5/19/10

Enjoy A Dream Holiday In Freeport Bahamas


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Freeport is the capital of Bahamas and one of the most attractive destinations for travelers who are frequent in Bahamas. Holidaying in Bahamas is one activity that many people love to do with their family and friends. People go for a holiday to relax and enjoy and take a break from the normal life that becomes monotonous. If you do not take a break at the right time, you can get stressed out and this can cause you setbacks in business and any other avenue that you may be working in. Freeport in Bahamas is a great holiday destinations for you to take a break and enjoy with family and friends.

There are a number of hotels and resorts in Freeport where you can put up for your holiday. In fact the place is very nice; you can even plan to go on a honeymoon with your spouse and have a memorable honeymoon. The amazing scenery and the beaches with white sand and stone are a great attraction to Freeport in Bahamas. Most of the hotels and resorts are located near the port so you will not have to undergo any hassles to reach the port. You can share a quiet evening with your spouse in the beaches there.

You can visit the marketplace in Freeport Bahamas to bring back any souvenir that you may like. The marketplace has much other stuff that you can buy from Bahamas. Many people go to the Bahamas to spend their holidays and even if you are a little bit low on the financial aspect, you can still have a wonderful time. There are certain cheap holiday packages that you can take up to enjoy a holiday in the Bahamas. Taking up a cheap holiday package for Freeport Bahamas does not mean that you will not be able to enjoy your holiday completely.

Yes, they are cheap but the packages offered are very attractive and you will not miss out on any aspect. There are certain things that you will have to take care of while taking a holiday package offered by an agent or a holiday package company. Make sure that you check out the various features offered by the touring company. Do not get duped by some fraud person who may be offering you very cheap rates. Make sure to check out the rates offered by other traveling companies to find out that you are not being taken for a ride by someone.

Finding out about a tour or travel package for Freeport Bahamas is not a big deal. The internet is a great source from where you can find all the information that you want about Freeport Bahamas. After all you are going out for holiday and it's mandatory for you to know everything about that place. Freeport Bahamas is the ideal destination for you and your family or spouse to go on a holiday.




Suzane Gray has been offering Bahama travel and vacation packages advice for quite some time. She is working as a consultant for GoBahama. To find Cheap Bahamas vacation packages, Grand bahama island,Bahamas travel package, spring break vacation package,Freeport Bahamas at cheap rates that best suits your needs, visit http://www.gobahama.com/

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5/18/10

Holiday Party Ideas - 5 Fun Activities


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The next time your family gets together for the next big holiday think about doing these five fun holiday ideas. Obtain one quilting square for each guest. Supply fabric markers, ribbon, thread, needles, buttons and whatever else you can think of to decorate the square with. Each person decorates their own square and writes their name on it. Sew the squares together and make them into a quilt. The next time the family comes over to your house, they can get a chance to see what it looks like and you'll have an heirloom to last for a long time.

Another fun idea would be to make a scrapbook of that holiday. Make sure someone is going to bring a Polaroid camera. Each person gets one page of the book. Use different colored paper, makers, stickers and anything else for scrap booking so guests can decorate their page. The photos are placed on the page along with the person's name and a brief synopsis of what they're doing.

Now here is an interesting idea to get together and burn away old disappointments, regrets or grudges by writing them down on a piece of paper and throwing them into a fire. This helps guests to put old problems behind them and continue with a fresh and renewed spirit.

This fun holiday idea is to get friends and family together for a holiday decorating party. Instead of dragging out boxes from the attic and decorating your home in holiday spirit all by yourself, recruit helpers. Serve appetizers play holiday, music and start this year's holiday with a little extra help.

Or you can have a holiday cooking party. Get a few people together to bake cookies, holiday pies or cute appetizers or finger foods. Invite everyone else over afterwards to enjoy your tasty treats. To find holiday decorations and party supplies www.holiday-party-decorations.com




Mrs. Party... Gail Leino is the internet's leading authority on selecting the best possible party supplies, using proper etiquette and manners while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. Free Party Games to help complete your event.

