| The holiday season can be exciting and fun, but it | | | | offer meals to the homeless and needy. You can |
| can also be exhausting or lonely for some. | | | | be with others and feel wonderful about the way |
| Retirees need to keep in mind some simple but | | | | you spend the day by volunteering to help with |
| helpful tips for making the season more enjoyable | | | | preparation and serving of the meals. |
| and less stressful. | | | | 4.Don't lose sight of the budget. Overspending |
| 1.Keep your focus on the reason for the season. | | | | during the holidays is very easy. But it can create |
| The holiday season - no matter what your | | | | a lot of stress in January when the bills start to |
| religious faith - is a time of celebration and spiritual | | | | arrive. It is so much fun making purchases of |
| refreshment. The beginning of a new year can be | | | | gifts for children and grandchildren that the budget |
| a time of new commitments, new beginnings and | | | | can easily be forgotten. Be honest and realistic |
| new opportunities. The season offers a reminder | | | | about what you can afford to spend on gifts and |
| and a chance to reorder our priorities and make | | | | entertaining. Then stick to the budget. Keep in |
| the most of each day. Adjusting our perspective | | | | mind that a modestly-priced gift that fits the |
| in light of spiritual teachings can bring brightness | | | | recipient can mean more than the most |
| and hope into our daily lives throughout the | | | | expensive new thing available. Some families |
| coming year. | | | | manage spending by setting clear limits on the |
| 2.Pace yourself. Many people arrive at the actual | | | | cost of gifts for the adults in the family. This |
| holiday too exhausted from preparations to | | | | allows them to spend more on the younger |
| actually enjoy the day. Many people find it helpful | | | | children. Be creative in thinking about holiday |
| to limit the amount of time and energy spent on | | | | spending and try to keep your focus on the right |
| any part of the preparations for the holiday at a | | | | gift for each individual rather than the most |
| given time. Some people structure their days to | | | | expensive. |
| shop for two hours, then rest for one hour, and | | | | 5.Don't lose sight of your dietary needs. Many of |
| then do another task. It is also important to pace | | | | us have special dietary needs as we grow older. |
| yourself in terms of activities and events. | | | | Whether we are just eating smart or we are |
| Sometimes, what we need most is control over | | | | watching sugars, fats and cholesterol, many of us |
| our time and activities. If you are becoming | | | | need to maintain a healthy diet - even during the |
| overwhelmed by the array of events and | | | | holidays. In most cases, it is okay to splurge a bit |
| activities and you find that your schedule is filling | | | | at a holiday dinner or party if we adjust our diets |
| rapidly, you might do well to make some choices. | | | | during the rest of the day to keep our overall diet |
| Limiting your activities to the most important | | | | within bounds. Remember that making yourself |
| events might help you pace yourself and prevent | | | | sick by ignoring your dietary needs will not make |
| the exhaustion that can drain the fun from | | | | the holiday more enjoyable for you or those |
| everything. | | | | around you. |
| 3.Don't be alone unless you want to be. The | | | | I hope these very practical tips will help you get |
| holiday season can be very sad and depressing | | | | the greatest possible enjoyment and renewal |
| for those who find themselves alone. If you don't | | | | from the holiday season. By keeping things in |
| have family or friends nearby with whom you | | | | perspective and monitoring spending and diet, you |
| plan to spend part of the holiday, you can still | | | | will probably enjoy the holidays more. Pacing |
| spend the day with others. Check in your | | | | yourself and keeping a view to the meaning of |
| community for gatherings of others who would | | | | the season in your belief system will help you |
| otherwise be alone. Or - better yet - find a | | | | avoid exhaustion and renew yourself as the New |
| community opportunity to help others on the | | | | Year begins. |
| holiday. Most communities have programs that | | | | |