HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2006-12-20, Page 3434
TIMES -ADVOCATE
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Meanie
By Marsha Jordan
Have a less stressful Christmas. Does
your Christmas spirit get lost in the fren-
zy this time of year? Is your household
so hectic during December that it could
drive even Bob Cratchit to tear out his
hair? Well, you might as well face the
fact that not even the Grinch can stop
Christmas from coming; so we must
learn strategies for surviving the holi-
days with our sanity (and our hair)
intact. It is possible to go from stressed
to blessed. Create a simpler, more joyful
Christmas this year. Follow these 10
Grinch -busting tips and you'll slide from
overwhelmed to overjoyed:
1. Lower expectations: Don't fall for
the hype and myth -takes that can ruin
your holiday. You'll make yourself crazy
comparing your home, your holiday,
your family, with anyone or anything
that makes you feel less than perfect.
Remember, you are not Martha Stewart!
Stop trying to win the perfect holiday
award for the best cookies, the most
elaborate decorations, or the biggest
gifts. Remember these four important
words throughout the holiday season:
Do less, enjoy more;
2. Change routines: Why do we feel
that we must continue forever to do
things just as we've always done them?
Don't be bound by past traditions. Think
outside the box and consider new ways
of doing things to make it easier on
yourself;
• Instead of exchanging gifts with co-
workers or extended family, how about
choosing a charity to help?
• Who says you HAVE to cook a huge
meal for 30 people every year? Could
you, have a simple gathering instead?
1 and less stressful holiday
Better yet, let another relative take a
turn at hosting this year's celebration.
• When did we decide we needed 37
different varieties of Christmas cookies
each year? If you MUST have a variety
of cookies, go to or host a cookie
exchange where everybody bakes one
type but takes home several of all the
other varieties;
3. Don't do it all yourself: Involve every
member of the family right down to the
toddlers. If you can't do it together, then
maybe it's not something you need to do
at all. Turn decorating,
shopping, gift -wrapping,
baking, and even house
cleaning into family -time
activities;
4. Plan ahead: Work
ti
smarter, not harder. Do as
much as you can in the
months before Christmas to
leave December open for
spontaneous joy. Get the
car serviced in the Fall so it will be
ready for holiday travel, bake and
freeze cookies throughout November,
start addressing Christmas card
envelopes during the summer while
you're sitting in the sun sipping lemon-
ade;
5. Spend less money: Nothing adds
stress to the season like worrying about
how you'll pay the credit card bill come
January. Remember that it's the thought
that counts. Think of creative gifts you
can give that cost less but express your
love. Keep a journal of all your expendi-
tures. Know each day how much you've
spent so far. Shop fast. The more time
you spend in the store, the more money
it will cost you;
6. Simplify gift shopping: Plan ahead,
make a list and stick to it. Shop
throughout the year rather than doing it
all at the last minute.Instead of individ-
ual gifts, buy one item for an entire fam-
ily such as a board game;
7. Celebrate family and community:
Schedule time for fun and relaxing
together. Put it on your calendar and
make it top priority. Don't let anything
get in your way. If you're too busy to
drive through the neighborhood with the
kids looking at the lights and listening to
Christmas music,
re -arrange your
schedule. Whatever
you're planning to
ydo, share it with
someone and make it
Tl.
Controlling the chaos
Potentially deadly situations are often overlooked by parents and care-
givers. Awareness is key in keeping our children safe. Preparing the holi-
day meal is a big job. Even bigger when you've got a toddler hanging off
your leg. With the holidays upon us, the "Paranoid Sisters" Lisa Carter
and Lori Marques authors of Child Safety Made Easy have a few sugges-
tions for parents and caregivers to follow while cooking the holiday meal:
1. Assign an adult to watch over little ones outside of the kitchen.
With hot baking dishes swishing by, pots of boiling water being carried
to the sink, every burner on the stove working double time and a scald-
ing hot oven opening and closing, you don't want children running
through the kitchen;
2. Check your fire extinguisher. Is it in proper working condition? Do
you know how to use it?