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5/15/10

Your Italian Holiday


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Planning a holiday in Italy is a once in a lifetime event for some people. There are some fabulous things that you will want to make sure are included on your Italy itinerary. The art, culture, food and charm of the country will entrance you as you explore the historic city streets and immerse yourself in Italian life. Some things must not be missed on your adventure in Italy, so make sure that you include some popular tourist destinations.

The art capitals of the country must not be missed while you are in Italy. A visit to Florence, Vatican City and the historic sites in Rome will give you a small glimpse into the rich cultural background of this country. You will have a chance to see the beautiful countryside that inspired some of the greatest artists in the world to paint, sculpt and create.

Food is a way of life in Italy. The sumptuous Italian meals vary by region and if you tour the country, you will have a spectacular chance to savor some of the most scrumptious foods in the world. If you think you have eaten Italian food before and you have not traveled to Italy, you don't know what you have been missing

While in the Tuscany region of Italy, of course, you will want to visit Florence. It is the most popular tourist destination in the region. There are other fabulous places to visit in Tuscany that should be on your list such as the Leaning Tower of Pisa and Chianti, home of the world famous wine. The architecture and charming style of the churches in the region are some of the most breathtaking you will ever see on your travels.

A trip to Italy would not be complete without a visit to the Eternal City, Rome. This city is a marvelous blend of historic sites and modern luxuries. Enjoy the shopping in the high end shops where you will find Italian treasures to take home from your tour of Italy. Rome also offers an exciting night life if you are looking for a night of dining and dancing. Sicily is a region that is immersed in historic sites and archaeological sites that is a fascinating destination for any history buff. The local shops feature some of the crafts of the region that are a great find for your holiday souvenirs. Make sure that you eat a traditional Sicilian meal while you are visiting this area of the country.




For more information on Italy vacation packages and Italian holidays, please visit our website.

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Holiday Exercise Tips for People with Arthritis


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Exercise is one of the cornerstones of comprehensive arthritis treatment. Components of a good exercise program include non-impact aerobic, stretching, and strengthening. During most of the year it's setting a regular program is doable. During the holidays it's more difficult. Whether you exercise outdoors or indoors, there are some important principles to adhere to.

Here are some useful tips for you to follow...

1. Consult your physician at least once a year to make sure your physical condition is stable enough for exercise.

2. Set realistic benchmarks for the holidays. You may be used to exercising daily or 5 days a week. During the holidays your schedule will be disrupted. That's OK. Do what you can and don't get frustrated.

3. Remember, it all counts. If you find yourself doing more shopping and walking around the mall, that's OK. While it's not the same workout as running or working out on the elliptical trainer or stationary bike, it's still exercise.

4. This is a good time to assess the best use of your time. Most people find it more convenient to have the exercise equipment at home. This helps you avoid those trips to the gym. Why fight the traffic?

5. You may have to alter your usual routine. If you're used to working out in the late afternoon, you may want to get up early and exercise if you know the family has plans for later in the day.

6. Sometimes you may have to break up your exercise into blocks. Instead of doing 45 minutes all at one time, you might want to do 25 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes later in the day.

7. If you need to drop the kids off at an activity, use the time that you're waiting for them to go for a run or a walk.

8. Pencil it in. If you use a planner (and everyone should), pencil in your exercise time just like you would any important appointment.

9. Reward yourself. If you are able to do an extra good workout, let yourself have that extra piece of pie. You deserve it. But just one extra piece.

10. Vary your routine. Just like the rest of the year, alternate your workouts. Ironically, it may be easier during the holidays because you may have to substitute mall walking for the treadmill.

11. Take time out to rest. Pacing yourself is important. If you're sticking to your exercise program, don't forget to take some down time in the form of meditation or even a good old-fashioned nap!

12. Target your heart rate. Your target heart rate is 60 to 90 per cent of your maximum heart rate. Here's how to calculate it. Subtract your age from 220. Multiply that number by 0.6 and 0.9. Exercise while keeping your heart rate (beats per minute) between those two numbers.

13. If you like exercising outdoors, be sure to stretch and warm-up before you go out; use layers (inner layer for perspiration absorption and wicking away of moisture- use synthetics like polypropylene or silk [UnderArmour or Coolmax make good choices]; middle layer for warmth [fleece]; outer layer to break the wind and keep out the cold); cover your head and make sure your hands and feet are well insulated; avoid hypothermia.

