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 Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 9:17 am Post subject: TIPS FOR CREATING HAPPIER HOLIDAYS (new tip each week) |
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TIS THE SEASON - TIPS FOR CREATING HAPPIER HOLIDAYS
Tip #5 "Happy Pawlidays!" - Keeping Pets Safe during Festivities
We all know how wonderful the holiday season can be...the lights, decorations, friends and family, and the smells of freshly baked goodies and a fragrant holiday meal. For as much as we love these comforts, the hustle & bustle of the season can be a stressful time for our furry companion animals. We all love our animals, and while they are a part of the family and should be included in many of our holiday festivities and celebrations, there are some tips to follow to help keep them safe and healthy.
People Food
Many foods that we eat are not suitable for our animals' consumption...their bodies simply are not made to easily digest the foods common to us. Many table scraps can cause severe gastrointestinal upset and discomfort in your animal. Do not allow your animal to have any type of poultry bones, as they easily splinter and form sharp points that can become lodged in your pets throat, gums or intestinal tract, all of which can cause severe problems and may cause you to spend your holiday season with trips to the Emergency Clinic and veterinary hospitals. Following is a list of holiday ingredients and plants that can be harmful, if not toxic, to your furry companion.
Chocolate is a very popular holiday gift, but it contains a molecule called "theobromine," which is a heart stimulant and can cause a fatal heart attack if ingested in large doses. Animals metabolize theobromine more slowly than humans and the heart, central nervous system, and kidneys are affected by its intake. Early signs of theobromine poisoning in dogs include nausea and vomiting, restlessness, diarrhea, muscle tremors, and increased urination or incontinence. If it is suspected that your animal has ingested a significant amount of chocolate, it will be necessary for you to immediately transport your animal to a veterinary hospital in order to have a doctor induce vomiting.
Holiday Foods Toxic to Pets:
Alcoholic Beverages Almonds Apple Seeds Cherry Pits Candy Chocolate Coffee grounds and beans Garlic Macadamia nuts Moldy foods Mushroom plants Onions and onion powder Potato leaves and stems (green parts) Raisins & Grapes (can cause kidney failure) Salt Tea (caffeine) Walnuts Yeast dough
Holiday Plants Toxic to Pets:
Azalea Begonia Christmas Cactus English Ivy Hyacinth bulbs Holly berries Kalanchoe Mistletoe berries Pine needles Poinsettia[/color]
Holiday Guests
Part of any traditional holiday festivity is visiting with family and friends. This can cause stress for your animal if your home is normally quiet and peaceful. With people coming in and out of the house, doors can easily be left open or ajar, making an easy escape route for your animal. Hundreds of stray animals are brought to shelters around the holiday season, many without current identification tags. To keep your animal safe, keep doors closed (put up festive holiday signs if needed), keep identification tags current as well as current registration for your dogs. Microchipping your animal can also be an extremely beneficial identification tool to ensure that your animal is returned to you.
Allow your animal to also have a temperature-controlled "safe" room in which to retreat should the chaos of company become too much for him or her to handle. Provide the animal with comfortable bedding and fresh water, and place many of the animal's favorite possessions in the room (those that are safe when not monitored, of course!). This will help to ensure that your animal does not become overly-stressed during the busy holiday festivities.
Decorations
While the holiday lights, tinsel and ornaments are eye-pleasing, they can be dangerous to your animal if not appropriately maintained and placed. Animals that enjoy chewing as a pastime may find all of the extra light cords and plugs quite inviting, so be sure to cover or secure these "chew toys" by taping them down. Doing so will help to prevent electric shocks, burns, or more serious injuries and fires. Also be sure to keep candles burning in an area where your animals are not able to accidentally knock them over, causing themselves burns or household fires.
Hanging ornaments are also quite tempting to cats and puppies, as they immediately spring back into action once pawed at! If ingested, these ornaments or pieces of them can cause blockages or other serious injuries to your animals. Similarly, if any glass ornament is knocked off of the tree and shattered, the broken glass can not only cause injury to you animals sensitive paws if stepped upon or digestive tract if ingested, but to yourself and your children as well. The best way to prevent these tragedies are by placing ornaments higher upon the tree.
