A lot of people do not look forward to December because of the shopping crowd and the holiday traffic that it entails. Shopping for gifts could become a nightmare because of the long cashier lines, parking hassle and traffic problems. Booking a venue for Christmas parties is also a challenge—all the good ones are reserved early. The drive to and from parties is also an exercise in patience.
As we approach this festive and hectic month, it’s good to consider our options. Take shopping, for instance. E-commerce is enjoying immense popularity these days, especially at this time of year, because people simply don’t want to endure the crowd and the horrible traffic.
E-commerce portals are making a killing: Statistics show that 1.5 percent of retail sales are from e-commerce, “with around 10 million e-commerce customers every day.” Entrepreneurs are looking at an increase this season—to the tune of 63 million customers in total!
Shopping on a giant online portal is like going through 40 shopping malls with millions of products from various brands. A physical mall has about 600,000 products only—and it would take a lot of hours and physical effort to finish shopping.
Those who are looking for venues for their Christmas get-togethers must be reminded that it is time to book now. Go online and search early because corporate parties and family gatherings are scheduled as early as September. There still might be good ones open at this time.
For the most important part of Christmas—health and wellness—I would like to offer a Christmas fitness challenge to help us balance the indulgences of the season with some honest-to-goodness health rituals. In between all the parties, drinking, sweet gifts and holiday bingeing, it’s best not to lose track of our health and fitness goals. Here is a very simple 12 days to holiday health that you can start anytime from now until December, or even January!
Day 1—Take a 20-minute walk; brisk walking is best. Day 2—Drink the right amount of water for your body weight (formula is 0.6 ounce times body weight in pounds divided by 8=number of cups needed). Make it a habit, for best results. Day 3—No sugar day. Day 4 —Fifteen minutes of stretching, and then take the stairs at work. Day 5—Eat healthy day, which means no fried foods, no salty, fatty, sweet meals. Day 6—Spend 15 to 30 minutes
in meditation.
Day 7—No processed food today. Day 8—Spend time dancing, doing yoga or any fitness activity that you enjoy. Day 9—Pick a chore that lets you burn some calories. Day 10 —Something for the workaholics—take a seven-hour beauty sleep; why not make it eight hours? Day 11—Go outside. Biking, swimming and running are great outdoor activities for boosting health. Day 12—Spend a few minutes planning the next year and setting your fitness and health goals. It’s your reward for prioritizing your well-being during the holidays and approaching December wisely.