Recreating Christmas - New traditions and ideas
Does the over-consumption of food, alcohol, and stuff during the holiday season make you ill? The image of the holiday season as a fun and festive time has been replaced for many people as a time when stress, over-consumption and unpleasant scenarios become the expectation. But Merry Christmas doesn’t have to translate to “mass crassness”.
- The holidays are a time to gather with loved ones and that often means entertaining. A note worth reading a couple of times: Don’t do it because you’ve always done it. Do it because you want to. Wait, re-read that. Just because you’ve always had the party doesn’t mean you have to this year. And if you want to this year, do it because you want to, not because you always have. This shift may make the difference in planning stress.
- Try making the party simpler. Have a pot-luck (everyone brings her/his favourite food) or serve just appetizers or just dessert (check our recipe section for ideas on healthful holiday foods). Or your party can have a theme and your guests can bring food according to the theme. Your decorations and table setting can reflect the theme is you wish.
- Try replacing the stand-by party loosener (alcohol) with games. Fun idea: WHO AM I? Before the party, write the names of as many famous people as you are expecting at your party (suggestion: use really well-known political figures, actresses/actors, singers, writers, etc.) on labels or scraps of paper. As each guest arrives, attach the name of the famous person to his/her back, but do not allow anyone to see their own label. Each person is allowed to ask every other person one question about his or her “identity” (ie: Am I a woman, Am I in politics, Am I over 50, etc.). Questions can only be answered with a “yes” or a “no” and each guest can only ask one question of each other guest. The game is finished when everyone has guessed his/her correct “identity”. Prizes can be given for the first few who guess correctly, or, if playing the $10 Game (see above), the order of guessing can be the order of choosing a gift. This is a great game for getting everyone to mingle and is always fun with a crowd.
- Try decorating with natural materials for a simple, earthy feeling. Evergreen boughs make wonderful wreaths, wall hangings and table decorations. Cranberries look fabulous when strung together or placed in bowls or vases. Pinecones hold the essence of the season as they are scattered throughout the house in baskets and other containers. Cinnamon sticks smell fabulous and look great tucked into wreaths and made into decorations. Even mandarin oranges stacked into an earthenware bowl speak to the season and look divinely seasonal.
- Loosen up – does it all need to look perfect if only one member of the family can do it “right” while the others are left out or will an imperfectly decorated house ooze the charm that only a whole family can create together?
- Candlelight makes it right. As we enter into the period of long nights and darkness, the soothing flicker of candlelight flame is a balm to the soul. Try dimming or turning off the lights as much as possible to enjoy this soft pleasure of the season.
- What exactly is it that you are celebrating at Christmas, and perhaps, better yet, what do you want to celebrate this Christmas? It is a good idea to have this discussion of Christmas expectations and meanings as a family. If each family member can contribute to the idea of what Christmas will be, the buy-in will be high and you can all support one another as you make plans to celebrate in a way meaningful for all of you. What expectations does each family member have for the holiday season? What feeling do you want to create in your celebrations? What traditions do you want to keep, what do you want to get rid of and what can be altered to make it enjoyable for all of you?
- Does it have to be expensive to be good? Absolutely not. If you are getting together with extended family members, perhaps you want to try the $10 dollar game. Everyone brings a $10 gift, wrapped, but without a nametag. All of the gifts are put under the tree and numbers are drawn. The person who draws number 1 gets to pick and open a gift first. The person who draws number 2 can “steal” the number 1 gift (in which case person number one can choose another present to open) or can pick and open their own gift. Person number 3 has the option of stealing either 1 or 2’s gift or choosing from under the tree, and so on, until all gifts are open and traded to satisfaction. This is a fun game that eliminates the frantic gift tearing-into that seems so hollow to so many.
- Decide as a family to give time instead of presents – make dates with one another for fun activities that you don’t normally get to enjoy together. The cost of the activities will likely be a portion of the cost of gifts. Activity Ideas: plays, science centres, museums, art classes, gym classes, dance classes, massages, spas, dance performances, art shows, athletic events – spectator or participant, movies, concerts – rock, pop, classical, jazz, or blues, cultural festivals, puppet shows…the list really is endless so go have fun together!
- Choose gifts that reflect your family values. If the thought of more TV watching or video game playing drives you batty, don’t buy movies or video games. If you’re longing for time together as a family, think about books to be read together, puzzles to do together, board games to play together, musical instruments to share. If you want to encourage environmental concern, big plastic toys seem counter-productive. Buy, instead, items made of natural materials – a bag of conkers (horse chestnuts) have an infinite number of creative uses, wooden toys will be treasures for years and silk play cloths (long bolts of silk cloth) will inspire creativity.
- Quantity? Having 10 or 15 presents each to open will probably overwhelm some children and, if you are taking turns opening gifts, will take a really long time to get through. Do you want to spend that much time on the gift exchange or are there other activities you’d like to be more important? If the gift exchange took less time would you have time to skate or sled or play a game? And if there were fewer gifts would they be higher quality?
- Talk about gift expectations before Christmas. Realistic expectations are essential – both in what type of things to expect and with regards to the importance and meaning of the gift exchange.
- The overindulgence of the season is probably most evident in the foods bought and served. Sugar, alcohol, white flour, hydrogenated oils – all foods that are harmful to our health – are served up in abundance throughout the entire month. Try making healthful alternatives – check out our Kitchen Creations section for ideas.
- Substitute health-harming ingredients with kinder alternatives. Try using Stevia, a natural herbal sweetener in place of sugar. Avoid refined white sugar and try date sugar or Sucanat, an unrefined cane sugar, instead. Use non-hydrogenated oils instead of hydrogenated shortenings and fats. Replace some of the oil with organic applesauce in your recipes. Use soymilk in place of cream. Use whole-grain flours instead of refined, bleached flours. Serve dates and sweet fruit instead of baked sweets and chocolates.
- Ensure that your meals this month are balanced and full of fresh veggies. It’s easy to rely on frozen meals, take out and nutrient-less snack foods at this busy time of year, but with the added stresses, excitements and less healthful food had at out-of-home celebrations, the vitamins of fresh vegetables, whole grains and protein-rich foods are direly needed.
- Keep it Balanced – in the end, a healthy, balanced attitude is needed. Don’t create a scarcity mentality and rebellion in your family by absolutely forbidding certain foods. Make them “occasional” foods and balance it with immune boosters such as antioxidants, fresh air, emotional support and lots of loving touch.
- See Jane Sheppard’s article, Encouraging Children to Eat Healthy, for further information on healthy nutrition.
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