Tinsel is always tempting to cats, as the reflections and movement are mesmerizing. As cats handle much with their mouths, ingesting tinsel is all too common and all too tragic. It can cause severe blockages in your kitty among other health issues, which can be fatal if not treated in time. Regardless, the medical treatment will end up costing you much more than you had planned on spending around the holidays!
While your animal is a part of the family and should be included in the happiness of the holiday season, please be aware and vigilant of the dangers your animal faces in light of the festivities. As we are their guardians, they rely on us to keep them safe, so please make this holiday season just as enjoyable for your animal as we hope it will be for you and your family!
(Contra Costa Humane Society) (Contributed by Jane at www.The-Cats-Meow.com )
Tip #4 Feast Your Eyes — Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain
The holidays are filled with opportunities to break your diet and gain weight. Sometimes this will create tremendous pressure on you. Prepare for it and you will win. Get support for eating properly. Find a support partner and speak with them daily. This really makes a difference. If you resist this suggestion, then you will probably gain holiday weight. Weight loss is best done with the help of a support system, particularly during a stressful time. If you attempt to go it alone, you may fail. Let family members know that you are working hard to lose weight and that you want their support. Ask them to resist the urge to tempt you to eat food that will throw you off and to provide alternative foods for you.
Pay attention to emotional family issues. Holidays usually mean time with family, and this means that any unresolved family issues will emerge and create strong emotions in you. You may self-medicate with food to get through these emotions thus resulting in weight gain. If you identify these issues prior to family gatherings, you will be better prepared to manage the feelings they generate. Almost all overeating is related to intense emotions. This is particularly true about holiday eating. Holidays bring up feelings of loneliness, family conflict, past hurts and resentments, anger and many other painful emotions. If we combine these stressors with an abundance of comfort food, then we have the perfect weight gaining situation. If you identify these stressors, you can make productive decisions about how to manage them. If you simply walk into family gatherings unaware of the emotional pitfalls, you can count on having your diet fall apart. (By Stephanie Rosen from Steviva Brands, Inc)
Ten tips to make sure you stay in shape over the holiday season and avoid putting "lose weight" as one of your New Year's resolutions:
1. Stay active:
One of the major causes of weight gain during the holidays is lack of activity. Time is spent doing holiday errands, which makes us more tired, less motivated, and not wanting to stick to our routine. Best thing to do.stick to your regular schedule! Not only will it help keep weight gain down, it will give you more energy and it will reduce your stress which are both needed to battle the long lines and parking squabbles. Better yet, if you can up your activity, even better! Try walking a few extra laps around the mall. Or an extra 20 minutes on that treadmill.
2. Don't starve yourself:
One of the most common mistakes people make is to go hungry all day so that they can "afford" the calories later on at the holiday party they will be attending. Big no-no! You will be so hungry by the time you get to the party, that you will forget about any sense of the word moderation or control. You are setting yourself up for a major binge. Make sure to eat your normal (healthy, hopefully) meals and keep your hunger at bay so that you can enjoy the food at the party without going overboard. Another thing to do is have a snack before you go the party. A piece of fruit or something along those lines will keep you somewhat satiated.
3. Don't let your fat diary go!
If you stick to your normal routine of writing down what you eat, you will be able to monitor your caloric intake better. Go online to www.Philsfatdiaries.com and sign up for your free fat diary. Research shows that people who keep a fat diary actually consume 15% less food than those who do not!
4. Choose healthier options:
There are some healthy options that you can eat during the holidays. White meat turkey is a great lean protein. Vegetables that aren't laden with butter, salad not drenched in dressing, sweet potatoes, and cranberries are also options. You can also make other typical dishes healthier by changing the ingredients slightly. Try making mashed potatoes with reduced-fat or low-fat milk, yogurt or sour cream. Dips and spreads, same thing. Really think about the ingredients that you normally use and then think about how you can make the dish healthier. But, on that same note..
