Making your own gift for the holidays spreads the loving spirit.
There are many different holidays that fall in the month of December; it is a great time to be happy and celebrate. However, expectations for the perfect holiday with the perfect family moments can also be stressful and frustrating. It really depends on your perception of the situation.
To add to the normal holiday stress there is so much talk about cut backs and not having a celebratory holiday. One of the best ways to reduce stress and enjoy the holiday is to return to the basics and remember why these moments are so special. This is a time of giving and gratitude. If you can focus on giving love from your heart and feeling gratitude for everything that is going right in your life, you will not have room to feel stress. I suggest you spend five minutes each day writing down everything you are grateful for in your life.
To combat the pressure to spend money on gifts, consider making your own. When I was a young adult I didn’t have money to buy Christmas gifts for my friends and family so I made my own. Over the years I have made personalized cards, cakes, cardboard candy houses, soaps, candles, bubble bath, bath fizzes, I owe you dates, crochet scarves, baby blankets, family dinners, and recipe and lifestyle books.
A couple of years ago one of my good friends asked me to teach her how to make soap so she could give them out as holiday gifts to her friends. We made a day of creating our materials list, going to the craft store, and coming home and making our soaps. It was a blast. It was great to spend time with a close friend sharing something that I have enjoyed for years. By the end of the night we had 20 gifts that were ready to wrap and distribute. Mission accomplished! This activity was a stress reliever because we enjoyed ourselves while being creative and creating gifts for others. By the way, materials were only $2.50 per person.
Because I treat women’s health in my practice I have several single, female patients. Sometimes during the holiday season some of these women feel emotionally disconnected because they do not have a family of their own to celebrate with. For these women, I recommend they create gift parties like the one I had with my girlfriend. In this way they can feel connected or create a tradition during the holiday season with their supportive community. They can enjoy the holidays, share their love and feel the gratitude for their communities that they create for themselves. Feeling connected to your community reduces stress as well.
About Dr. Daemon Jones:
Dr. Daemon "Dr. Dae" (pronounced Dr. Day) Jones is a Naturopathic Physician who completed her training at the University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine. She is certified as a General Practitioner by the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE). Dr. Dae provides tailored treatment to meet the unique needs of every individual she sees in her practice. She also provides specialized support for persons challenged by nutritional deficiencies, weight problems, hormonal and reproductive system disorders, attention deficit disorder and those experiencing chronic diseases. Dr. Dae is an adjunct faculty member for Smith Farm Center for Healing and the Arts. She is the author of Daelicious! Recipes for Vibrant Living, The Healthydaes Newsletter, and is a regularly featured writer for the Elite GoogleNews Website empowher.com where she shares her personal and professional vision for living whole and living well.
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Visit Dr. Dae at her Website:
www.healthydaes.org
Check out Dr. Dae's book:
Daelicious! Recipes for Vibrant Living: Purchase @ www.amazon.com or www.healthydaes.org