This past weekend, I helped my parents put up their Christmas tree. It is an experience I've always been apart of since I was old enough to help and one that I've always enjoyed. But this time around, the experience was a bit different. You see, to my surprise, this year my parents decided to go with an artificial tree that came pre-decorated. Growing up, we always had a real Christmas tree and I wondered why they suddenly decided to change it up. Their main reason was, "maintenance and cleanup are a breeze." I had never really put too much thought into it but they did have a point. The overall experience got me thinking and questioning whether I should do the same and purchase an artificial tree. Until Sunday night, I had yet to purchase my tree and so, aside from discussing it with my boyfriend, I made a pro and con list. 

Pros

Long-term costs are lower

Maintenance and cleanup are a breeze

Many (if not all) are pre-decorated

Allergen-free

Cons

No pine tree smell

Picking out a tree isn't the same

Artificial trees can still be flammable

The experience of decorating is left to a minimal

So, what did I decide? The child in me wasn't ready to let go and so I purchased a real Christmas tree. I spent a little bit over an hour decorating my tree (I only spent 15 minutes with my parents) but I enjoyed every minute. An artificial tree might be for me in the future, but for now, I am content with the real ones. 

Happy tree shopping everyone!!

The holiday season is picking up fast and while there’s a lot to look forward to, living in the moment can be overwhelming and stressful.  For the times you are not ready to embrace the frantic work deadlines, freeway traffic or shopping lines, here are a few activities I enjoy to help keep the Grinch at bay.  

1. Getting Outside!  While the weather isn’t always optimal, breathing fresh air and seeing the Fall colors never hurts.
2. Drinking Some Tea!  Make yourself a cup of your favorite tea and enjoy the warmth in your hands that you cannot properly appreciate during the summer months.
3. Play Some Music!  And when I say play, I mean play it as loud as you can and scream the lyrics.  While your ears may not appreciate the beating, studies show that listening to music, especially when it’s loud, increases your dopamine levels and stimulates brain activity.

Take a few minutes out of every day to do the thing that helps you destress, whether that’s kickboxing or reading, make time to take care of yourself!