5. Enjoy what you love:
We all have those certain dishes or items that just bring us back to childhood and make the holidays special. Go ahead, indulge! Be choosy about what you indulge in though. Don't choose the pumpkin pie just because it is lower in fat than the pecan (which it is). If you want the pecan, choose the pecan! You don't want to set yourself up for binges later. That one piece of pumpkin pie may not satisfy you, so you may have another when, really, you could have had just one piece of pecan and been completely satisfied. Give yourself permission to enjoy the holidays. Just enjoy with a sense of moderation. If you want to splurge on dessert, maybe you are a little more careful with your entrée choice.
6. Don't try to start a new diet during the holidays:
That just screams binge! You will only be setting yourself up for disappointment, resentment, and depression. You get that enough from your family members, you don't need that from yourself. Stay healthy, but don't be too restrictive. Simply staying the same weight will be a great accomplishment.
7. Holidays are days:
Yes, days.not weeks, not months, but days. Treat them that way. Enjoy yourself on the particular holiday, but then go right back to your normal healthy eating plan. Just because it's the day before, the day before Christmas Eve, doesn't mean it's a holiday!
8. Take time for you:
It goes without saying that this season is all about stress! Between trying to shop, worrying about what your Aunt Tilly is going to say about your new choice of career, trying to schedule in all your holiday parties along with your kids' plays and concerts and still dealing with day-to-day stressors, it is important that you take some time for yourself. Schedule a massage, buy a new book, treat yourself to a yoga studio membership, learn to meditate, whatever. Find something that will curb your stress that is not eating! This is the EASIEST time to turn to food for comfort. There is a ton around and it is all super-indulgent. Give yourself another method to deal with stress; you more than deserve it!
9. Give (or ask for) the gift of health:
Gym memberships, exercise equipment, athletic apparel or shoes, gift certificates to a spa or personal trainer, etc. There are many "health" related gifts that you can give or ask for that would help someone you love or yourself stay healthy all year long. It will give a great jump-start to those New Year's Resolutions that we normally give up by February. Make a commitment to your body and teach others to do the same.
10. Eat, drink, and be Merry!
It can't be said enough. This is a season that is full of joy, love, and many good things if you let it be just that. Let your body and mind tell you what it needs, wants, and can do without. Live a little, but don't go overboard if it is only going to make you miserable the next day. It is supposed to be fun and it will be if you stay true to yourself and your needs.
(By Philip Lempert www.about.com)
Tip #3: "Save a Billion" — Are Extended Warranties Worth It?
This holiday season, shoppers are expected to spend a whopping $1.6 billion on extended warranties for laptops, flat-screen TVs, other electronics, and appliances. And almost all of it will be money down the drain. Retailers are pushing hard to get you to buy extended warranties, or service plans, because they're cash cows. Stores keep 50 percent or more of what they charge for warranties. That's more than they can make selling actual products.
For the consumer, extended warranties are notoriously bad deals because:
Products seldom break within the extended-warranty window (typically around three years), our data shows. When electronics and appliances do break, the repair often costs about the same as the cost of the warranty. We have long advised against extended warranties. In fact, we feel so strongly that consumers are being misled about them that we took out a full-page ad in USA Today on Nov. 14 to warn shoppers.