3. Put any sharp objects into the sink immediately after use. You
don't want a wandering little one to come in and pull it off the counter;
4. Use the back burners first, then use the front ones when the back
ones are full. Be sure to turn the pot handles in;
5. Use the same supervising system during kitchen cleanup as during
cooking. Empty all glasses with alcoholic beverages into sink so little
ones don't accidentally take a sip.
Give the gift that motivates
(NC)—No sooner have the last of the
Christmas cookies disappeared when
the resolution lists begin. But, for
many people, the reality is that reso-
lutions fizzle before they even get
started.
This year, start 2007 off right by
adding gifts to holiday wish lists that
are guaranteed to kick New Year's
resolutions into gear and be used as
personal motivators:
• Work out more - pump it up and
get out with an MP3 player that can
help increase energy and desire to
meet fitness and weight loss goals.
• Get organized - eliminate garbage
and get organized with portable flash
drives created to help clean up per-
sonal files and computers.
• Don't sleep in - dreams of getting
up earlier can now be achieved.
Sleepy heads everywhere can take
solace in new and improved alarm
clocks designed to drag even the
deepest of sleepers out of bed.
• Be on time - commuters can be
more efficient with time by using GPS
systems like the Sony nav-u to navi-
gate alternate routes and arrive on
time.
• Spend less time at the office -
VAIO Notebook computers are an
effective tool for working from home
more frequently and avoiding unnec-
essary trips to the office.
Whatever the resolution may be,
planning in advance can help create a
unique way of maintaining and
achieving personal goals.
POLICE BRIEF
Rec Centre
vehicle theft
EXETER — Two vehicles were bro-
ken into Dec. 3 at the South Huron
Recreation Centre in Exeter. Parties
gained entry into a 1996 Chevrolet
Cavalier and a 1988 Buick. Stolen
from the Buick was a Sony Explode
stereo valued at $250.
quality time;
8. Create lasting,
loving memories: Be
{ selective. Don't fill
every moment of the
season with frantic activity.
Think quality, not quantity.
Reading stories together, a relaxed tree -
trimming, singing carols, making snow
angels, or just enjoying the evening stars
and sharing a cup of hot cocoa can be
more enjoyable than attending every
play, concert, and party of the season.
Volunteer as a family to sort food at a
food bank, organize a toy or coat drive,
deliver meals on wheels, or serve
Christmas dinner at a shelter. These are
memories you'll cherish forever;
9. Tame the greedies: Steer the fami-
ly's focus toward the needs of others
and how your family can render service.
Help everyone to develop an attitude of
gratitude instead of always wanting
something more. Talk about ways to
share the season's joy with others.
Instead of wish lists, make a list of ways
to practice generosity. These might
include helping someone with shoveling,
shopping, decorating, or baking. Or
choose a volunteer project you can work
on together as a family. Keep the TV
turned off as much as possible to avoid
commercials;
10. Create fun new traditions: Buy a
new cookie cutter each year to add to a
collection, or shop as a family to buy an
early Christmas present for yourselves
like a board game you can play through-
out December.
It's the little things that make life more
meaningful. I like the idea of starting a
Christmas tradition of practicing not -so -
random acts of kindness each holiday
season and maybe even extending this
kindness throughout the year.
Volunteering is a great way to teach
children compassion. It develops charac-
ter, leadership, self esteem and a sense
of community. Volunteering also helps
offset the materialism of our culture.
The key is finding a cause the whole
family can identify with. Find some chil-
dren who need cheery mail and work as
a family making cards for them. Then . .
. you can RELAX:
Now that you've learned how to tame
your inner Grinch ... take a deep
breath, turn on the tree lights, gather
your loved ones around you, relax in
your favorite chair, and watch angel
Clarence earn his wings for the forty-
third time. Only this year, you'll be able
to affirm with George Bailey that it real-
ly is "A Wonderful Life."
FROM THE
DINNEYS STAFF
Back row: L -R Jim, Barry, Leonard, John, front row: Jacquie, Jean, Rae Ann.
MAY ALL THE
MAGIC OF THE
SEASON
ENRICH YOUR
HOLIDAY!
OUR BEST
WISHES TO
YOU AND
YOURS!
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Located in Exeter at 467 Main Street 235-0173