Keeping the holidays happy

Merry Christmas. Happy Hanukah. Happy Holidays. Whichever greeting you prefer, that time of year is upon us. Despite the true meaning of the season, the demands of decorating, gift giving, visiting friends and catching up with family can be stressful. That was the focus of today's Brown Bag Lunch Series, sponsored by the Women's Professional Development group.

Debbie Hensman led a presentation on keeping the holidays happy. From her research, she found that 96 percent of Americans observe Christmas in some way. The hustle and bustle of the season can create stress, some of which is positive, such as excitement and anticipation. But many people also deal with negative stress, trying to do too much, spend too much or be in too many places at once.  Hensman provided a handout to attendees with 12 ways to try to minimize and manage the stresses that accompany this time of year.  Some of her suggestions to keep the holiday season happy: stick to a budget, learn to say no and forget about perfection.

The Brown Bag series is a precursor to the college's annual Women’s Professional Development Conference, this year scheduled for Feb. 29. The theme of this year’s conference is Healthy Choices for Life..