Create a fun, vibrant and healthy festive season this year – with our healthy gift guide, tips for easing seasonal stress and nourishing 12-day countdown to Christmas Day!
If the thought of the festive season and buying presents this year is sending you into a state of stress, then you aren’t alone. According to one poll (1), 53 per cent of women said their stress level increases during the holidays (compared to 39 per cent of men).
But don’t let it be the season of stress, instead follow our Thrive Journey Holiday Wellness guide to make this a happy and healthy time for you and your loved ones.
Healthy Holiday Gift Ideas
Step into the shops from September and you will start to feel bombarded by the Christmas merchandise. This subtle (and not-so-subtle) pressure can sweep you up into a bit of a shopping frenzy and you can easily end up buying and spending more than you want to. And the last thing you want when you wake up from your New Year hangover is to receive a massive credit card bill.
Top 10 Healthy Gift Ideas:
#1: Create a memory – remember, gifts don’t have to be physical presents, give experiences instead. This could be a voucher for a massage, facial or a spa-day (why not buy two so you can go along too!).
#2: Get creative – gifts with a personal touch are always welcome, especially if it is for a family member. If you have time, then why not enrol in an art session or do a pottery class and gift your work of art!
#3: Cook up a treat – if you are a budding chef, then try your hand at making jam or shortbread or ginger cookies. You could also mix up a homemade spice blend (perhaps try a chai tea spice blend or cajun spice rub) store it in a pretty jar with a handwritten label.
#4: Pamper hamper – buy a basket and fill it with a range of beauty products – anything from bath salts to body scrubs, moisturising lotions, eye pillows and candles. Have fun putting it together. You could theme your hamper: the great outdoors for walkers, a gardening kit, or perhaps a holiday basket with a beach towel, sun cream and good book!
#5: Sustainable seasonal gifts – check out our great range of yoga products on the Thrive Journey site – there’s the cork yoga mat, meditation bench and eco tumbler, plus a range of baby products for new parents and environmentally friendly gifts.
#6: Tea tonic – for the tea lovers in your life, consider giving a mug or teapot set with herbal or loose leaf teas.
#7: Games night – board games can be a great way of getting people together and ditching the digital devices! Gather friends this Christmas and go for traditional games such as chess and monopoly or be adventurous and try a new game, such as How Well Do You Really Know Your Family…? There could be some surprises in store!
#8: Gift of gratitude – give your loved one a journal, pen and perhaps a candle to help create a sense of calm reflection. Journalling is believed to help ease anxiety, improve sleep and help emotional regulation. One study (2) found it is effective for easing mental distress and can even improve your quality of life.
#9: Plant a seed – house plants are always great gifts – they can improve air quality and filter nasties from the environment, plus they are a little piece of nature at home.
#10: A Thrive Journey subscription! Imagine having access to live, weekly, online personal yoga and Qi gong classes, help and advice on fertility, hormonal balance and stress relief. As well as more than a hundred video classes and structure programs. A one-year Thrive Journey membership has to be one of the healthiest gifts to give. Go shopping now!
Christmas self-care SOS!
During the holidays an American Heart Association study (3) found that 69 per cent of people struggle with healthy eating (check out our blog on Yoga for Digestion for ways to keep tummy issues at bay!) and more than half of women in America report higher levels of stress in the holidays as they take on extra seasonal chores and jobs. So avoid burnout and pace yourself this Christmas and follow these 5 golden rules to stay sane during the silly season!
#1: Don’t fill your diary! Try to book one event a day and give yourself a day free each week. It’s tempting to fill the space, but think of it as a self-care day to restore and reset!
#2: Delegate tasks – don’t take everything on yourself! Give the kids and family members jobs to do and roles to play. Create a chore chart and put it on the wall – people can tick off jobs as they do them. Jobs like taking out the garbage can be assigned to one person, doing laundry can be someone else’s task (not yours!) this could be a good time to get people to do more around the home.
#3: Bring a plate – if people ask if they can bring something, say yes! If you are hosting, ask people to bring a plate and a bottle. It could be a salad and a mineral water, but it all helps reduce the load on you.
