How are you holding up this holiday season? What’s that in the air – Cristmas magic? No, it’s stress. It’s not that I am feeling “bah humbug” about anything. I just want to acknowledge what so many of us are feeling. I have a friend who has developed a chronic eye twitch. For the past week she has listed what needs to happen before Dec. 25 and as she talks her eye twitches. I think it is twitching to the tune of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. I just hope she can stop twitching in time to enjoy the holiday.

Then there are others who take the holiday spirit to a different level. My neighbors have decorated their entire yard with lights. Every time my husband steps onto our dark, undecorated porch, he mutters “showoffs” as he enjoys their holiday display.

I had my own little holiday meltdown in the dairy aisle at the grocery store. I gained some holiday weight in November and wondered how that happened when I remembered the eggnog. So I took some time at the grocery store comparing the calorie count on cartons of eggnog. How did I get to be such an age and not know that 4 ounces of eggnog has over 200 calories! When did that happen? I wanted to go find a store manager and demand that the cartons have labels “drink at your own risk”. If you add a little something to your eggnog, then the calorie count doubles. No wonder the average American gains 5 to 8 pounds at the holidays. It slides down in silky smooth eggnog and comes to rest wherever it can be most noticeably displayed.

There are plenty who would be happy to have just a little bit of eggnog to worry about this holiday. Plenty are asking Santa for jobs, money for gifts or a little extra so they can turn the heat up in their homes. So, let’s get some perspective. This is the perfect time to count your blessings. We asked local children to write letters to Santa so we can run them in next week’s edition. One little boy asked Santa for a “good week”. I thought that was a perfect gift. Who wouldn’t love a good week?

The best part of that gift is that it is something you can give yourself. Obviously, Santa does a great job. But, you can give yourself a good week. Take some time to identify the cause of your stress. Is it money? Family? Work? Then get some perspective.

I have my own way of coping this year that I never expected to work so well. I started taking yoga and meditation classes at Red Elephant Yoga studio. I would never have imagined that a little bending and stretching and sitting would be so helpful. For those of you who think that’s really what yoga is, let me tell you it is harder than that. But it has the most wonderful lasting effect that makes it worth stretching in ways I never dreamed possible. I have a history of insomnia, especially when I feel even more stressed than usual. The meditation class has been so helpful. For the first time in a long time I can sleep through the night and on those occasions when I wake up at 2 a.m. looking at the ceiling - then I try some meditation techniques and I’m back to sleep in no time.