When you think of “the holidays,” what comes to mind? Is it a pleasant daydream of sitting around a table with family? The seemingly real scent of cinnamon or peppermint? Or is it the chaos of cleaning, cooking, and gift shopping that makes the holidays a bit hazy?
We hope that your view of the holidays is a peaceful one, but we know that for most people, there’s at least a handful of chaos that comes along with the Thanksgiving and Christmas season.
That said, we just wanted to share a few things to keep in mind during this season:
It’s About God and His Gift (Not the Ones Under the Tree)
It’s easy to get swept into the sea of sales (Valeo’s included), hunting for the perfect gift for the kids, a spouse, a friend, or maybe even for yourself. It can feel overwhelming trying to think of ideas for everyone, searching for the best price, spending more money than you had originally planned, and then finding time to wrap all your purchases.
Luckily, we can remind ourselves that this season is not about those kinds of gifts. It’s about God’s gift to us: Jesus Christ, His son.
The next time you find yourself getting sucked into the overwhelm of the season, try to take a step back and find peace and stillness in knowing that we’ve all already received the greatest gift that could ever be given.
Your Peace is Greater than Presents
If buying gifts this year is creating stress, consider forgoing the presents.
(What?! No gifts?! Is this girl off her rocker?!)
This may be hard for parents of younger children, but for everyone else, it’s likely that you can find just as much – and likely even more – value in presence than presents.
A few things I would appreciate more than monetary gifts, for example:
- A laid-back game night with family
- A sincere/uplifting/sweet letter about what I mean to someone
- A coffee date with a friend
- A homemade meal
Talk to your friends/family and see if everyone can get on board for a more relaxed, presence-focused holiday. You may find it’s one of your favorite celebrations yet.
For the parents of younger children who aren’t ready to eliminate gifts completely, consider easing the season with the “4 gift rule” of buying one thing they want, one thing they need, one thing to wear, and one thing to read.
Food Impacts Mood
If you’re feeling tired, stressed, anxious, or moody, take a step back and take a look at your diet lately to see if it could be contributing to the low mood. Oftentimes, fall is a slow transition into less healthy eating and the processed food and added sugar can really take a toll on how we feel. Focusing on limiting the sweets and processed food might be a simple way to lift some of the heaviness of the holidays. Check out our post on the dirty baker’s dozen.
If you feel like your diet has been good/consistent and you’re still not feeling great, consider talking to your Valeo practitioner about whether there are any supplements targeted toward your symptoms. Consider doing the ClearVite Cleanse with the Valeo team in January, too.
Still need time to relax? Massage appointments (and gift certificates) are available with Michelle and Sharon.
Need a deeper dive into your health? Call 952-949-0676 by 12/15/25 to save $150 off a Functional Medicine New Patient exam with Dr. Rob or Dr. Kassie.