#4: Lower the bar – we can’t always be the perfect hostess. Be kind to yourself, it doesn’t matter if the carpet needs a vacuum or you are getting take out instead of cooking. I’m sure your guests would prefer you happy, not stressed!
#5: Prioritise sleep and relaxation – Make time to relax deeply – try restorative yoga, calming breath work or meditation. Check out our Thrive Journey blogs for more:
In fact a report for the American Psychological Association (4) found that just 27 per cent of women (and 41 per cent of men) felt they were able to relax during the holidays due to the added responsibilities of the season.
And if you have a late night, try to go to bed early the following evening. If you neglect your sleep you will quickly become tired, irritable and this can lead to headaches and even affect your hormonal balance.
12 Days of Wellness (before Christmas!)
Start the countdown to Christmas with this fun festive challenge to help you feel fabulous this holiday season. Think of this a bit like a healthy advent calendar (without the chocolates!). This countdown starts on December 13 and goes right up until Christmas Eve.
You might like to print this out and put it on your fridge. This will help keep you on track and we’d love you to share your photos and feedback!
December 13: Day 1 – Mindful Morning
Begin your day with 10 minutes of mindful breathing or journaling. Sit up tall and take a moment to circle your shoulders and gently rotate your head. Sit on the edge of a pillow and notice the length in your spine, lightly close your eyes and then draw the breath in through your nose. Notice the temperature of your inhale and then release the breath noticing the warmth of the exhaled breath. After a few breaths, notice where the breath is flowing in the body, pay attention to the movement of your body accommodating the breath. Is the breath flowing more dominantly through one nostril? Don’t try to control the breath, just notice sensations. Perhaps the breath is slowing down, maybe becoming deeper. Practise for as long as you are able to.
If you have time, write down your thoughts – resist the urge to think before you write, just write – unedited, enjoying your pen moving across the paper – unrestricted and without judgment. This practice can help us to release stress and gain a sense of clarity, perspective and awareness.
December 14: Day 2 – Nourish Naturally
Aim to make one meal today that is entirely plant based or packed with fresh, seasonal veggies. Be sure to make the meal as colourful as possible – choosing rainbow colours – green broccoli and bok choy, root veggies such as sweet potato and beetroot – be adventurous, this is a great season to try steamed artichoke (a great source of fibre, folate and magnesium). You might like to sprinkle with some sesame seeds or roasted nuts and enjoy! And if you can, finish off with a tropical fruit platter. Delicious!
December 15: Day 3 – Gratitude Glow
When we have an attitude of gratitude it helps nurture a positive mindset. We feel happier with a healthier perspective. Today, write down 3 things you are grateful for – it doesn’t have to be something huge – it could just be that you are thankful for your morning coffee! If you wish, share your gratitude gems with a loved one. If you enjoy this activity make it a daily practice: get creative and make a gratitude jar or box. Each day write something new. On days you feel a bit down, open it up and re-read your messages to boost your mood.
December 16: Day 4 – Digital Detox
Make a commitment to unplug for two hours. That means no socials, no emails – just presence. According to a study published by Yahoo (5), nearly 90 per cent of people check their phones within 10 minutes of waking up and most of us check our phones between 60 and 144 times a day.
Take yourself out for a walk, read a book, catch up with friends. And the more you have time away from your phone, the easier it should become.
December 17: Day 5 – Hydration Boost
Have fun today infusing your water with festive flavours, such as orange, cranberry, cinnamon. Put your drinks in a fancy glass and add a spring of mint for extra zing! According to Ayurvedic wisdom, it is better to avoid ice and drink water at room temperature, so try to reduce those icy cold drinks and sip rather than gulp.
Aim to drink between 6-8 glasses of water a day and if you prefer not to drink that much, fruits such as watermelon and cucumber are great snacks which help you hydrate.
December 18: Day 6 – Seasonal Self-Care
Give yourself 20 minutes to do something for YOU. This could be having a warm bubble bath or soak in some magnesium salts, do a yoga routine or get a book and curl up on the couch.
Do this guilt-free and if you can, set the alarm for a bit longer and enjoy the well-deserved time out!
