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Take Some Stress Out of the Holidays

© Sharon Tabor Warren

The holiday season should be a time of enjoyment and family, combined with a sense of renewal, as we move toward a new year. Unfortunately, it's often a time of frustration--too few hours and too little money--that leads us to repeat the words of Dickens' Scrooge, "Bah, Humbug." We too often find ourselves wishing the season was over before it really begins.

One of the advantages that comes with age is experience. We don't always benefit from our various adventures and encounters but occasionally we emerge with a few thoughts worth sharing. These are my ideas to make holidays less stressful and less expensive--as they say, I've been there and done that. Trim my suggestions to fit your lifestyle and preferences.

Try your tree outdoors where it's visible from inside but can be enjoyed by neighbors, passers-by and even our feathered friends. Decorate with strands of lights, durable red bows, wrapped candy canes; add strings of unbuttered, unsalted popcorn, more strings of cranberries (or combine the two). Mix a bit of cornmeal with peanut butter and smear pinecones with the mixture. Tie the pinecones to the tree with short lengths of red plastic ribbon for attractive ornaments that will also entice the birds. Another bird favorite is suet. Ask the butcher for small solid pieces (unfortunately most stores charge for it now but it's not expensive). Press or roll the suet in birdseed. Place the treats near the center of the tree, tie them firmly to the branches. The time spent decorating and undecorating the more traditional tree is saved with one outdoors. If there are "special" ornaments that you feel must be seen and enjoyed, consider an alternative display. I hang some of mine by thin red ribbon from straight pins stuck into the tops of door moldings. There are other benefits: no tree to keep watered, no worry about pets or small children pulling it over, no needles to vacuum, no furniture to move, no indoor fire hazard and no repacking.

Many of us spend hours in the kitchen. We prepare the "traditional" holiday meal. Did you ever ask yourself what makes a traditional meal? It's not a Norman Rockwell painting, it's what we each establish within our own families. Perhaps it's time to change the tradition, make it easier, slant the fare toward more healthy food. Fix, or even purchase, a turkey or ham and serve it cold with an assortment of side dishes, rolls and desserts. Ask everyone who's coming to bring something; serve on festive paper plates in solid holiday colors. (This year buy paper products for next year at the after-holiday sales.) A centerpiece of outdoor greens and berries or a selection of fresh fruits plus some inexpensive candles will add a touch of elegance with very little expense. Cleanup is limited to flatware and serving dishes. Hours are not spent on meal preparation but no one will leave hungry.

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