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Today, I’m delighted to present the very first Guest Post for my blog, by Evan Hadkins. Evan writes a blog (www.wellbeingandhealth.net), which covers all aspects of health (physical, emotional, mental, spiritual and social). He also has a free email course on health and a free weekly newsletter that you can sign up for on his blog.

I’ve always find his posts inspiring. Apart from getting some tips about how to live a healthy lifestyle, there are topics covered about how to maintain good relationships, self improvements, and one of my favourite topics, living authentically. Now he even added ecology in his discussions as well. Without much further ado, let’s have Evan give us some pointers on how to:

Have a Healthy Christmas

Christmas may be the time of year where our ideals and the reality clash most strongly. How often is Christmas really joyful? Come Boxing Day we are often glad that Christmas is over for another year. I think it can be different – here are some ideas for a healthy Christmas (healthy for body, soul and spirit).

Eating Healthy at Christmas
In the book Mindless Eating (from the website: www.mindlesseating.org), Brian Wansink goes into great details about how the surroundings we eat in influencing how much we eat. (And if you are like me, you are very likely to overeat at Christmas.) To avoid over-eating here are two simple things we can do:

1. Use a smaller plate. If it is a buffet use a bread and butter plate and put a couple of things on it at a time, then go back to the buffet again. (You will usually end up eating less.)

2. Wait until someone else has started eating. We can also pause during our eating. Our bodies take a while to know we are full. Take a break of twenty minutes or so, you will then know whether you feel full or not. You are also less likely to end up with indigestion.

Exercise on Christmas Day?
In my family anyway Christmas is more about sitting around and eating than doing any exercise. Getting in some exercise may be challenging. I have one idea to help it happen.

Take the family and food somewhere other than home. If you live in the Southern Hemisphere (I live in Australia), where it’s summer, this is easier to do. If you live in the Northern Hemisphere then it may mean moving to an indoor venue somewhere. Have part of Christmas day somewhere that it is easy to do things that the people like doing. A park with walking trails or an indoor venue with something like a skating rink perhaps.

A Happy Christmas
There are lots of ‘shoulds’ around Christmas. These are often unconscious and they can often lead to us doing things that don’t make us happy (or as happy as we could be).

My suggestion is to sit down and think. Maybe you could start with the following question: how shall I do Christmas so that everyone will be as happy as possible?

Just start by imagining: don’t worry about limitations, imagine you could have whatever you wanted. This is to free up your thoughts and get you out of thinking about Christmas in your usual way. Then you can start thinking realistically, about any changes you might want to make to the way you usually do Christmas.

You might change the kind of food eaten. How presents are given (what difference would it make if no presents were given?). The order things are done in. Altering the seating or the venue. The rituals for meeting and greeting and the topics talked about. There are lots of things to consider when thinking about how to make Christmas a happy time for everyone.

The Spirit of Christmas
Even those who are not identified as Christian will often endorse the spirit of giving at Christmas. I’m not criticising the giving of presents, but I do think that the crass commercialism can get in the way of the Christmas spirit.

Here are some ideas for getting away from the commercialism and more in tune with the spirit of giving at Christmas:

- Buy cards from charities, where the price of the card supports the charity.

- Buy presents from charities and organisations that use the funds to support charity and social justice activities.

- If it won’t offend them, instead of giving a present make a donation to the charity in another person’s name, let them know in a card.

- With close friends or family that you get on with, consider what it would mean to give of yourself to the others. It may mean doing something for them or helping them do something.

- Try telling those you are close to what kind of gift they are to you, or what gift they bring in to your life.

These are just a few thoughts about the spirit of Christmas, I’m sure you could think of many more. Please feel free to contribute more ideas for being in tune with the Christmas spirit, or how to have a happy and health Christmas, in the comments.

Wishing you a joyous, happy and healthy Christmas!

Time for the 80′s again. I can’t help it, I listen to the 80′s songs a.k.a my kid songs, ask my older bro & sis. Shameful to say, this is the first time I heard this version. AND, the fun part is : I think I know 80% of the singers/bands in it!! My, don’t they look good (young) back then!! Can you name all of them?? Try it first before you decide to cheat later. =) Let’s see how good you are!

“Do They Know It’s Christmas?” was release by Band Aid, a group that consisting of Irish & British musicians who were well known (of course, some even now) back in the 80′s. It is for charity purposes, to instill awareness to the public and raise funds to relieve 1984-1985 famine in Ethiopia. (source from Wikipedia)

I always find the artists/public figures play a huge role, and undeniably one of the best instruments to create awareness among the public, as the media are just right behind their back, preparing to get the latest scoop about them, although they hope for the dirty stuffs, mostly. Truth is, that is not going to help much in our society, by giving the youngsters their bad examples/behaviours that lead them astray. Pop Idols are humans too, they have weaknesses and problems just like we do. It’s their special talents that we appreciate, why not use it for the good cause, society and mankind? Yet again, we just like to put our nose into their personal matters, otherwise People/Entertainment Biz won’t be earning big bucks right as we speak.

Anyway, it’s a good effort, like the song “We Are The World” is another classic. And while listening “Do They Know It’s Christmas” and eyeing our favourite artists, why not take a look too at the lyrics and think about the unfortunates for a change, aren’t we the lucky ones?

It’s Christmas time

There’s no need to be afraid

At Christmas time

We let in light and we banish shade

And in our world of plenty

We can spread a smile of joy

Throw your arms around the world

At Christmas time

But say a prayer

Pray for the other ones

At Christmas time it’s hard

But when you’re having fun

There’s a world outside your window

And it’s a world of dread and fear

Where the only water flowing

Is the bitter sting of tears

And the Christmas bells that ring

There are the clanging chimes of doom

Well tonight thank God it’s them instead of you

And there won’t be snow in Africa

This Christmas time

The greatest gift they’ll get this year is life

Where nothing ever grows

No rain nor rivers flow

Do they know it’s Christmas time at all?

Feed the world

Let them know it’s Christmas time

Feed the world

Let them know it’s Christmas time again

BRIDGE:

(Here’s to you) raise a glass for everyone

(Here’s to them) underneath that burning sun

Do they know it’s Christmas time at all?

Feed the world

Let them know it’s Christmas time

What do you guys think about this version, by Band Aid 20? A whole different rendition. Which version you preferred? =P

Copyright © 2008 by Wong Ching Ya, All Rights Reserved, “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”.