It’s already Nov. 1; the holiday season is here! Does the very thought make you feel stressed? The holidays often bring extra social and financial obligations, and they can cause a breakdown of healthy eating and exercise habits. But you and your family can adopt new traditions that may help ease the season's stress and make your holidays healthy and happy.

Physical Health

The harried pace and added stress of holiday preparations can put extra demands on your body. Here are tips on keeping up your physical health during the holiday season:

• Don't do too much. Give yourself some time to relax.
• Share the workload. Let everyone play an active role. Make the holidays a family affair so you're not burdened with all the work.
• Set priorities. You can't do everything, so say no to some of the demands on your time.
• Simplify your life. Be less elaborate this year. Relax your housekeeping and holiday preparations.
• Continue to exercise. Don't let your regular routine lapse.
• Eat healthy foods. Limit your consumption of high-fat holiday treats, and serve healthy fare at your family's holiday party.

Emotional Health

It's easy to become overwrought this time of year, especially if you believe something is lacking in your holiday celebration. Here are ways to help get your emotions on an even keel:

• Ask yourself if you really enjoy all the rituals. Perhaps they have merely become habits, and you could choose less elaborate traditions.
• Don't be afraid to scale down gift giving. You'll probably get a lot of support.
• If your yearly party is too much to handle, put it off until after the holidays. This will give you more time to prepare. It will also help ease post-holiday letdown by giving you something fun to look forward to.
• If you can’t be with your family, get out to be around people. Plan to be with friends, or volunteer to help others who also may be separated from their families.

Happy and Healthy Kids

Kids benefit most from an even-paced holiday season, realistic expectations about gifts and strong, loving family traditions. Here are ways to make the holidays special for your children:

• Spend more time with your kids. Entertain less and go to fewer parties that exclude children.
• Spend less time watching TV and more time engaging in family activities.
• Include your kids in all preparations. Let your children help you decorate and bake, even if it means your creations aren't perfect.
• Teach children the meaning of giving. For example, adopt a needy family and have your kids help you make a meal for them. Or suggest that your children buy a gift for an underprivileged child with their own money.
• Another idea is to ask them to donate one of their own gifts to a less fortunate child.
• Teach your children that gifts don't have to be tangible. Trade intangible gifts with each other, such as helping with homework, washing the dishes and mowing the lawn. Let your children come up with their own ideas of what they can offer.