When you have arthritis it's important to be kind to yourself during the holidays. Take good care of your body and it will take care of you.




Dr. Wei is a board-certified rheumatologist and Clinical Director of the nationally respected Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center of Maryland (http://www.aocm.org). He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and consultant to the Arthritis Branch of the National Institutes of Health. He is a Fellow of the American College of Rheumatology and the American College of Physicians. For more information: Arthritis Treatment

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5/12/10

Great New Ways For Holiday Postcard Printing


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Whether you are printing postcards for greetings or maybe doing a little printing and marketing, it is a fact that in the holiday season there is always that move to do something new.

Since lots of people see color postcards during the holidays, it is important to be unique and original each time just to be noticed. If you are flat out with ideas on new ways for holiday postcard printing, I have four suggestions for you that should work quite well.

o Getting bigger postcards - It is a simple and perhaps almost obvious idea but it works. Since everything today is being super-sized, why not super-size this holiday season? Not only does this give a big impact on your readers, but it also is fun to do and design. You get to play with a lot of design effects with large ones and you do not have to limit yourself with the text. You will have enough space for a good cover image and maybe some text for the holiday postcard message. Lots of people will appreciate this effort, and it can be a memorable experience getting a big holiday card.

o Festive sparkles and twinkles - Another little known idea is the use of sparkling or twinkling inks. While this is a standard choice for most greeting cards, postcards are usually not given this treatment. However, considering that it is the holiday season coming up, using glitter inks for the design can be quite appropriate. If you have just the right design, you can add a special ink to a design element that twinkles with the light. That design element can be a star, a snowflake, magic wand or any other kind of holiday symbol. Adding glittering inks into that symbol should add a little "magic" to the cover that can be quite memorable.

o Enhanced digital designs - Now, if you have not done this already, it is important that you enhance your cover photographs a little further. Instead of just using the images or photographs as is in your prints, you may want to get a little creative and enhance them a little.

For example, you can increase the lighting of the picture and then add a little blur effect. This adds in a soft undertone to the image making it look more nostalgic or dreamy. On the flip side, you can sharpen the whole image, make the colors more intense to make something very surreal looking and magical. It all depends on your design, but a little enhancing via some cool editing software can really change how they look.

o Special devices - Finally, if you have a big budget, you might want to add some special devices in your design. This can be a simple hologram sticker, a special chip with music in it, or special lights and inks that glow in the dark. These special devices can really improve the impact of your color postcards. People should be able to remember you with these special devices. If you are marketing, you should be able to reach quite a lot of people because of these special devices.

So try something new this holiday season! Make your cards look fresh and better with these techniques. Good Luck!




Katie Marcus writes about the postcard printing technologies used by businesses for their marketing and advertising campaigns.

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5/9/10

Thanksgiving - How to Cope With an Unhappy Holiday


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Thanksgiving is supposed to be a joyful time of year, full of food, friends and fun. Unfortunately, many of us suffer from depression during the holiday season. For a variety of reasons, many of us can't cope with Thanksgiving's arrival. As a result, we can't enjoy ourselves during one of the most special times of the year.

Thankfully, there are many techniques that can help those of us who suffer from depression find ways to cope with the Thanksgiving holiday. After working with many individuals who have suffered from depression during the holidays, therapists have come up with ideas that can make it much easier to cope with this festive holiday.

Reach out to your friends and family. Many times, people who suffer from depression during the Thanksgiving season often feel blue because they can't see their friends or family. If that's the case, why not try other ways to reach out to the ones you love? An e-mail, a text message or an old fashioned phone call can make a real difference. Even installing a web cam on your computer will allow you to "visit" your loved ones if you cannot make the trip in person.

Don't feel obligated to celebrate Thanksgiving in the traditional way. Sometimes it's okay to bend social norms. Instead, think up ways to make it your own special day. If you don't like turkey, don't worry. Order pizza or eat popcorn instead. If you don't feel like dressing up or seeing people, that's okay too. No matter how you do it, celebrating Thanksgiving in your own way can help you feel a lot better about yourself.

