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The Healthiest Holidays Ever

November 27, 2012   15 Comments

This is my photo of Santa at the end of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. What is he so happy about?

Healthiest Holiday Tip

He seems to be swinging up his arms in jubilation at the suffering he has wrought with opening the holiday season. Hey, Mr., you got elves to help you!! How about sending some of those cuties over to my house? Or, better yet, a masseuse named Sven?

His presence indicates that it is time to rev our engines. Vroooom. I know that your list is as long as mine is. On top of our regular obligations, we have all the other fun stuff. Cookie making, holiday card sending, present wrapping, post office line standing.....bah humbug.

I am going to make life easier for you with my tip for the healthiest holiday EVER.

Instead of a pine tree, decorate a pineapple for Christmas. Yes, I am serious. On December 23rd, go out and buy yourself a nice pineapple and do this:

On December 25th, undo the lights and have yourself some fresh pineapple. Your Christmas pineapple serves two purposes, decoration and snack (not unlike those candy covered gingerbread houses).

I just saved you a bunch of money, time, and you get to feel good about your environmentally savvy choice.

:)

Actually, my Christmas pineapple is a symbol of letting go. Can’t get to the cards this year? Breathe! The latest toy sold out at Toys-R-Us? Count to ten. Don’t have time to decorate the tree? Buy a pineapple.

I am guilty of creating a vision of how I want to holidays to turn out. For example, I brought my children to NYC to see the big parade (hence the photo). At the end, my daughter informed me she liked it better on TV. Here I was, intending to give her the gift of the biggest holiday parade LIVE and she liked the small box version. Oh well.

What really matters is your attitude.

This year just smile at the overwhelming pile of stuff you are supposed to do - and just do the stuff that really matters to you and your friends and family.

Think pineapple.

How do you deal with holiday stress?

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15 Comments:

I love the pineapple idea! Some years ago I was stressed about sending cards and didn't get to them. So on the day after Christmas, I mailed out New Year cards and I've never looked back. No more card stress. The other thing I do is keep to my gym schedule. Making sure to get in my regular workouts makes all the difference.

When I first moved into with my husband I lost track of time during the holidays. I got the cards done and the tree and everything else that needed to get done EXCEPT wrapping the gifts. Now santa doesn't wrap at my house, (makes is a lot easier) So I was left with my husbands and 2 kids gifts left to be wrap on the 24th with a house full of people coming. I went up stairs and got some paper. I had "matching paper" in different colors. I came down stairs and started wrapping. I wrapped all of each persons pile of gifts in the same colored paper. That was 2004 and it has stuck ever since. NO tags, ribbons or bows. The kids pick out their paper now and look forward to that choice. It has helped with the stress of the season, plus I don't wait till the last minute anymore!

Remember the reason for the season. It makes everything else seem trivial. Merry Christmas!

I love the pineapple idea, and while I may not do it, it puts everything into perspective. I have been unemployed for 4 years now, and while I am still actively looking for a job (hope springs eternal), I now know to not sweat the small stuff. I now understand what is really important and try to do things for others that don't cost money, but are heartfelt.

Happy Holidays to all!

Denise

"This year just smile at the overwhelming pile of stuff you are supposed to do - and just do the stuff that really matters to you and your friends and family." Amen Sister!

I love this post! I always feel a bit grinch-y around the holidays, because it seems more like Stress-mas with everything that needs to be done, but I like your attitude & will try to think PINEAPPLE!

I LOVE CHRISTMAS!! December is my busiest month of my work year, so automatically I always have to plan ahead. Quite frankly, what is Christmas anyway? It's a celebration of God's son, family and love for one another. If you are too sressed to give time to those things, you do not need a TO DO list you need a new list of priorities. Make it merry, everyone!! It should be "a most wonderful time of the year".

I really needed to read this after a full weekend of trying to get the tree up and decorated. There was smoke, scissors and more than a few cinnamon rolls consumed in the process. This year I am going to think pineapple.

Last year, I didn't feel like putting up the tree or decorations. We were only having people over once, so it seemed like kind of a waste. I skipped cards, too... and I didn't feel guilty. I still enjoyed Christmas when we traveled to visit family. My advice: do what you WANT to do. That'll make you happy.

I love this! And I love the pineapple. I shared your link on my FB page. Can I post the pineapple alone and use in email if I give you credit?

I love Christmas I always have. I have two boys and I live buying them gifts. I can't wait for me and Santa to bring them smiles. I must be honest though I wish I didn't have to get gifts for anyone aside from them and my husband. I started doing homemade gifts a few yrs back (jam, hot fudge etc) but my list seems endless. I have many nieces and nephews and quite a few birthdays this month and I hate it. I wish it didn't have to be about getting something for everyone, I don't need anything myself. Ahhhh feels good to get that off my chest..... Back to wrapping

I gave up on Christmas cards once I started having kids. Now we do Valentine's Day cards...I have the energy for it then and it doesn't feel like a chore.

@Jennifer - please use the pineapple photo (with credit) and spread the pineapple philosophy.

It is all about the first Christmas and family.

I'll have to say that the pineapple idea is great!

As far as the parade; not nearly as good as the old days (52 here)!

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