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Spending the Holidays With The People You Love

It's the most wonderful time of the year and holidays are always best spent with family. With all that has happened for the past year, it's a great time to reconnect with your loved ones, a time to bond and catch up and just be grateful for the time spent together.

However, not all people get to spend the holidays together with their family. There are those who are working, or families that are separated by distance or just plain busy over the holidays. And for some, this is their reality and a sad account of what holidays should be.

Research shows that families who spend more time together share stronger emotional bonds. Spending time as a family is associated with a sense of belonging and enhanced communication, particularly with children, who have higher academic performances and are less likely to have behavioural problems.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the season, it is essentiaal to remember that the most important part of the holidays is spending quality time with those you love. It's a wonderful chance to forget everyday stresses and remember what life is really all about; friends, family, laughter, love, graciousness, gratitude and spreading warmth and smiles.

It's a season of softened edges, with the worldwide acceptance and anticipation that it is okay, if not completely expected, to be with those you love to enjoy well deserved and absolutely cherished family time.

There are also many other notable and positive benefits of relaxing and spending time with those special people in your life who you can truly let your guard down around.

To get the most on your holiday experience, be sure to focus on experiences, not things. Let’s remember what the holidays are really about: spending time with your loved ones, showing generosity and being grateful for what you have. Research shows that experiences bring you more happiness than things, so focus on communal, low-cost activities such as potluck dinners and free community events that you can do with your family or loved ones. Even home-based, low-cost activities such as playing a board game, gardening, camping, arts and crafts, cozying up for a family movie or playing outdoors have a big impact on the health of a family.

They make everybody in the family feel closer emotionally to each other, which is always a good thing. These mundane everyday activities are known as a family’s ‘core’ activities, whereas those that require more time, money and planning (special events, vacations) are called ‘balance’ activities. Both of these are deeply related to a family’s ability to better adapt. The strengthening of family bonds is one of the important benefits of family time.

Spending time with family is a positive activity, which can be enhanced even further when woven with simple or complex family traditions. And the holiday season is the perfect opportunity to create and foster traditions within the family that you can keep for generations to come.

Thanks!