How to Survive the Holiday Drag

Let’s not beat around the bush here—the holidays are just about the worst time of year. Sorry Lana Del Rey, but I think you picked the wrong season: “Wintertime Sadness” is more like it. Not to be a total Grinch, but the holidays, in my opinion, ring an internal bell that it’s time to pack on that extra layer of fat for winter and crawl into an endless stretch of hibernation.

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Sure, Christmas decorations are cheery, fires are cozy, and everyone loves a good Starbucks red-cup of coffee. All these wintry delights, however, are only ploys to divert our attention from the fact that in reality, we are pale, vitamin-D deficient humans with dry skin and chapped lips, constantly freezing our butts off. Since the holidays can’t always be a time of cheer for everyone, here are a few tips that I hope to follow in order to survive this year:

1. Keep Being Healthy 

I don’t know about you, but while I’m perfectly satisfied dining on a good salad and munching on a nice, juicy peach come summertime, once thanksgiving hits, there is not possibly enough chocolate and carbs to get my hands on. As if it isn’t tempting enough already to spend Saturday night curled up on the couch with a warm fuzzy blanket and a pint of Ben & Jerry’s while it blizzards outside, supermarkets and cafés are practically shoving holiday sweets down our throats. Would I normally have eaten that cookie? No. Did I justify doing it because it was shaped like an adorable Christmas elf? Maybe. While it would be sin-worthy to keep yourself from taking advantage of the deliciousness of holiday sweets, don’t let them take advantage of you. Give yourself a treat, but still try to get those fruits and veggies into your every day diet. When your body feels healthy, so does your mind, and that’s all you can ask for to get through a tough holiday season.

2. Stay Active

I know that the last thing you want to do when its 25 degrees outside is to bundle up and walk all the way to the gym, but keeping up a regular exercise routine, even in winter, will work wonders on your motivation. Not only will you get a much-needed boost of endorphins, but you will also look and feel better about yourself. Who cares if you spend the entire winter hiding yourself under leggings and a giant sweater? You’ll be much happier and more confident if you feel good about what’s underneath. So put on a pair of sneakers, get on the treadmill, and dream about the days of long, warm, summertime runs at dusk (I promise, they will return).

3. Be Social

It’s important get yourself out of the house, even if it’s freezing and all you want to do is spend the entire night snuggled up on the couch with a delicious hot chocolate watching Love Actually.  I don’t care that you haven’t shaved your legs in a month—put on a cute outfit and hit the bars with your friends. Go out to a late dinner even if it’s been dark outside since 4 pm and you feel like you’ve been up all night only to check the clock and realize it’s actually 8pm. Just because it’s cold doesn’t mean you should stay inside all winter, as tempting as it may seem. Plus, you’ll already be eating healthy and exercising; why not go out and feel good if you already look good? 

4. For All You Single People: Avoid Couples at All Costs

Is it just me, or are the holidays designed to accentuate loneliness for all of the world’s single people? Being single has its perks, but when the holidays roll around, it’s undeniable that everyone wishes they had someone to cuddle with by the fireside. If you are single during the holidays and intend on keeping your sanity, avoid awkwardly depressing moments with your couple friends, like sitting on the far end of the couch while watching them spoon and feed each other chocolates (I thought we were watching the Harry Potter marathon together…). Seriously though, appreciate the company of your friends and family, and don’t let the holiday-time single blues get you down. Thats what Valentine’s Day is for anyway.

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5. Get in the Spirit

Even if you aren’t feeling up to your best self during this cold and stressful time of year, there’s no point in trying to fight off the incessant and relentless holiday cheer. Rather than locking yourself in your house like Ebenezer Scrooge, you might as well take advantage of great shopping sales and let a steaming cup of hot chocolate warm your bones. And honestly, Christmas tunes can be pretty catchy, and we all know Home Alone never gets old.

The holidays can be a dark time for many of us, but keep these tips in mind and hopefully you’ll be able to push through until New Years, when we get to absolve ourselves of all the past year’s regrets by getting wasted and making resolutions that we “promise” to see through this time.