Celebrate the Holidays with Family
Maybe it is the “slow season”for your business. Or maybe it has been your best season ever, and your stress levels are off the charts. Either way, hopefully you have decided to take a little time off and become reacquainted with your family again.
It can be a little intimidating sometimes, trying to reconnect with family members when you've been putting a lot of time into your business. You may feel like they resent your time away from them. Or you may simply feel like you don't know one another anymore.
Spending time with loved ones doesn't have to involve elaborate plans.
It's not necessary to take expensive vacations, or go on a lavish shopping spree. Here are some ideas for spending some memorable quality time that won't break your budget.
Have some family portraits done. This is especially appropriate if you are conspicuously missing from the photo albums. Whether you plan a professional sitting with your parents and a nice lunch afterwards, or have some candid shots of you and the kids in the midst of a massive snowball fight, photos are a wonderful record of family memories. It’s a memorable experience between Christmas and New Year’s when families are together.
Make something together. Engaging in hobbies can be very relaxing, and there have been studies showing that such activities may lower blood pressure. Even if your family isn’t a particularly crafty lot, there are plenty of possibilities just in the kitchen. Maybe Dad can show you how to make his world-famous lasagna. Relive those special times decorating cookies with your sisters. Make pizzas with the kids—and don't forget to toss the pizza dough in the air.
Play games. Every article ever written about spending quality time with the family always mentions playing games— and with good reason. Games are an excellent way to have fun with your family. Board games are a great idea and can provide hours of fun. But if you aren't a traditional board game-playing family, why not try something different? Remember Mad-Libs? Or Simon Says? Truth or Dare? Twenty Questions? Playing these types of games can spark some hilarious conversations and lots of laughter.
Talk. And listen. Your family may not know much about your business: what you love about it, the difficulties you may be encountering, or whatever may be occupying your mind. Likewise, your parents may be having health concerns, your spouse may be excited about an upcoming opportunity at work, or your kids may be dying to tell you about the funniest thing they saw on YouTube. Being a part of a family means being there for each other, listening to each other.
Your family is an important part of your life, so be sure to take the time to appreciate each other, and to celebrate those little moments.
And a very Merry Christmas from our house to yours!