How To Embrace Christmas

Sometimes the holidays can be hard to enjoy, but with the stress of having to purchase (and afford) presents, decorate, and plan dinners and events with family. If you’re not careful, you can find yourself overwhelmed and completely miss the peace and beauty the season can hold. So if you find yourself feeling like Scrooge, ponder these ways to relax and embrace the joys of the season.

1. Count Your Blessings

One thing I think is vital, especially around the holidays, is to be thankful and remember all the blessings that we often take for granted. Friends, family, and having things many people don’t are just a few things we should be especially thankful for. The holidays can be tough when you’ve suffered loss or just had a hard year, but those situations should never keep you from being thankful or celebrating.

2. Jam Out to Holiday Hits

Listening to your favorite Christmas songs is certain to give you the Christmas spirit. There are hundreds of songs that everyone can love. Whether it’s a classic, something fresh, or a classic with a fresh twist, nothing can take away from the magic of holiday hits. Don’t be afraid to sing or dance when your favorite songs come on.

Some great albums are “Elvis’ Christmas Album,” “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” “Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas,” and “Everyday is Christmas.”

Don’t have any Christmas tunes on your playlist? One good local radio station which hosts 24-hour Christmas music all season long is z95.1 FM.

3. Watch Your Holiday Favorites

Christmas movies are always great stress relievers. Whether it’s a classic like “It’s a Wonderful Life” or the latest movie, bundling up to watch your favorites can bring you a lot of happiness. There are hundreds of Christmas movies, and there is no shame in wanting to watch them all if they make you happy.

Some feel-good movies are “Home Alone,” “Christmas With the Kranks,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” and “Elf.” Some sadder movies are “Love Actually,” “Jack Frost,” and “Last Christmas.”

You can go to the Fluvanna Library or watch on Netflix, Hulu, HBO MAX, Amazon Prime, and Disney+ to access Christmas movies.

4. Decorate Like You’re at the North Pole

Christmas decorations are some of the most notable aspects of the season. Christmas trees, inflatable Santas, and wreaths are just a few of the many decorations you can use to bring Christmas into your home. According to B100, Christmas decorations can literally give you the ‘fuzzies’ because they can trigger dopamine.

You can buy beautiful Christmas decorations at Wal-Mart, Target, and even the Dollar store.

5. Bake Up Some Christmas Joy

Baking fresh Christmas cookies is a sweet part of the holidays. Cookies have been a holiday treat since Medieval Europe, so everyone should continue to enjoy them. You may even consider having a cookie exchange with friends and family. Even if you can’t eat them, baking them for people you love is just as special. Christmas spirit can come in many forms, including the wonderful taste of holiday treats.

The best flavors of the season are gingerbread, snickerdoodle, sugar cookies, and peppermint. 

For great cookie recipes, you can visit All Recipes, Taste of Home, and The Kitchn.

If you are low on time, you can use pre-made cookie dough or opt for a more simple recipe.