December 19: Day 7 – Acts of Kindness
This is the season of goodwill, so pay it forward and do one unexpected kind gesture for someone today. This could be asking the barista to let you pay for the next person’s order! Giving someone a genuine compliment or praising someone’s work or service.
Often it is better for us to give than receive as it helps to raise oxytocin (the body’s feel-good hormone) and helps us to feel a sense of contentment.
December 20: Day 8 – Winter Movement
Grab your trainers and go for a winter walk to kick off the cobwebs or enjoy a stretch at a yoga class. According to a 2003 study (6), yoga can reduce cortisol levels associated with stress. The 16 healthy new yogis in the study took part in a 50 minute yoga class every day for 7 days. The researchers measured the cortisol levels before and after the yoga class and discovered a significant decrease after the class.
Or shake off stress with some dance – play some of your favourite tunes and dance like no-one is watching! Moving our body helps to clear our mind and release stress and tension.
December 21: Day 9 – Sleep Sanctuary
Get super cosy this evening and create a wind-down routine. Make your bed with clean, fresh, cotton sheets. No screens, just soft lights, sip a calming, herbal tea. Then listen to a guided meditation or nature sounds and drift off into a dreamy-night’s sleep.
December 22: Day 10 – Creative Spark
Get arty and do something festive and creative. This could be baking, doing craft or making a vision board. Whatever appeals to you! Being creative helps promote mindfulness and can put us in a positive mood.
And you might even be able to gift your design afterwards!
December 23: Day 11 – Inner Warmth
Sip a delicious homemade Ayurvedic drink or herbal tea blend (try ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric). For a soothing evening drink you might like to make golden milk – gently warm up a pan of full cream milk (unhomogenised if possible) then add half a teaspoon of turmeric and a couple of grinds of black pepper. Once it is warmed through, take it off the stove top and then add an optional teaspoon of honey. The turmeric is anti-inflammatory and calming while the milk has tryptophan which encourages restful sleep.
Christmas Eve: Day 12 – Reflect & Reset
Set aside time to journal your wins from 2025 and set intentions for the new year. Think about moments which have brought you joy throughout the past 12 months. If you are artistic, you might like to sketch or paint. To help prompt your memory take a look through your camera roll – and perhaps make a visual memory board of the year.
Use these special moments to set intentions for 2026 – what would you like more of in your life. What goals do you have? Be imaginative, adventurous and have fun!
A Final Word
Looking after your mental health and wellbeing is more important than cooking the perfect turkey dinner or having a spotless home. In fact in a recent study commissioned by the American Heart Association, found that 71 per cent of people regret not relaxing more during the holidays (3). So follow our Thrive Journey plan which focuses on relaxation, gratitude and enjoyment and you’ll avoid this common regret and be able to savour the season. Merry Christmas from all of us here at Thrive Journey!
References
(1) American Psychiatric Association Holiday Stress Poll https://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/Unassigned/APA_Holiday-Stress_PPT-REPORT_November-2021_update.pdf
(2) Smyth JM, Johnson JA, Auer BJ, Lehman E, Talamo G, Sciamanna CN. Online Positive Affect Journaling in the Improvement of Mental Distress and Well-Being in General Medical Patients With Elevated Anxiety Symptoms: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Ment Health. 2018 Dec 10;5(4):e11290. doi: 10.2196/11290. PMID: 30530460; PMCID: PMC6305886. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6305886
(3) American Heart Association – study (conducted by Wakefeld Research) published 2023 https://newsroom.heart.org/news/new-survey-79-of-survey-respondents-overlook-their-health-needs-during-the-holidays-find-the-holidays-more-stressful-than-tax-season
(4) Greenberg Quinlan Rosner research (2006) for the American Psychological Association (APA). https://www.knowledgecity.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Holiday-Stress-APA-Study.pdf?utm_
(5) Yahoo https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/study-shows-people-check-phones-091353535.html?utm_&guccounter=1
(6) Thomas Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia and the Yoga Research Society – a study conducted in 2003. https://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/health/beginner-s-bliss