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healthy kids
REINVENT THE HOLIDAYS More Meaning, Less Stuff
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by Ronica O’Hara
ike many parents, Alicia Hough, a corporate wellness expert in New York, used to go overboard plying her kids with gifts at Christmas. “I was always busy with work, which is why I thought that buying my children the latest or most trending toy in the market will make up for the time I’ve lost,” she recalls. “As kids, they indeed get excited with material gifts, but that joy is just temporary, and that’s what I realized throughout this pandemic. In the end, it’s the relationship with people you value that matters, and not these material things or celebrations.” Hough, who considers the pandemic a turning point, is not alone. In this turbulent year, holiday celebrations will likely be smaller, quieter and less opulent for many families. Yet the crisis has also set the stage for families “to create a holiday that is more in keeping with their values, finding deeper connection and meaning with less rushing around and spending less money,” says Laura Markham, a clinical psychologist and author of Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids. Besides passing up traveling and parties for cozy pajama times, many families are seriously rethinking their gift-giving habits. Although presents are a beloved part of Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa celebrations, many families have come to wonder how the shopping and spending
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Dallas Metroplex Edition
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