Eating well, exercising regularly and getting a good night's sleep can help you battle stress, winter blues, even colds.
? Stay within budget. Finances are still a great stressor for many people. Set a budget and stay within it. A call, a visit or a note to tell someone how important they are to you can be as touching as and more meaningful than a gift. You can also enjoy free activities like walking or driving around to look at holiday decorations, going window shopping without buying, or making your own decorations or presents.
? Remember what the holiday season is about for you. Remember that this season is really about sharing, loving and time spent with family and loved ones. Develop your own meaningful family traditions that don't have to cost a lot of money.
? Invite others. If you have few family or friends, reach out to neighbours. If you're part of a family gathering, invite someone you know is alone to your gathering.
? Make gift giving easier and less expensive. Try putting family members and partners' names in a hat and buy one gift for the person you draw; this can help reduce expenses and refocus energy on thoughtfulness, creativity and truly personal gifts. Encourage children to make gifts for friends and relatives so the focus is on giving rather than buying.
? Remember the weather doesn't help. Some people get the winter blahs each year, and a much smaller number (two-three per cent) develop seasonal affective disorder (SAD). If your low mood carries on into the new year and starts to affect your daily life, you should see your family doctor.
? Learn stress-busting skills you can use year-round. If the holidays often get you down, you may struggle with stress, low mood and worry at other times of year. The Canadian Mental Health Association offers free programs to help develop skills to better manage problems, practise healthy thinking, and build confidence. For more information visit llttf.ca or bouncebackbc.ca.