If you are feeling blue, try doing something to alleviate your sadness. Volunteering is a great way to boost your self esteem while helping those in need. Soup kitchens, nursing homes and homeless shelters are always looking for volunteers, especially during the holiday season. Try to put yourself in the shoes of someone who has nothing; no family, food or home. Just being there to lend a helping hand will give you a new perspective and make you feel like a million bucks.




Argosy University offers a wide selection of bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs in a variety of psychology concentrations at 19 locations across the nation.

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5/8/10

Thanksgiving - How to Cope With an Unhappy Holiday


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Thanksgiving is supposed to be a joyful time of year, full of food, friends and fun. Unfortunately, many of us suffer from depression during the holiday season. For a variety of reasons, many of us can't cope with Thanksgiving's arrival. As a result, we can't enjoy ourselves during one of the most special times of the year.

Thankfully, there are many techniques that can help those of us who suffer from depression find ways to cope with the Thanksgiving holiday. After working with many individuals who have suffered from depression during the holidays, therapists have come up with ideas that can make it much easier to cope with this festive holiday.

Reach out to your friends and family. Many times, people who suffer from depression during the Thanksgiving season often feel blue because they can't see their friends or family. If that's the case, why not try other ways to reach out to the ones you love? An e-mail, a text message or an old fashioned phone call can make a real difference. Even installing a web cam on your computer will allow you to "visit" your loved ones if you cannot make the trip in person.

Don't feel obligated to celebrate Thanksgiving in the traditional way. Sometimes it's okay to bend social norms. Instead, think up ways to make it your own special day. If you don't like turkey, don't worry. Order pizza or eat popcorn instead. If you don't feel like dressing up or seeing people, that's okay too. No matter how you do it, celebrating Thanksgiving in your own way can help you feel a lot better about yourself.

If you are feeling blue, try doing something to alleviate your sadness. Volunteering is a great way to boost your self esteem while helping those in need. Soup kitchens, nursing homes and homeless shelters are always looking for volunteers, especially during the holiday season. Try to put yourself in the shoes of someone who has nothing; no family, food or home. Just being there to lend a helping hand will give you a new perspective and make you feel like a million bucks.




Argosy University offers a wide selection of bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs in a variety of psychology concentrations at 19 locations across the nation.

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Holiday Cottages in Ireland


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Southern Ireland is world famous for its relaxed pace of life, charming people, outstanding natural beauty and beautiful holiday cottages. Popular family holiday destinations are the counties of Carlow, Cork, Kerry, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford. Families return to the beautiful countryside year after year renting many of the country holiday cottages.

The Emerald Isle is one of the top holiday destinations in Europe for holiday cottage rentals. Families come to Ireland for the world famous Guinness and an Irish welcome is legendary. Dublin is a very popular capital city and many tourists come here on vacation or for long weekend breaks. Dublin is one of Europe's most energetic capital cities and many couples visit it on a romantic holiday and stay in one of the many self catering apartments available to rent.

Many tourists come to Ireland and stay in farmhouse rentals or holiday cottages. They use these holiday homes as a base to explore Ireland and are enchanted by some of the coastal villages and rolling hills. Cork is one of the most popular holiday home destinations in Ireland and holiday makers return year after year with their families to stay in some of Cork's charming country cottages. Galway is a tourist friendly city full of welcoming pubs and a swathe of stunning scenery on its doorstep with holiday farmhouses available to rent from their owners.

Ireland is a country full of rugged hills, stunning Atlantic coastline and lush green pastures. Cork and Kerry have rugged coastlines dotted with postcard pretty villages full of holiday cottages. Further north towards Galway is less populated and very peaceful. Holiday makers wanting a slow paced vacation in the countryside rent farmhouses and explore the beautiful countryside.

The Aran Islands lie just off the mouth of Galway Bay. The three inhabited islands are linked to each other and Galway by boat. These charming islands are popular with hikers wanting to stay in holiday cottages. Once on the islands they can walk around the barren landscape and explore the prehistoric and early Christian ruins.

Ireland is a country full of outdoor pursuits and sports. It is a country full of roaming hills, mountains, coastal trails and national parks. Many tourists rent holiday homes in this beautiful country and feel as though they are truly part of the local culture.

Many tourists visit Ireland for its golf as it has some of the world's finest golf courses. Other popular outdoor holiday activities in Ireland are cycling, angling, yachting, horse riding and surfing.

