A Healthy Holiday Celebration for All!

The holidays are here. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, or you have your own traditions, you are likely in festive mode, or at least taking steps to get yourself there. The truth is that feelings about the holiday season are quite personal. For some, the holidays bring happiness and euphoria. For others, the holidays can be a time of loneliness. 

This year, the team at Hite Family Dentistry is hopeful that all can find peace, love, and joy during the holidays. So we have created a list of ten ways to make celebrating a healthy and happy holiday season easier.

Coming up with fun ideas to celebrate the holidays isn’t all that hard. In fact, a quick search on the internet can give you hundreds—literally hundreds—of ideas. But wading through all of those ideas can often feel intimidating, creating more of a burden than we want to take on. So we simplified things for you a bit by creating a list of ten ideas to help you celebrate the holidays while having fun and keeping your health front and center.

1. Get your body moving.

Okay, we promise we’ll get to the fun stuff. But, we would be remiss if we didn’t start with some ideas to get the blood pumping a bit. After all, no matter what holiday you celebrate, this time of year tends to be associated with sweet treats that might be tasty but aren’t so fabulous for our waistlines. With that said, getting out and about and moving your body every day can not only help you burn those calories but can help boost your mood a bit too. So, at the least, aim for about 30 minutes of moderate physical activity three to four times a week.

2. Have a Thanksgiving party.

We’re not talking about just any old traditional family gathering here. We’re talking about a real Thanksgiving party that transcends those family traditions. Invite your friends, both old and new. Consider anyone and everyone you are thankful for and invite them for a Thanksgiving party to remember. And remember that your Thanksgiving party doesn’t need to cost an arm and a leg. Consider a potluck, or ask everyone to contribute a nominal amount and make it a pizza party. The point here is to get your friends together and celebrate all you have to be thankful for this holiday season.

3. Come up with a new family tradition.

Families tend to love creating traditions. If your family doesn’t have one, why not create one that you can all stick to year after year? And we’re not saying you need to go the less healthy route with a cookie exchange or anything like that. Why not start an ugly Christmas sweater competition or a new-to-you white elephant gift exchange? Whatever you come up with, it’ll be sure to add to the family fun.

4. Give back to those less fortunate.

Some years are harder than others, but no matter how difficult our year may be, chances are another family has it a bit tougher. Remember that idea about a new family tradition? Why not volunteer this holiday season and make it a family tradition? Sing Christmas carols with your local church, or volunteer at a local soup kitchen. And don those ugly Christmas sweaters while you’re at it. We promise that doing good for others will do good for your soul this holiday season.

5. Practice some self-care.

Though the holidays should be a time of joy and celebration, they can also be stressful. So, be sure that no matter what you do, take time for self-care whenever possible. And self-care can mean a lot of things. It can mean taking ten minutes to yourself each day to meditate, taking 30 minutes a few times a week for a hot bubble bath, or making a date with yourself to get out for a deep tissue massage. The point here is to take some time for yourself to relax, destress, and celebrate the wonderful and marvelous you!

6. Get your teeth whitened.

Over the years, our teeth can become yellow and lose their luster. So this year, why not give yourself and your self-confidence a little treat by splurging on a tooth whitening treatment? Teeth whitening at Hite Family Dentistry in Edwardsville, Illinois, is a great way to improve your smile. Whether you opt for in-office or at-home teeth whitening, you’ll be delighted with your brighter and whiter smile in time for the holidays.

7. Have a holiday movie night.

It is hard to channel surf in early November and throughout December without coming across at least half a dozen holiday specials. And if you are into the Hallmark Channel or any one of the many streaming apps available, chances are you have oodles of holiday movies at your fingertips. So why not plan a holiday movie night once a week with your loved ones? Put on your cozy jammies, curl up on the couch with your favorite blanket, and take in a Christmas classic to get in the holiday spirit.

8. Pair your movie night with a healthy holiday treat.

The holidays are known for fun snacks, but we know that they aren’t always good for our teeth. So why not try a new healthy recipe to pair with your holiday movie night? Rainbow fruit kabobs aren’t just for the summer—they are great in the winter time too! Are you looking to satisfy that sweet and salty tooth? Then why not try these peanut butter popcorn balls? Just be sure to floss thoroughly after indulging, and rinse those loosened food particles away with a good fluoride mouthwash.

9. Come up with a Christmas craft to decorate the house.

Whether it’s homemade Christmas garland, a clothespin menorah, or a paper plate Kwanzaa kinara, come up with a Christmas craft or two to decorate your house. And if your budget and time permits, learn how other religions celebrate the holidays and make one of each! You and your kids will enjoy the quality time spent together and how your one-of-a-kind holiday decorations brighten up the house.

10. Come up with a game to play at your family gathering.

Try something different and develop a game everyone can play at this year’s family gathering. How about the old-fashioned telephone game? Or you could do some planning and create a DIY reindeer ring toss game. If you have young kids at your family gathering, play a trim-the-tree game with green crepe paper, and let kids wrap up the adults to look like Christmas trees. Whatever you come up with, it’ll be sure to create a holiday to remember. The goal here is to have some fun, get people laughing, and create some holiday memories.

Hite Family Dentistry wishes you and yours a happy holiday season.

It’s hard to believe another year is coming to an end. We’re so thankful for our loyal patients and their families. And, we want to wish you all a splendid, happy, and healthy holiday season. If you are overdue for a dental cleaning and want to clean those pearly whites in time for the new year, now is the time to get on our calendar. Request an appointment today. We look forward to seeing you.