Two possible exceptions:
There are two caveats to our just-say-no advice: It's worth considering an extended warranty if you're buying a rear-projection microdisplay TV. Repair costs can be high, and these sets have been three times more likely to need repairs than other types of TVs. We also think it may be wise to get an extended warranty (which includes extended tech support) if you're buying an Apple computer, because they come with only 90 days of tech support,
What breaks down and when:
For decades, the Consumer Reports National Research Center has tracked the ownership experiences of millions of consumers and thousands of products. Annual surveys ask randomly selected Consumer Reports subscribers if they own certain products and whether they've needed major repairs. From this data, we learn which brands have been more repair-prone than others, and we have reliability information about the following products that are often bought around the holidays:
Flat-panel TVs. They are a magnet for extended warranty sales, says Arnum, of Warranty Week. "Whenever you have product that has cutting-edge newness to it, there's a perception of fragility," he says. "There's something spooky to it, and consumers say, 'I've got to insure this.' That's the solution to the uncertainty." Flat-panel TVs are so new that their long-term repair record isn't known. But our latest reliability survey shows that those bought in the past two years have been quite reliable--just as reliable as conventional, direct-view TVs. Even if your LCD or plasma set does need to be repaired, it will probably cost you less than you're likely to pay for an extended warranty. Of the small percentage of survey respondents whose LCD TV needed a repair, only 8 percent reported it costing more than $500, the cost at which an extended warranty might make sense. For plasma owners whose set needed a repair, only 14 percent paid more than $500.
Computers. Most desktop PCs come with a year of tech support. An extended warranty typically costs about the same as the average PC repair. Instead of buying a warranty that you're unlikely to use, you'd be better off paying to fix your computer if it breaks. As noted above, because Apple computers offer only 90 days of tech support (a $49 call otherwise), you might consider an extended warranty if you buy one.
Laptops. Laptops have among the higher repair rates of the products we track. Forty-three percent of three- to four-year-old laptops have needed to be fixed, our subscribers indicate; typical repairs cost between $100 and $400. But many of these problems occurred outside the coverage period of a typical computer extended warranty. Also be aware that extended warranties usually don't cover problems if you drop the laptop or spill something on it. If you're worried about that, you should get accident-damage protection. Typically, though, you must buy an extended warranty first.
Digital cameras. Our survey of subscribers has shown that fewer than 10 percent of those who bought a digital camera in the past three years have had to get it repaired or had a serious problem. So the odds that you're going to need an extended warranty are pretty low.
Stingy manufacturer warranties:
The hard sell for extended warranties is coming at the same time that manufacturers' warranties are getting skimpier. Companies are reducing coverage for everything from appliances to TVs. At the same time, makers of pricey goods like laptops are scrimping on coverage for labor. Terms have shrunk from 1 year to 90 days in some instances, making repairs potentially expensive even though the parts are free.
Extended warranties are also increasingly aimed at making consumers' lives easier, Arnum says. For example, some plans offer in-home service or instant replacements for products as inexpensive as printers, freeing people from having to ship their broken products to service centers. It's important that you investigate the manufacturer's warranty coverage before you buy any product, and patronize those manufacturers that offer decent warranties. More important, buy from manufacturers whose products are reliable in the first place. Consumer Reports magazine and its Web site contain brand reliability information for major products we test. Overall, products have been reliable enough that we don't think you need an extended warranty.
If you feel you must buy an extended warranty:
For consumers who want peace of mind and don't mind paying for an extended warranty they'll probably never need, or for those whose chosen brand is repair prone, we offer this advice:
First check your credit card. Before you say yes to an extended warranty on any product, see whether your credit card provides similar coverage. Such plans, most often found on gold and platinum cards, typically lengthen the original manufacturer's warranty by as much as one year.
Shop around. Extended warranties vary in length and terms. Don't pay more than 20 percent of the purchase price for one. Always try to negotiate a better price.
Beware of hidden "gotchas." For heavy items such as large TVs or major appliances, ask whether the extended warranty includes in-home repair or pickup. For TVs, who reinstalls it? And if the product will be repaired, is there a lemon clause such that after a few repairs the product is replaced?
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/personal-finance/news/november-2006/why-you-dont-need-an-extended-warranty-11-06/overview/extended-warranty-11-06.htm
(Contributed by Hilda who lives in Auburndale, Florida)
Tip #2: "More Joy, Less Stress" — Creating Peace in Your Holiday World
Mom, expected by everyone to embody the joyous holiday spirit, wakes up each morning with that reindeer-caught-in-the-headlights feeling of having too much to do and only a small window of opportunity to do it in. The kids are in a jingle bell-fueled state of hyperactive euphoria, hubby isn't much help, and each day is a blur of furious activity. But while hectic holidays may be as much a given as poinsettias by the front door, it's one tradition you can leave behind this year.
