How could this time of year possibly be stressful? Easy! We fight throngs of people every time
we shop, we run our credit card balances up to their limits, and we feel the need to decorate
every inch of our homes in order to get in the "Christmas spirit." I'm stressed out
just thinking about it.
Many of us struggle with our diet every day of the year, and during the holiday season, it's
even worse. We're tempted with succulent goodies like rum cake and Martha Washington candy, and
it's almost impossible to say 'no.' Visit the Holiday Survival Guide for healthy ideas on how
to stay fit during this holiday season and learn what to do if you overdo it. Under Women's
Wire, click on "Chill Out" to learn some stress reducing tips such as how to avoid
getting swamped.
http://healthyideas.com/holiday/
During the holiday season, many people experience the "holiday blues." Mayo Clinic's
Holiday Blues website offers an outstanding article on what causes holiday blues and how to
cope.
http://www.mayohealth.org/mayo/9612/htm/blues.htm
If your children are literally bouncing off the walls, take a moment to check out Redbook's Six
Ways to Channel That Manic Holiday Energy. Click on Kids and Holiday Stress for tips on
maintaining "peace on earth" in your family.
http://homearts.com:80/rb/mommy/12chanf1.htm
Redbook also features beauty tips that are Holiday Stress Beaters, such as banishing winter
pallor and losing that tired look. Click on the arrow at the bottom of the page to go to the
next beauty tip.
http://homearts.com/rb/beauty/12rabeb1.htm
Visit Holiday Inspiration and Ideas for Mom for a wonderful list of links in topics that are
geared toward making this holiday season as stressfree as possible. Links include "How to
Handle Holiday Stress if You are a Single Parent" and "Facing Grief During the
Holidays."
http://www2.arkansas.net/~mom/hol96.html
Finally, Kaplan's Winter Wonderland: Antidote to Holiday Stress, is a fun and carefree site
guaranteed to take your mind off the stressful holiday season. Play a Snowflake Attack Game, or
enter Fruitcake Follies by telling what *you* would do with a fruitcake. You'll find tips on
decorating your home, recipes, gift ideas, and how to deal with post-holiday stress.
http://www.kaplan.com/holiday/xmas.html
[ED. NOTE: Updated 12/03/99.
Take a look at these additional links.
Advice for coping with Holiday stress from Psychologist Dorothy Cantor, Psy.D.
http://helping.apa.org/family/holiday.html
Avoiding Holiday Depression And Stress
http://www.coolware.com/health/medical_reporter/holidays.html ]
