The Holidays Are Upon Us
This post is an in-depth followup to my article on YorkRegion.com
The 2020 holidays are near and will be very different than any other year. We’re being urged to celebrate in-person only with those in our household. No parties to host or attend. It will be a Silent Night. But, have faith, all will be bright soon.
Holidays can be stressful, more so with COVID and the ever-changing restrictions.
Being organized and planning can help to get all you need and want to do done – I live by lists. I make a To-Do list, a gift list of what I have and what I still need to get, baking and ingredient lists and I tackle each in bite-size pieces. I schedule times in my calendar to get things done so I know I have carved out time to do it. When shopping I try to group what I need (be it holiday gifts or groceries) so I am not revisiting the same places repeatedly or going in circles – I try to plan out my route in the mall, driving to various stores or what I need at the grocery store. It sounds more onerous than it is and believe me, it really helps to streamline your time and efforts.
And ultimately, be realistic in what you can get done and spend within your means. This year of all years you can give yourself a break and things do not need to be perfect in every way!
Our family tradition for many years has been to make a donation to a local charity. For us it is to provide a holiday meal to those who need a nourishing dinner and a warm place to be with supportive kind souls around them. We also donate to the food bank. At home, we’ll decorate the house to bring lights and as festive a spirit as possible to this different holiday season. This year there will be lots of calls to extended family and friends near and far – hopefully over Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp or FaceTime to be as face to face and ‘together’ as possible.
There are so many indulgences this time of year and that’s ok. Don’t deny yourself a treat, yet be reasonable about it, whether that be cocktails or sugary sweets. Mix up your holiday treats with healthier choices – fresh veggies and hummus is a great option! If you bake for your home, think about packaging some of your finished sweets up for family and friends to share the home-made joy (and not have so much in your home to all-to-easily nibble on!).
Most importantly, we MUST look after ourselves. In these busy and challenging days, it’s even more important to keep yourself healthy and strong. During times of stress or super busy times, I ask myself, and please, you do the same: Am I drinking enough water? Am I eating enough fruits and veggies? Am I getting out of doors for some exercise? Am I getting enough sleep? If the answer is no, you know what you need to do! And if you feel overwhelmed, I hope you have someone special and trusted in your life to reach out to, to talk to, to get a different perspective of things from and to take strength and guidance from. There are anonymous and private helplines and online resources in every community able to provide support – reach out if you feel you need to.
This holiday season and always, be kind to yourself and others. Take deep breaths. Be grateful. Make space for hope, joy, contentment, happiness, calm and grace.
From our home and table to yours, we wish you a Peaceful and Happy Holidays!
This gluten-free chocolate torte is a perfect holiday treat.