1. Let Go of the Need for Perfection: Last year, you tried so hard to make the season picture-perfect that you were left snarly and exhausted. Now you're even more determined to work to make this holiday everything your kids, husband, parents, in-laws, siblings, and cousins could desire.
Lower your expectations — before they come crashing down altogether. We all have fantasies of what the holidays should be like, constructed from assorted idealized TV specials, and our childhood memories. But when we become focused on reenacting these warm-and-fuzzy visions — and ignoring reality — we run the risk of ruining everyone's special time. "Parents go wild wanting to make sure everything is perfect," says Lawrence J. Cohen, PhD, a psychologist in Brookline, Massachusetts, and author of Playful Parenting. "The extreme example is a parent telling her kids, 'No, I don't have time to play with you because I'm too busy wrapping presents or decorating the house.'"
Instead, Dr. Cohen urges families to take advantage of the vacation time that the holidays bring. "You're off from work, your child's off from school, so spend the time doing what you both love to do. If you'd really rather be sledding, then go sledding." What you hope to share in December is not your to-do list, but genuine closeness and intimacy. "The beauty of the holidays is real human connection," says Flo Rosof, PhD, marriage therapist and director of the Life Development Center, in Huntington, New York. "The rest is just icing on the cake."
2. Write and Wrap a Little at a Time: As you bring presents home from shopping expeditions throughout the season, make it a habit to wrap them later that same day, says Ronni Eisenberg, a professional organizer in Westport, Connecticut, and author of Organize Yourself! and Organize Your Home! "It's the pile-up," she explains, "that makes people feel overwhelmed and angry." For maximum efficiency, she advises designating one table or corner in your home as gift-wrap central with rolls of paper, tissue, bows, ribbons, scissors, tape, and cards all ready to go. Avoid the what-present-is-this guessing game by sticking on a gift tag with the recipient's name right away.
Tackle holiday cards the same way, and fire back a return greeting within a day of receiving one. A brief heartfelt note is all that's required. In addition, input your address book into the computer and print out mailing labels in advance. If the thought of inscribing those greetings still curdles your holiday eggnog, whittle down your list or rethink the practice altogether. Life coach Cheryl Richardson, author of Stand Up for Your Life, says firmly, "If I'm sending cards out of guilt or obligation, I won't send them — and I don't."
3. Savor a Silent Night: Sleigh bells ring, were you listening? You'd have loved to, but you couldn't hear over the Chipmunks blasting in the mall, the cars honking over parking spaces, and announcers yelling on TV and radio commercials. Whatever happened to heavenly peace?
Treat yourself to a noise-free night. Richardson suggests turning off the TV, computer, and ringer on the phone and just sitting by the tree, the menorah, or the fire with your husband and kids. Inhale the scent of fir or baking cookies, and gaze at the flickering lights or flames for a while. Even squirmy kids love to lie under the tree, and they'll learn firsthand that lovely holiday times can occur without a high-volume soundtrack.
4. Don't Shop Till You Drop: Year in and year out, selecting and buying gifts has required your all. Not to mention that your holiday credit-card balances stuck around into swimsuit season.
Place a limit on the number of people you're giving to and the amount you're spending on them — and both your psyche and savings will benefit. In a study last year in the Journal of Happiness Studies, Tim Kasser, PhD, associate professor of psychology at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, surveyed 117 people about their holidays and examined the factors associated with the most satisfaction and feelings of well-being. One finding: People who had more family and religious experiences reported greater happiness, while those who spent more money buying gifts and even those who received more gifts were more stressed and less happy.
5. Remind Your Kids of the Reason for the Season: Angels most of the year, your kids were transformed into grabby, selfish little urchins as soon as the tinsel and holly went up.
