"The one concern that unites virtually all the people we've talked to is a yearning for a simpler, less commercial, more soul-satisfying celebration." Jo Robinson and Jean Staeheli, Unplug the Christmas Machine, 1991
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To register for stress management programs and services, contact Rana Chudnofsky at 617.643.6068 or rchudnofsky@partners.orgRelieving Holiday Stress
Are we having fun yet?
If this has become your family's holiday refrain, maybe it's time to STOP, BREATHE, REFLECT, and CHOSE a different avenue this year. Patricia Martin Arcari, PhD, director of the Mind Body Program for Mothers, offers the following tips to help families reclaim the joy of holiday time:
Tips for Returning Comfort and Joy to Your Holidays
- Spend some quiet time discussing what is important and meaningful to your family. Try to balance parties and spending with charitable endeavors.
- Prioritize so you're not overloading your schedule. A handful of activities allow you to enjoy each one more fully.
- Try to be mindful - in other words, focus on (and savor) the activity at hand rather than already anticipating what's next.
- If the traffic or line for Santa starts your blood boiling, take deep (diaphragmatic) breaths, holding each one, and count back from 5. These "mini-relaxations" can keep you calm on even the most stressful days.
- Be prepared to cancel plans if obstacles present themselves and the kids are melting down. Your vision of an old-fashioned stroll through the lighted Common should be abandoned when it's past bedtime and the wind chill is -10.
- You are not Martha Stewart - enough said.
- Be open to the one "close-to-perfect" moment. It may be unexpected, but it will leave you feeling warm and gratified.
