Tips for Enjoying the Holidays

Feelings about holidays are quite personal. They can cause one to feel happy, sad, or ambivalent. Holidays may lead to over-scheduling, overindulging, and overspending. A person may assume multiple entertaining roles, spend too much or too little time with family, have personal or family illness to contend with, or have expectations of what one should or should not do.

Here are ten tips (recommended by Johns Hopkins School of Medicine) to make the most of your holiday season.

1. “Reflect on what is important to you during the holidays.” Ahead of time, ask yourself who you would like to spend time with and who you would not. Think about how you would like to spend the time.

2. Plan ahead. Be sure to plan at least one activity that is important to you. Planning ahead gives you something to look forward to doing as well as giving you a sense of control.

3. “Communicate clearly how others can assist or support you. Accept offers to help shop, wrap, or cook. Some people may not know how best to help, especially if your needs and desires have changed from last year. Most people are happy to help as long as they understand clearly what you want, and they have enough time to provide the support.”

4. Pace yourself! The holiday season is a marathon, not a sprint! Avoid compromising physical and mental health by engaging in extra social gatherings. Remember you can’t do everything or be everything to everyone. Ask yourself if you are a person who can say “no” and feel no guilt! “Allow yourself the opportunity to grieve the loss of giving up some activities.”

5. Maintain a healthy lifestyle by continuing your daily routine. Maintain regular diet, exercise, rest, and sleep as usual.

6. Manage spending. “It’s easy to feel the pressure of consumerism during the holidays. Decrease the financial stress by making and sticking to a budget. Thoughtfulness need not come with a hefty price tag. Gift solutions include: reducing the number of gifts; initiating a gift exchange; giving to a favorite charity in family members’ names; and providing gift certificates for babysitting, snow shoveling, a home-cooked meal, or time together.”

7. Monitor alcohol and medications – individually and when combined. During holidays, it is easy to overindulge in alcohol. It is very important to know how alcohol may affect the medications an individual is prescribed and the OTC drugs one uses. Moderation is key as well as knowing the interactions. During holidays one may be tempted to skip a usual medication. Remember missed doses may cause a medical issue that requires emergency care.

8. Manage expectations of family gatherings. When multiple generations and multiple families celebrate together, it can be challenging to feel being part of the conversation or to be heard and understood. Be flexible in being part of the “conversation”.

9. Think ahead about stories or observations from the past that you would like to share. You may know how a specific family tradition began or have a funny story to tell about the holidays when you were a child.

10. Following the holiday, reflect on what went well and what didn’t. Jot down the improvements you would like to make for next year.

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