First, be clear about the messages that you're sending your children. If your kids are throwing their presents aside as soon as they open them on the big day to move on to the next item, "it's a sign they're getting too many things," says Dr. Cohen. He advises fewer gifts and slowing down. Also, explain to your children the importance of showing gratitude. Dr. Cohen says that a 3- or 4-year-old is mature enough to help you decorate a thank-you card, or say what you should write in it.
6. Keep Your Cool with Difficult Relatives: You can't stand the mandatory time with your in-laws; everything about them drives you crazy, and vice versa.
Realize that, like all other moments in our existence, the holidays are fleeting. "Think to yourself, 'It's just a few hours,'" counsels Dr. Rosof. "Say, 'I have to do this only once or twice a year, and I'll try to make it as pleasant as I can.'" Be careful, too, about venting to your spouse in front of the kids. "If you're going to be visiting relatives you don't like, don't say nasty things about them in front of your children," says Dr. Cohen, "because they'll repeat verbatim what we say behind people's backs."
7. Plan Ahead for Easier Cleanup: You reveled in all the joys of the holidays, but hated the cleanup after it was all over, to the point that you considered a ban on all festivities.
Strive for celebrations that are better for the earth, and you'll make it better for yourself, too. Some examples of how easy it is being green: Buy a live tree that you can plant in your yard or give away after the holidays; decorate it with popcorn and cranberry garlands and gingerbread men that you can toss into the compost bin afterward; and package presents in reusable gift bags. A joy-to-your-world bonus: In his study, Dr. Kasser says that people who reported engaging in more environmentally friendly practices were happier.
8. Take a Holiday Time-Out: Maybe it was the first season without a loved one, or a long-term relationship recently ended. From November through the New Year, you were grouchy and blue. And what made it worse was everyone barking, "Hey, where's your holiday spirit?"
Inform your friends and family that you're trimming back on celebrating this year. "As much as the season is about joy and cheer, it should also be a reflective period where we think about who is no longer in our lives," says Richardson. "When we give ourselves permission to grieve and just be with whatever sadness we have, we can move through it more quickly and end up feeling less pain."
(By Daryl Chen — Ladies' Home Journal Online)
Tip #1: "Dash Away All!"— Making Holiday Travel Joyful
To maximize holiday happiness and minimize coal-in-the-stocking grief, follow these helpful travel tips compiled by the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA). Some of the most travel-wise people in the world, ASTA members know the secrets that will help you and your family arrive safely at Grandma’s house full of holiday cheer:
1. Pack as lightly as possible. Remember, you'll probably have to carry or pull your own bags sometimes, so take no more than you can handle by yourself. One tip for packing lighter is to ship your gifts to your destination ahead of time. Allow at least two to three weeks for your package to arrive, for the holidays are hectic times for courier services.
2. First, avoid peak travel days. As your travel agent will tell you, the busiest days to fly are those immediately before and after the actual holidays. Book your flights two days before and after Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. Your travel agent can secure you a non-stop flight, or one involving the fewest connections and stops. Every time your plane touches the ground during peak travel times, the possibility of delays due to inclement weather or air-traffic problems increases. Also, aim to book morning flights, which tend to be delayed less often than afternoon departures.
3. If possible, have a friend drive you to the airport, or take a shuttle or public transportation. Shuttle services generally pick up guests early to ensure a timely arrival. If you drive and park at the airport lot, do not leave any valuables, such as CDs, in plain view. Also remember to put jumper cables in the trunk in case the battery dies during your trip.
4. Clean out your wallet before leaving home. Limit the number of credit cards you take and utilize travelers' checks rather than cash when possible. Make sure you have a photocopy of each credit card, front and back, that you take with you. Don't keep this in the same bag as the cards. That way, you'll have important numbers for cancelling in case you need them.
5. If you do not send your gifts ahead, then do not wrap them before the flight. With safety a priority for all airlines, security personnel will need access to all items. Pack collapsible gift bags to be used as wrapping upon arrival.
