Your 2008 guide to surviving the holidays with your sanity intact
By Lisa Snider 12/04/2008
Let me guess: Your Thanksgiving turkey hangover hasn’t even worn off yet and you are already looking for your next tryptophan fix. But what’s really driving your belief that you are hungry and your insatiable desire to seek comfort in buttery mashed potatoes is rooted much deeper in the pit of your growling stomach — it’s stress.
For some, the holidays are a joyful time spent with family and friends. While for others, this time of year can be a source of regret and despair. And then there are those who are natural cynics and simply love to despise the holiday season.
We call them Grinches.
The Grinches among us only see the overwhelm of the holidays: the shopping, the bills, the wrapping, the envelope licking, the baking (the burning) and the dysfunctional relatives. They lose their cool when faced with Aunt Bunny’s penchant for smoking at the dinner table and emptying her ashtray into the recycle bin. The Grinches want to prove Uncle Dork wrong when he starts in with another rant, getting all philosophical about his twisted version of politics. And I know one Grinch in particular who gets a little too worked up, wagging her finger and raising her voice at the little darlings who run roughshod through the house leaving bubble gum and horned lizards in their wake.
Don’t be a Grinch! Here are a few tips to maintain your sanity and keep your mind and body healthy over the next 30 days:
Make a list, check it twice. Get yourself organized by writing down all the sources of stress in your life right now. Break down each item into manageable tasks with deadlines. Put your deadlines on a calendar that you will look at every day.
Don’t binge. While it may be tempting to down all of the leftover mashed potatoes and chug the rest of the gravy, your body and mind will thank you for, instead, having just a spoonful and a big glass of water.
Don’t spike the eggnog. Along with all of the over-eating, there’s the over-drinking.
A glass of wine or two with your turkey dinner might be fine,
but any more than that and tongues become looser, turning inevitably into words of regret, poor decisions and a blistering hangover.
Divide up the chores. Ask visitors to bring a dish. Decide ahead of time who will help with setting up and cleaning.
Let it go. The recycle bin will be tainted with cigarette butts. The turkey carcass will be thrown away before it can make soup stock. There may be a live lizard in your house. It’s OK.
Keep the peace. Change the subject when Uncle Dork starts talking politics. Introduce topics at the dinner table that are positive and that everyone can agree on. Jot these down before everyone arrives.
Steal away and meditate. Find a quiet place and give yourself a few minutes to breathe and to think of those things in your life that give you strength and peace. Think of five things that give you joy.
Exercise. Get outdoors and take a long brisk walk. When things become stressful, physical activity that gets the heart and blood pumping will help redirect your attention to something more positive and good for you.
Lisa Snider is a local freelance writer. For more, go to www.LisaSnider.com.
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