13 Ways to De-Stress this Holiday Season

Get ready, set, sprint to Christmas! This joyous time of year always induces a hectic scramble--for gifts, holiday menus, parties, and traveling--so much so that we quickly forget why we're moving at light speed. Because of inevitable crises that accompany a whirlwind season, you'll end up paying far more for food since you need meals on the go. Plus if you lean toward depression spending, you'll have little control over your wallet with all that sleigh bell music buzzing about.

A sneaky, underlying theme to all this business is a sense of "poor me, I'm overwhelmed". Because we live in a "you deserve it" culture, plunking down $60 for a massage during these trying times is encouraged. Going to therapy as a result of burnout is another short-term fix. From overeating to overreacting, we all have ways of dealing with positive and negative stressors. Those of us who don't take the time to unwind will undoubtedly go into the red--physically, emotionally, and financially--in the name of decompressing.

Instead of excessive drinking (yet another pricey addiction) or recreational credit card swiping, try the buffet of destressors below first:

1. Go to a park and swing. Or play hide and seek. Do something you loved as a kid but haven't done in a while. Coloring inside the lines is another great calming agent.

2. Buy a Human Touch back massager. I tried a small lower back massager, but wasn't too happy about where it hit on my back. Costco had the best fit for me and it was only $19.99--with heated rotators.

3. Visit a nursing home and strike up a conversation with a resident. They are so full of wisdom and desperate to pass it along. Soak up every bit and you'll be inspired.

4. Knit a scarf. Both Craft and Yarn Council and Knitting Help have fabulous resources to get you started. Knitting is cheap, fun, and keeps your hands idle while you zone out in TV land.

5. Pop bubble wrap. Make sure you know your preference. The bigger bubbles are more fun to pop, but they don't last as long.

6. Spin at the gym or go to a group fitness class where you can safely hit things. This is my preferred way to decompress. Those soft-music, stretching classes make me want to hit something even harder. Know your groove and stick with it.

7. Stretch or do yoga. The benefits of yoga have been evident for centuries. Just know that to take advantage of them you'll need to practice it for at least a month so you aren't so sore.

8. Journal your thoughts. Write everything down that frustrates, excites, or makes you nervous. When those ideas hit the paper they don't seem so scary.

9. Make a meal without buying anything new, but don't do it for company. Haul out your spices to sniff and add by feel. Ignore all recipe sites for this exercise as they'll stifle your creativity. If you hate it, treat yourself to Taco Bell.

10. Contact a local massage school and offer to be a victim. Students need a minimum number of "practice" hours before receiving their certification and most will give you a discounted or flat out free massage.

11. Go to bed. Mandate 30 minutes of quiet time for yourself and don't get up until it's over. A quick nap is superbly rejuvenating.

12. Avoid TV for a week. That fast-paced, chopped up video would make your head spin if you weren't so acclimated to it. Put on a Baby Einstein video if you must have something in the background. Or listen to soothing music.

13. Sit and just be for 20 minutes every day. Set your timer for a certain amount of minutes and do nothing during that time. Commune with your Creator or contemplate your navel, but you must do nothing. Seemingly insurmountable problems disappear when you recognize you aren't the center of the universe.