Tips to Keep Your Family Well during the Holidays
Staying healthy, energized and connected during the holidays!
Eleven years ago, my family decided to do away with holiday gift exchanges. We decided to choose presence over presents and we’ve been better for it. You can read in detail about why we made the decision here, but for us nixing the Christmas gifts made the holiday season less stressful, more enjoyable, and put the emphasis on togetherness and fun! In turn, we were able to channel more of our earnings into travel experiences, which meant opportunities to create even more family togetherness and meaningful memories. It might not work for everyone, but I have no regrets.
Whether your holiday season has presents piled high under the tree, meals laid out around the menorah, songs sung around Kwanzaa candles or glasses of nog swigged while denouncing the season Festivus style, I hope you find time to make the season merry with the ones you love. This week’s newsletter aims to make it easier to carry that spirit with you throughout the season.
5 Tips for Family Wellness
Looking to keep your family healthy, energized and connected this holiday season? Here are a few tips!
Schedule In Your Downtime
When we get to the holiday season, our bodies are just itching for a break. Between work, school, extracurricular activities, and life, things can be rather chaotic. For those of us who are planners, we tend to schedule our vacations the same way. Constantly moving from one activity to the next, hoping to squeeze out every last bit from the vacation. Sometimes though, the best medicine for our family’s wellness is downtime. Remember it’s okay to just “be,” so don’t feel the need to schedule out every bit of every day. Allow time for rest, relaxation, and curious exploration to recharge your family’s batteries.
Get out in Nature
Sometimes nature is the best medicine. You might choose to plan your vacation all around being in nature. If so, look into one of these spectacular vacation spots for nature lovers. If you're not all about staying in the outdoors, you can at least plan some activities in nature. If you’re at the beach, plan a swim or a sunset walk on the beach to detach from the hustle and bustle of life. If you’re staying in the mountains, a hike through the wilderness could be what you need to reconnect with nature and enhance your mental wellbeing. While pre-planned excursions can be fun, don’t be afraid to keep it simple. Just being outside can do a lot for your family’s ability to reconnect!
Include Some Laid-Back Family Activities
Not all vacations have to be a hustle! Sometimes the best vacations are the laid-back ones. You might want to book a beachfront condo where your days are filled with swimming, soaking up the sun, or reading a good book. Another option is a cabin in the mountains. Bring some good movies and your favourite board games and get ready to spend your trip snuggling up with the family. No matter what route you choose, remember that vacations can be low-key.
Give to Charity (Big or Small)
The act of giving can really help to brighten the holiday season and no act of charity is too small. Globetrotting Mama has discussed the benefits of charitable giving in this blog post, but this holiday season, you may choose to put your heads together as a family and choose a charity that speaks to you. Not sure what charity to choose? You might want to stick with our theme of wellness this season and donate to a charity that supports mental or physical health. Your donation might change the course of someone’s life!
Connect with Someone You Miss
The holidays are about bringing people together, whether that’s family or friends. Those connections we make throughout our lives are so good for the soul and our mental health. Perhaps this is the holiday season where you carve out some time to connect with a loved one or a friend you haven’t seen in ages.
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