It is little wonder that Ireland is such a popular holiday home destination. It is a charming country full of friendly people, great scenery and famous for its food and beer. Families on holiday are made most welcome and can stay in self catering flats, holiday cottages or traditional Irish farmhouses. It does not matter what your holiday budget is as you can have a cheap good value self catering holiday in Ireland. For those people on vacation with a bigger budget, there are some luxurious holiday cottages and farmhouses available to rent.




Andrew Gibson is MD of Direct Holiday Bookings. It is one of the fastest growing online travel websites for booking holiday homes. To see an example of why Direct Holiday Bookings is growing so rapidly have a look at Holiday Villas.

Direct Holiday Bookings also has a great selection of Holiday Cottages and self catering holiday apartments that can be rented as holiday homes all over the world.

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5/6/10

Webkinz Holiday Recipes


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Do you plan on doing something special for your Webkinz this holiday season? I did. I got my kids to sit around the computer with me one morning and told them that their Webkinz were going to have a big Christmas Eve Party.

Next I got a Christmas tree and gathered all of their Webkinz together into one room with plans of making them some holiday food. But to my surprise there really aren't any Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa Webkinz Recipes. I was surprised because on Halloween, I treated my Webkinz to Halloweenog. I think for Christmas, I'm going to have to improvise.

Maybe I could start with something like Hot Cocoa. That's a festive holiday drink. But since I was set on making Webkinz Recipes maybe there was a Cocoa like recipe that I could try. I took a quick look at a list of recipes that I've been meaning to try and saw Hot Marshmallow. It's made with Marshmallows, Milk and a Chocolate Bar in the blender. Sounds like fancy hot cocoa to me. We went to the W. Shop and bought 5 Marshmallows, 5 Milks and 5 Chocolate Bars so we could make Hot Marshmallow for each Webkinz.

After my daughter clicked the blend button we saw that Hot Marshmallow looked more like a big meatloaf than a festive holiday drink. But everyone was happy when we fed it to the Webkinz and they said it was Mmmmm to to max!

Dead set on serving hot chocolaty drink, I tried again. Ah-ha, I found a recipe for Trippple Hot Chocolate. With three P's it's got to be good. So we loaded the blender with Chocolate Milk, Hot Cocoa and a Chocolate Bar. Yes, Trippple Hot Chocolate was perfect.

Now that the Webkinz had a hot drink, it was time for a hot meal. Zazzeloop Soup is pretty festive looking with it's little Christmas trees on top so we ran out to the W. Shop again to buy some Pizza, Lollipops and Tomato Soup. Zazzeloop Soup is a stove/grill/cauldron recipe but we decided to use the stove.

Voila, Zazzeloop Soup! Now we were on a roll. Most of the Webkinz' Hunger Meters were way up in the 90s. I think I even saw a few of them loosen their belts. Well, not really but I told the kids that anyway.

After watching a little Chef Gazpacho on the flat screen we decided the party was over. We had a real holiday get together with the kids' Grandma in a few hours so it was time to start getting ready. We walked each of the Webkinz back to their rooms and put them to bed. Our little holiday party made the Webkinz Happy, Healthy and maxed out their Hunger Meters. And I think that if my kids had Happy Meters, they would have been maxed out too.




Anthony Tripp had two kids who are big Webkinz fans and had to learn a lot about the lovable plush toys and their online virtual counterparts in order to answer their many, many questions. He's also sharing everything he learns including Webkinz Recipes, tips for earning KinzCash and much more at his Webkinz Blog, http://www.webkinztoday.com/

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The Christmas Holiday Season's Favorite Foods


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Christmas Holiday Foods

One of the aspects which separates holidays from all the rest of the year is food. For each and every holiday there may be special foods with which the holiday is associated. Christmas especially is known for its abundance and variety of foods and drinks. As one of the world's great melting pots America has a melting pot cuisine, with dishes originating from around the globe. There are foods from a number of different countries which represent traditional meals for holiday celebrations such as Christmas.

