•  Holiday Stress •  Special Report: Dealing With Difficult Families •  Special Report: Holiday Blues •  Tips for a Stress-Free Holiday

The kids can't seem to share their new toys, your siblings are still quibbling over who gets more of your parents' attention, and your mother-in-law's complaining that you've overcooked the roast. Ah, the holidays. Few families enjoy the picture perfect gatherings portrayed on television, but there are a few things you can do to keep stress at bay and make celebrating with your family more fun. Try these tips:

Don't spread yourself too thin by trying to spend time with everyone every year. It's OK to visit your in-laws one year and your family the next. And you don't need to stay for a week just because you drove a long way or flew across the country. Shorter visits give you just enough time to catch up but not enough to get on one another's nerves.

Don't sit around waiting for arguments to erupt. Keep yourself and your family occupied, and you'll keep tensions down and spirits up. Play games, string popcorn, make cookies, or get outside and throw a ball around. Even light activity reduces stress and improves your circulation. When you get your blood moving, it carries oxygen to your cells more efficiently, so you feel less sluggish -- and that puts you in a better mood.

Too much togetherness can be smothering, so don't try to spend every minute making merry. Offer to run errands or go get groceries. Or find time to sit quietly alone and meditate. Just closing your eyes and repeating a favorite phrase or prayer can protect you from the effects of stress by slowing your heart rate and decreasing your levels of lactate, a chemical linked to muscular tension.

Humor is a great tool for reducing stress and bringing people closer. Laughter relaxes your muscles and lowers your blood pressure. A good guffaw may even prompt the release of endorphins -- the feel-good chemicals that keep runners going. When your loved ones start arguing or making unreasonable demands, try to think of what Lily Tomlin or Robin Williams would say if they were in your shoes.

Last updated January 20, 2009
Copyright © 1998 Consumer Health Interactive

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