Another holiday is in full swing. Today I want to offer you some tips to make this a better season for you and your family.
Remember what the holidays are really about. It’s about spending quality time with family, friends and loved ones. It’s about giving love and joy to others. Watch your expectations; make sure they are realistic. We try for perfection during the holidays and we tend to forget what the holidays are really about.
Take care of yourself during this month. We worry so much about setting a nice table; buying and cooking the food; decorating the house; buying the presents; etc., we forget to take a time out and spend some quiet time alone. If we aren’t feeling mentally, physically and emotionally healthy, how we will be able to have a good holiday?
Gratitude- this is the time of year that we should spend more time counting our blessings, remembering what we have instead of worrying about what we don’t. Instead of “Keeping up with the Jones’s,” take a minute to appreciate the abundance of love, health, family, and friends. Teach your kids about abundance. They should know that the most important things in life are the things that make us the happiest: good relationships with family and friends, a partner we can share our life with and a full schedule of social activities that involve lots of smiling and laughing
Be upfront financially- tell family and friends what you can and can’t do early on. If you know this will be a tough financial holiday season, then recommend other options such as: buying for the kids only, a grab bag, the charity option (everyone gives to a charity – whatever they can afford) instead of a gift, play a fun game like Yankee Swap where everyone buys one gift (set a value for it), or learn from our children – homemade gifts!
As much as possible, enjoy all the special moments this month brings, and let go of what doesn’t go so well. In just a few weeks, we will enter another new year full of fresh opportunities to begin again. Try to spend some time this month reflecting on the past year and thinking about what you want to bring into the next year.
Happy Holidays to each of you my friends. I’ll be taking a break from this blog until the new year.