6. As flights are sometimes overbooked during the holidays, it’s critical to check in early. Domestic travelers should arrive at the airport two hours prior to departure, while international travelers should arrive three hours in advance. Spending an idle hour in the gift shop is much more fun than missing your flight by ten minutes.
7. Keep a positive attitude, but also be mentally ready for setbacks. Delays happen, and airlines do the best they can to keep their schedules on time. Bring water and snacks, an inflatable pillow and eye mask, a good book, your favorite CDs, a portable CD player and a deck of cards. Boredom is the true enemy in these situations, so be prepared to conquer it!
8. Don't forget the weather at your destination. Will it be below freezing, snowing, or raining? Take a coat on board with you to wear when you land.
Nowadays, many of us feel better traveling by car, and that may be the way you choose to go. Unfortunately, winter is not necessarily the best time to travel by car. Inclement weather-fog, snow, or heavy rain-make it difficult to see and be seen when driving. Some vehicle colors, especially gray, tend to blend into misty backgrounds during dusk and dawn. Also, heavy traffic, winter weather, and fewer daylight hours can be a hazardous combination on the roads. Therefore, it's imperative that drivers have their vehicle thoroughly checked out before heading out for the holidays. Be aware of potential road and weather conditions. Here are some car safety travel tips to follow this holiday season:
1. The first step to ensure a smooth car trip is to keep your car in good working order. As temperatures drop during November and December, being stuck on the side of the road while waiting for an overworked tow-truck driver is not the place to be. Before you leave, have a qualified mechanic check all the car’s vitals: brakes, battery, tire pressure, light bulbs and any parts that need regular maintenance. Replace windshield wipers and top off all fluids, especially antifreeze.
2. As with all long-distance road trips, it’s wise to bring emergency equipment, such as a first-aid kit, flashlight, blankets, drinking water and snacks, along with flares and jumper cables. An ice scraper and chains for the tires will also come in handy. While a white Christmas is great for the memories, it’s not ideal for driving conditions.
3. Do not put a wreath on your car since mounting objects in front of the radiator can restrict airflow to the vehicle's cooling system.
4. Watch the weather report and prepare accordingly. For travel to extremely cold locations that may be prone to icy road conditions, be sure to carry adequate supplies in case you are stuck out in your car. A heavy coat, a hat or scarf, gloves or mittens, an extra blanket, some bottled water, a few high power snacks (chocolate, anything with peanut butter, or trail mix), some flares, and your cell phone. These could save your life!
5. Plan your itinerary and travel route carefully by obtaining maps and directions prior to leaving home.
6. Make sure you are well rested before a long journey. It's a good idea to designate a co-captain to stay alert with you. When departing, consider leaving a day earlier. When returning, consider leaving a day later. Avoid "hurrying the holiday" by allowing plenty of time. Consider an overnight stay along the way, rather than making the trip an endurance test. Pad your schedule to allow plenty of time for the drive. Like shopping malls, the roads are busiest on the days right before and after the major holidays. If possible, take an extra day off to reduce the chances of being lodged in a traffic jam.
7. Don't leave valuables in your car. Pack all items, especially brightly wrapped packages, in the trunk. If afraid of squashed bows, wait until you arrive to wrap the gifts.
8. Once on the road, drive carefully, patiently and stifle any burgeoning impulses of road rage. Try not to view other cars and traffic signals as personal obstacles. Work with your fellow drivers and not against them. Indicate during lane changes and give everyone plenty of room. Also, be forgiving when someone demonstrates reckless driving.
9. Avoid stopping to sleep at unsecured highway rest stops during long distance driving.
10. Overall, try to make driving fun, and view it as part of the holiday, not as a chore. If traveling with children, get everyone involved by singing or reminiscing about favorite past holidays. The ride will be over before you know it, and you’ll actually look forward to the drive back home. Plan creative stops along the way. Brief visits to nearby parks or landmarks can make your trip more memorable. Many of these will be specially decorated for the holidays.
(TravelSense - ASTA)
Last edited by inspiration on Fri Dec 15, 2006 7:11 am; edited 8 times in total |
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