Not Feeling Festive? Tips for Managing Your First Holiday in a New City
By Julie DeLong, A-1 Freeman Moving Group
One important thing you're able to do to keep the post-moving doldrums away is to make sure that you get plenty of natural light and exercise. Take walks if you're able to and obtain a good amount of physical activity indoors if you cannot be outside. Research shows that endorphins help to make us feel better, and exercise floods your system with those little goodies.
Send out a Family Newsletter and Change of Address Cards
If you have not forwarded change of address cards to your friends, it's time. Take a picture of your family along with your new residence and include a chatty newsletter about all your "news"--home, town, work, schools. Telling your old friends regarding your new life could put a grin on your face--it's bittersweet, inevitably, but can make it easier to proceed.
Be sure that your kids know that Santa will get the change of address info, as well. Include a copy of your newsletter together with their letters to Santa, and when they're older, frame the two as a present.
Get Involved—Volunteer
You can find sufficient chances to become involved in your new local community through schools, church, and non-profit organizations, and the holidays are no exception. Take a look at local social media pages for groups which appeal to you and your family, and organize a Sunday wrapping gifts or an afternoon in a soup kitchen.
A lot of community groups provide people the ability to supply Christmas for disadvantaged kids and families, and that is a great way of getting your kids engaged. Bring them shopping with you--ask their guidance on colors and styles, games and toys, and let them select some presents. Certain groups ask that you deliver unwrapped items. If you're wrapping the presents, have your children select wrapping paper and gift bags. Remember to tag wrapped gifts with names and sizes.
While not becoming too cheezy about it, this kind of group exercise does miracles when it comes to boosting teenage attitudes--sure, your young ones are surely feeling sorry for themselves, missing their old pals, nevertheless serving others will go a long way towards having things back into perspective.
Have a Holiday Getaway
In England, a holiday is a vacation. If you cannot find yourself in the spirit of the season in the new community, and you simply are not able to get back to family and friends, go on a holiday--blow the whole thing off. This tactic only is effective if no one is genuinely expecting Santa (however with overnight shipping and delivery almost anywhere, why not), or you are not flying on your vacation--carrying along all that loot translates into substantial checked baggage charges. Here are a few ideas for a holiday journey.
· Local resort--a resort of some kind is within a day's travel of just about any place in the nation. These options include activities for the children as well as grown-ups (supervised for children, grownups not really), incredible decorations, great dinners, and a nice break from the routine. Look for things like decorating gingerbread houses, elf on the shelf hunts, sleigh rides with hot cocoa, and making sandcastles at the ocean--dependent upon the spot where you visit.
· Island getaway--when you think about the total expenses over the holiday season, a tropical vacay may not be as preposterous as you think. Sure, it can be a relatively remarkable sum, but when you carry out the math on trees, presents, entertaining, new outfits for functions, decorations, and whatever else, that is often a alarming number, too. This is a better choice with teenagers, who can entertain themselves whilst you relax.
· Christmas in the city--if you've observed the Macy's Thanksgiving parade and dreamed of Christmas in New York, make this the year you go. Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, and Nashville are also places which are great for the holidays.
Choosing a change from the usual holiday routines can help you through this transitional year. In case you are still struggling with the blues and are not able to find a way to shake them, get some professional help. Sometimes moving to El Paso has more of an impact than you want, and it requires more than a holiday retreat and a shopping trip to help you feel better.
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