Christmas comes almost one month after Thanksgiving in the United States. For Thanksgiving, the traditional meal consists of roast turkey or ham as the main dish. This is also true of Christmas as roast ham, turkey, Capon or duck is one of the principal dishes to be served for dinner. As at Thanksgiving, cranberry sauce, assorted vegetables, apple or pumpkin pie and fruit cake for dessert top off a traditional Christmas dinner. Mince meat pie, filled with a mixture of chopped, dried nuts and fruit can also be an addition to to a traditional Christmas dinner. Drinks served during the Christmas holidays include a wide variety of both hot and cold beverages such as apple ciders, hot toddies, and egg nogs as well as wines. Due to the cold weather that is predominant in many countries at Christmas time, hot beverages and hard liquors are highly popular.

The Christmas Holidays are Sweet

The Christmas holidays are sweet ones. Americans enjoy large quantities of sweets, candies, cookies, cakes, pies and desserts of all types during the Christmas holiday season. Gingerbread, sweet breads, sweet rolls and other holiday treats are an indispensable addition to the Christmas holiday season. Candy and chocolate manufacturers produce special packages and types of candies for the Christmas and New Years holiday seasons.

In 2004 was conducted by the National Confectioners Association. This survey discovered that many adults at Christmas received as much pleasure from giving and receiving chocolates, sweets and candies as from other types of gifts and presents. Survey participants said giving special cakes, chocolates and candies to friends and family, placing candy canes in Christmas stockings or hanging them on Christmas trees were some of their favorite ways to share during the holidays.

Forget Diets at Christmas Time

Forget diets at Christmas time. People usually feel free to eat and enjoy the holiday season without any guilt over what (or often how much) they may eat or drink. The tradition of baking and eating gingerbread cookies at Christmas is thought to originate in Germany, coming to the United States by immigrating Germans. When the Grimm Brothers published their story, Hansel and Gretel, German bakeries began baking fancy gingerbread houses with icing and other decorations. The story of "Hansel and Gretel" described a house made of sweet bread, a pastry roof and windows of sugar glaze. German bakeries made cookie cutters formed in different shapes like little people, houses and household animals which were used as decorations on Christmas trees.

The Gingerbread Man

In Lancaster County, Pennsylvania around a hundred years ago, German immigrant homes had cookies up to a foot high in the windows as decorative ornaments during the winter months. The cookies were often gingerbread men and women with colorful rows of hard candy buttons, bows and big smiles. Passersby, fascinated at seeing these unique decorations carried the idea to their homes. The enjoyment of the many types of special foods and dishes, candies, cakes, pies, cookies and treats during the Christmas holidays provides a unique flavor to Christmas. The Christmas holiday season's favorite foods create many warm and cherished holiday memories.




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5/5/10

Holiday Expectations


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It seems that this time of year brings out a lot of different feelings for so many of us. Excitement, apathy, worry, love, impatience, etc. One thing I find that many of us experience is that we have high expectations of what the holiday season will be- the family connections, gifts, meals, church, and then many of our expectations are not met, and we feel disappointed. If we had great holidays growing up, we try to recreate them as adults, and if we didn't have great holidays growing up, we want to have them now!

Growing up a in large family, we had a lot of food, presents and company on the holidays. It was a fun and magical time. Then, when my own family moved out of state and I had to create holiday atmosphere, it definitely wasn't what I had experienced as a child and I remember feeling so disappointed! I felt bad that my children wouldn't have the same type of holidays that I had as a child. So, we "checked out" of Christmas for a few years (going to Florida helped with that), and I had also gone to the other extreme, and had 60 plus family members at my house for a holiday party (fun but exhausting).

Although I think my journey to peace with the holidays is not finished yet, I do think some things can help many of us have more contentment around the season. The first is to watch your expectations, about family connections, food, gifts, etc, and know that "it is what it is". Your family may not be the "Cleavers" but it doesn't mean that your family isn't unique- celebrate your differences! Start new family traditions that mean something to you- snowy walks, singing, movies, baking, playing games, midnight church-anything that brings meaning or fun. Remember you are not alone! So many of us feel "is this it?" around the holiday seasons. And if tempering your expectations, starting new traditions and acceptance of what is doesn't work to help you find some peace this time of year, there is always Florida!




Devona L Marshall is a therapist at Kettle Moraine Counseling in West Bend WI. She can be reached at http://www.kettlemorainecounseling.com

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