TWINKLING TIPS for your

Hi North County Friends!! I’m Jaclyn James, a local business owner, wife and mama living in San Elijo Hills. Most days you’ll find me on Instagram, sharing home, food and lifestyle tips & tricks. Since I began my business, I’ve been transforming my “builder grade” home into a custom slice of heaven in the hills. Be sure to find me on Instagram for more on that.

As we head into the holidays, home decor and festive food is top of mind. Here are a few of my favorite home decorating tips to make your home feel festive and cozy this season.

1. To create a cohesive look throughout your house, select a holiday color scheme. This year I’m incorporating greens, white, black and brass for a more modern look.

2. Incorporate a few pieces of fresh greenery. Check Trader Joe’s for boxwood wreaths and cedar garland. It’s a great way to add the smell of the season to your home.

3. Use “everyday items” you already own and add a touch of holiday cheer. For example, instead of buying a “Christmas” vase, try using a plain white, black or gold vase and add lush wintry greens.

4. TWINKLE LIGHTS — a must for 2020. For $6, Target has LED battery-operated lights — it’s a great way to spruce up decor you already own. I’ve added lights to every wreath and piece of garland in my home.

5. CANDLES — scented, tapers and everything in between. On every holiday table I design, you’ll find tons of taper candles. Candles are an inexpensive way to add lots of warmth, ambiance and holiday scent to your home.

holiday home

6. REMINDER — less can be more — you don’t need every corner of your home to scream Christmas. Focus on creating a feeling of coziness throughout your home that makes you smile.

Here are a few helpful “rules of thumb” you can use to determine just how much decor you need:

▶ GARLAND — to swag garland on your bannister, purchase about 1.5x the total length of your railing.

▶ TREE DECORATING: you need about 100 lights and 20 ornaments — per foot of your tree height. NOTE: When buying a pre-lit tree the “100 lights per foot” is a great way to determine if the tree will really sparkle.

For lots more holiday fun, charcuterie boards and holiday menu ideas, join me at jaclynjames.co or @jaclynjames.co on Instagram.

Chat soon! xoxo, Jaclyn James

3 TIPS FOR HANDLING

holiday stress

It’s the hap-happiest season of all...or so the song says, but if we aren’t careful it can become the most stressful season of all. As we approach the 2020 holiday season and the many challenges this year has already brought, here are some tips from Jamie Pyatt, LCSW, and life coach Guy Balogh, on how to end this year with peace, joy and healthy boundaries.

1. Find Your “Why.” WHY do you want the holidays to be the “happiest season of all” and what matters most to you during this time? Discuss what you and your household members want from the holidays, and then make it happen. You may be surprised by the traditions that are “must haves.” Focus your energy on those high-value experiences that satisfy your WHY and give yourself a pass on the rest.

2. Set healthy boundaries and be intentional. It can be stressful to buy gifts, see loved ones and gather with friends. Take a moment to think through who you’d really like to see during your time off. Maybe this year you stay home and enjoy the break by yourself or with your immediate family. Communicate what you decide and respect the wishes of others. Establishing healthy boundaries while planning your celebration helps set clear expectations for everyone. Whatever you do, be intentional and choose connections and activities that honor your WHY. Taking time to savor those intentional choices will make the season meaningful and more memorable.

3. Accept limitations and be flexible. Things may look different this year. You may be wearing masks around a tree at the office get-together. There may not even be annual holiday parties at all. Be flexible and find ways to celebrate despite the limitations. Be creative and think outside what you have “always” done. You may find something this year that you incorporate into every holiday season thereafter.

Regardless of the global pandemic, the holiday season brings excitement, dreams and hopes for a new year. Try to let the way you celebrate reflect your values, and you just might find it to be the happiest season of all.

Jamie and Guy co-host The Davenport Podcast where they discuss mental and emotional health from the perspective of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Professional Life Coach. Download their latest episode at www.TheDavenportPodcast.com.

11 SLIMMING TIPS FOR A healthy holiday season

by Lisa Druxman, M.A.

The holiday season is upon us and if we’re not careful, extra pounds will also be upon us before we know it! With that in mind, we reached out to our resident health guru, Lisa Druxman, the founder of Fit4MOM. She gave us some healthy tips to help us get through the holiday season:

1. Go to the holiday table with a plan. Let’s face it, we all know what types of foods will be on the holiday dinner table. Choose ahead of time which foods are important and which foods we can do without.

2. Don’t go to the table telling people we’re “eating healthy this holiday season.” There’s no need to bring attention to our food choices. We’re more likely to have success if we keep it low-key.

3. Fill the plate heavily with vegetables, fruits and lower fat fare.

4. Don’t say yes to every treat and tasty morsel. Choose wisely and carefully.

5. When cooking, try not to nibble throughout the day. All those little bites add up.

6. It’s a good time of year to try some new lighter recipes. Use high quality, fresh ingredients and the foods will taste great.

7. Offer to bring a dish to a holiday get-together. Bring something you know you can fill up on without the guilt.

8. Moderate drinking at the holidays. Alcohol slows down our metabolism and impairs our good judgment. Try a wine spritzer instead of champagne.

9. Have a healthy snack before a holiday meal. Don’t go to a party on an empty stomach.

10. Get exercise. Taking a walk before or after the holiday meals will help increase metabolism. When we take care of ourselves regularly with exercise, our desire for unhealthy foods tends to decrease. 11. If at first we don’t succeed, don’t throw in the towel. Most of us tend to eat out of control after we give in to that initial temptation. Don’t assume that because we gave into that piece of cake that we now have to try every type of pie on the table.

Finally, remember that the key to overall health is to eat healthy overall. This year, make your focus on giving and not what you’re taking in.