30 days of holiday stress relief

Your level of stress can determine whether the holidays become a hair-pulling, teeth-grinding experience or a wonderful time spent relaxing and appreciating loved ones. This 30-day countdown of stress busters will help put you in tune with your body and emotions and help you to conquer the stressors in your life. Give yourself the greatest gift of all this season -- the gift of a stress-free holiday.

Dec. 1: Give your expectations a reality check and go easy on yourself. Set priorities, plan and delegate. Make a holiday to-do list and a timeline. Treat yourself to a night at home and a soak in the tub. Try to fit in some exercise as it releases endorphins and helps lower blood pressure, or meditate. 

Dec. 2: Pace yourself. If you can't avoid an overly full schedule one day, ease up the next. Get a good night's sleep. Get your fill of veggies and high-quality protein foods (nuts, beans and fish). Stay in one night and treat yourself to a healthy home-cooked meal and hit the sack early.

Dec. 3: Get walking. Turn your myriad trips to the mall into mini workouts. Arrive early and walk around the mall where you can window shop looking for bargains and gift ideas. Depending on your weight, walking at a moderate pace can burn 100 to 200 calories in 30 minutes, which means you can burn off the equivalent of two oatmeal cookies if you stride around the mall before the stores open.
(December 1-3 by Helen Keeler)

Dec. 5: Make the most of all that snow by working out on the slopes. Not only will it release good-for-you endorphins, but it also creates a great opportunity to bond with family and friends while on the ski lift or cuddled up by a roaring fire.

Dec. 6: Get enough sleep. Sleep and stress go hand-in-hand. Without enough sleep you may find it harder to deal with stress and stress may be keeping you from getting a good night's rest. Click here for five steps to help you get the quality sleep you need.

Dec. 7: Plan parties in advance. Our advice for the holiday hostess: don't wait until the last-minute to do party prep work. Many hostessing chores can be done days before a party so you can take the load off during the day of the event.

Dec. 8: Take time to enjoy a good book. Whether you're reading your book club's latest pick or you're sitting down to savour that classic you never got around to reading, getting cozy with a novel can help to take your mind off your to-do list so you can return to holiday planning reenergized.

Dec. 9: Visit with friends. There's nothing more energizing than a good chat with a few close friends. So make a coffee date with a few girlfriends or just pick up the phone for some instant stress relief.

Dec. 10: Don't forget a little romance. Studies show that sex relieves stress so get in the mood by reviving the romance in your relationship.

Dec. 11: Learn to delegate. Even one other person helping you out can lighten the workload, so take advantage of any partners, siblings, or children milling around and put them to work.

Dec.12: Get your shopping done early. There's no need to wait for the mob of holiday shoppers to signify the start of your hunt for the perfect presents.

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Dec. 13: Rejuvenate at a spa. Take some much-needed me-time and unwind at a spa. If you can spare the time, book an entire day or half-day to indulge in treatments but if you're strapped for cash around this time of year, even a little pampering like a manicure will revitalize your spirits.

Dec. 14: Meditate your stress away. Meditation doesn't take long, so take a quick moment to quiet your mind and do some deep breathing for an instant lift. 

Dec. 15: Ease into yoga. Stay in tune with your body during this frantic time of year with a yoga session at your local studio.

Dec. 16: Be prepared
Publisher Sarah MacLachlan decorates her house the second week in December. Michelle Josephson, a decorator, bakes shortbread and freezes it until she's ready to bring it as hostess gifts or serve it at her own parties. It may sound simple, but taking time to prepare before party day will make you a more relaxed hostess so you can concentrate on what's really important: setting the right tone for the occasion and enjoying the company in your home.

Dec. 17: Pare down the invite list
Limit your guest list to friends and family you enjoy rather than those you feel obligated to include in the festivities. To avoid a Third World War over not inviting your second cousin Marvin to your big bash on Christmas Day, try initiating several smaller gatherings before, or even after, the holiday season.

Dec. 18: Give up on perfect
Sure, throwing holiday parties is fun. You get to plan the menu, fuss over the decor and play hostess-with-the-mostest. But taking on too much during the holidays will only leave you exhausted and resentful. Just ask Kate Larkin, a mother of three. "This past Christmas, I wanted to do it all," says Kate, who thought it would be a brilliant idea to host four generations of her entire extended family -- on both sides -- in her new house from Christmas right through New Year's. "Every night I was serving up these beautiful dinners for an army. By Day 6, I realized that I was spending my entire holiday in the kitchen. I was filled with these visions of Martha Stewart, but ended up a crabby exhausted wreck."
(December 16-18 by Karen von Hahn)

Dec. 19: Be good to your body and it'll be good to you. Although cocktails, wine and spirits will be flowing at many holiday parties, you don't want to suffer through the stress of a hangover, so carefully monitor your alcohol intake. If you happen to overindulge, here are 7 hangover helpers.

Dec. 20: Indulge in some comfort food that's good for the soul and good for your body too. Here are 7 slimming comfort foods to satisfy your appetite in delicious and nutritious ways.

Dec. 21: Cuddle up with a cup of tea. Tea is not only comforting but doctors believe certain kinds can ward off cancer. Plus, nothing's cozier on a chilly winter evening than a warm cuppa.

Dec. 22: Admit it; you have a bit of last-minute shopping to do even though you promised yourself this year would be different. Take your patience with you to the mall but be smart when you stop for a bite in the food court.

Dec. 23: Do a little de-cluttering before the big day so you can relax in a clean space but if you have some clutter-producing family members, here's how to manage those messy family members.

Dec. 24: Show a little appreciation. Your spouse or partner may have lost your attention as you prepared for the holidays but now that the finish line is in sight, take a few moments to practise the art of appreciation.

Dec. 25: YOU MADE IT! Now it's time to eat, drink and be merry.

Dec. 26: On a day when a lot of people are back in the malls, (again!) take this time to sit back and show your gratitude for those who helped you out throughout the season.

Dec. 27: Recharge your energy. With Christmas behind you, it's now time to renew your energy levels and gear up for the new year so you can return to work looking as if you went on a vacation.

Dec. 28: If being between holidays has you feeling sluggish, try these 5 instant feel-good tips to pick up your mood.

Dec. 29: Give yourself some well-deserved TLC so you can approach the new year sans stress.

Dec. 31: You probably already have a New Year's resolution in mind by now. Why not head into a new year with a promise to stress less? Here are 10 you can easily keep.

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