Holiday Stress Busters

Here it is again! That time of year when everyone is runnig around trying to find the Christmas spirit, or the ”perfect gift” how to afford “Just a little something”. Here are a few ideas that won’t cost you a cent and don’t take much time.

1.Try aroma therapy. No, don’t buy extra candles or room fresheners. Instead, put a little water in a small pan on the back of you stove while dinne ris cooking. add a stick of cinnamon or a few cloves and some grated orange peel. Just let that simmer for awhile and enjoy the fragrance.

2. Take a warm bath, not a hot bath, but a pleasantly warm one. Add a few sprigs of Rosemary or crushed mint of lavender in your bath water. Wrap these up in a hanky and tie it with a ribbon or string so the herbs aren’t floating in the water. Light a candle, turn the lights off and sink down into a relaxing bath. Linger awhile.  

3 Delagate instead of multi-tasking. If you need to go to the grocery store, take a list and divvy it up. Just cut it in pieces to equal the number of people that you can find to share the shopping. Split up and all agree  to meet at the front of the store. Be specific on your list If you want choclate ice cream instead of any flavor say so, but if you are willing to give up a little control, let the helper choose and relax even more.

4. Avoid as many stores and mobs as you can on an incidental basis. It’s fine if this is a planned event and you are looking forward to being out and about. But, if you are already stressed or broke, you don’t need to fight your way through alot of strangers on mission at the end of a long day.

The  thing to remember is you want to have enough energy to enjoy friends and family  You don’t have to participate in the many holiday activities that occur this time of year. You can pick and choose. You don’t have to wear yourself out. Just relax, take some deep breaths, put your feet up and be glad things have gone as well as they have this past year.