I’ll admit it: I buy a $7 oat milk cappuccino and a chocolate croissant before I run errands on Saturday. When my friends indulge in yoga classes and afternoon shopping, they call it “Meg Day.”
December Meg was different. like The vast majority of AmericansI can’t help but feel stressed around the holidays. I have to tighten my budget to make sure I can afford the cranberry cocktails at the holiday party and the $80 Skims jumpsuit on my sister’s wish list or risk credit card debt.
But when it’s cold, dark, and the airport is packed with people acting like they’ve never walked through the TSA line before, I need that extra energy to meet my end-of-year deadlines. So, I came up with a compromise. I will continue my usual borderline indulgent self-care routine, but I will substitute activities that cost $0.
Here are four ways I’m making a little extra time for myself this holiday season that don’t involve chores and don’t cost a dime.
free attractions
Every city I’ve lived in, no matter how big or small, is filled with twinkling lights and free or low-cost community events during the holidays.
In New York, where I currently live, museums often designate times when admission is free or discounted. You can easily find other free events on social media, such as tango lessons, silent disco or high-line stargazing.
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When I lived in Adrian, Michigan, I checked local college, government, and news websites, as well as Eventbrite pages and Facebook groups, to find these events, from holiday concerts to Christmas tree lighting ceremonies.
This year I will be attending the Grand Rapids, MI light show and heading to the downtown Christmas market with my family. My sister promised she would help me avoid buying hot chocolate in a boot-shaped cup.
window shopping
If you have enough self-control, dreaming about next year’s wardrobe instead of buying it is a fairly obvious way to save money. But window shopping is tricky for me. I can never resist a pair of Miista boots on sale.
Instead, I would take a different route home so I could see as many holiday-decorated streets as possible—a different form of window shopping, but with fewer financial consequences. Occasionally, someone would turn on the lights in the living room and I would catch a glimpse of evergreen trees decorated with lights, giant reflective red bulbs, and paper angels.
Some of my colleagues engage in similar activities to activate their senses, such as trying perfume, buying candles, or patrolling grocery store aisles for free samples. Here’s a sage advice: Activate your five senses Research has found that this is a simple way to relieve anxiety.
Turn my living room into a café—or my bathroom into a spa
I have two hobbies that I’m very good at – skating and writing – and at least 12 hobbies that I tried once and never picked up. I want more time to master all of this.
My editor has a great idea: grab a cozy blanket, put on your favorite playlist, make yourself a delicious hot drink, and practice your chosen activity for a few hours. (Editor’s note: That guy looks smart!)
I replaced the ceiling lighting with a table lamp, put on Beatles songs, and tried to finish a $25 crochet kit I impulsively purchased online a few months ago. I sat under a blanket, sipping ginger tea from my favorite mug, and two hours later I felt energized—even though I had only completed about three rows of crocheted strawberries.
Between Christmas and New Year, I’ll be doing it again – this time a DIY spa day, using countless beauty products that I’ve accumulated over the years but that I rarely use.
My editor will be pleased, and probably not surprised, to learn that his advice is backed by science: Psychologists say practicing something creative can make you a better problem solver. The simple act of play can relieve stress and build social skills and resilience, no matter how old you are, Research shows.
Connect with old friends—or not
The holidays can be celebratory, stressful, and comforting all at the same time, and everyone handles this tension differently. For example, some people benefit greatly from scheduling phone calls with friends before or after group activities.
I’m actually the opposite: My social and family obligations wear me down because I feel like I need to be “busy” most of my waking hours to meet everyone’s expectations. So, in the weeks leading up to Christmas, I scheduled “staring at the wall” time.
Solitude and quiet can give you time to reflect, process difficult emotions, and be more present in the moment when you’re ready to rejoin the world, says the Penn State religious studies professor. Justin McDaniel 2022 told me that. I scroll on my phone, watch the Thanksgiving episode of Lord of the Lace or do the laundry.
The break allowed me to recharge so I could argue with my family about which festive movie to watch on Christmas Eve.
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