Parenting Column

by Meagan Ruffing

Meagan Ruffing is a parenting journalist and mental health therapist. She is going to do her best to steer clear of traffic this month so that she can stay in the holiday spirit.

10 Ways to Get You Into the Holiday Spirit

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This time of year tends to bring out the hurriedness in all of us. I’m guilty of saying things (okay, maybe yelling) in the car that would not normally come out of my mouth. I somehow let the traffic in northwest Arkansas get the best of me at times. To help ease the stress that can inevitably creep up during the holidays, I fall back on a few of my favorite things to help me get back into the holiday spirit. Having a few of these tricks up my sleeve helps me stop a bad day from getting worse.

Turn that Christmas music on.

You had to have known I was going to put this one on the list.

If this type of music isn’t your thing, crank up some other tunes but if you can, sing along to some of your favorite carols and challenge yourself to learn all the words to one that you may not be as familiar with.

Adopt-a-Family. Visit a local church, hop online, or grab a tag off a Christmas tree in your grocery store to buy presents for a family in need. If you cannot find any families to ‘adopt,’ get online and pose the question, “I’m looking for a family to adopt for Christmas this year. Would anyone know where I can find a family in need of presents this year?” Make this a family affair if you can and let your kids pick out gifts for the children on the adopt-a-family tags. Set a budget if you need to and let your kids decide what they think a child with the age listed would like. The wrapping might not be as good as you can do, but that’s okay, try to let your children be a part of this from beginning to end. Giving to those in need always lifts my spirit.

Volunteer. Find a place where you and your family can volunteer this month. It might be at a food bank, soup kitchen, wrapping gifts, or making homemade meals to deliver. It’s so important to donate your time because it’s the most priceless thing you can give. Even though this time of year is busy, we can always make time for what we want. Light a candle. When you’re home on the weekends or you’re home for the night during the week, dim the lights when it gets dark out and light a candle. This is a visual cue to your body and mind that it is time to settle in for the night. The glow of the flame and lights from your tree will offer a warmth of gratitude that will be sure to carry you through to the next day.

Drink hot cocoa and go ice skating. Find a place to go ice skating, even if you are tired and it’s been a long day. You will be so glad you did. If you have kids, take the kids. If you don’t have kids, grab some friends and head out for the night. Getting some fresh air and doing something winter-related will help lift your spirit in the midst of a busy season. Don’t forget to take pictures!

Wrap presents and put a movie on in the background. The first year I was divorced, I didn’t have my kids for Christmas since they were with their dad and I was devastated. It’s still one of the hardest things about being divorced. But, I’ve learned to make my home an oasis of sorts; even when I may be feeling sad. To help get yourself in the holiday spirit, clear a big space on the living room floor and put a cheesy holiday movie on in the background. Make some hot tea and get going on that wrapping. The finished product of all those beautifully wrapped gifts under the tree will help remind you just how magical this time of year can feel.

Look at Christmas lights. Find out where you can go to look at Christmas lights, load up the car, and go! Take your time and enjoy driving through (or walking) as you take in the beauty of the lit-up night. Don’t forget to bring a few dollars with you. Most places have a donation bucket at the end of the light show.

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Host a Christmas cookie exchange. This might sound like a lot of work but it really isn’t. What it is, is a lot of fun. Invite your friends over and have each person bring 24 cookies to share. Be sure to bring an empty tin of some sort so that you can go through the line and get 24 cookies to bring home. Have a charcuterie board for everyone to nibble on and enjoy laughing it up with your friends as you swap holiday stories. Make this an annual thing that everyone (including you) looks forward to.

Bring poinsettias to a friend.

Grocery stores always have a plethora of poinsettias during this time of year. Pick a friend or two to pick one up for and hand-deliver it to them with your Christmas card. It might just be the pick-me-up that someone else needs to get into the holiday spirit.

Mail those Christmas cards out. Even if you had good intentions of sending those cards out but haven’t yet, still do it! They might be late but that’s ok. Your card might be the only card that someone receives that day. Never underestimate how good it feels to share with friends and family the joys in your life through those smiles on your Christmas cards. People like receiving snail mail; especially when it’s something fun like a Christmas card.

Enjoy your holiday season this year and use this list to help you get into the holiday spirit. If you feel yourself getting frustrated, stressed out, or overwhelmed, slow things down a little bit and take it easy. You might just need a simple reset to help you start the next day with a fresh perspective. n