Hi Everyone!
I hope you’re taking the time to just have fun this month. I know the stress of the holiday season can take its toll. My list of things to do keeps growing despite the fact that I’m continuously marking things off my list.
At the end of the day I light fragrant candles—at least two or three and close the bathroom door, letting the room fill with their rich aroma. I have a new candle called Merry Christmas and I just love the scent. Peach and pumpkin pie spice are some others I like. And of course, cinnamon. I turn off the lights, have a CD playing–Enya is nice. Just something soft. I fill the tub with bubble bath, pour a glass of wine and I’m all set.
I also like to take the time to window shop and look at all the decorations. I avoid stores that are going to be crowded and shop at specialty stores. My husband and I drove to a nearby town a couple of days ago. It was very quaint and had German foods. If you’ve never tried Stolen it’s to die for! We had such a good time and I did by a few presents. In fact, we’re going back in a couple of days. The smoked cheese was wonderful!
And of course, another way to unwind is with a good book. I’ll give away a copy of Hell On Wheels, a really nice purse with bath products and a set of 5 candles to one lucky winner who make a comment on today’s blog. The wine you’ll have to provide yourself *grin*
Best Wishes for a happy holiday!
Karen Kelley
Available Now! Hell On Wheels/Brava
Available Now! Texas Bad Boys/Brava
04/07 Close Encounters of the Sexy Kind/Brava
www.authorkarenkelley.com
Karen Kelley worked ten years for an advanced life support ambulance service. She’s been caught in a flash flood and stood by at hostage situations. She’s gotten ambulance calls when a tornado was spotted in the area, gone to shootings and stabbings—always with the knowledge that the perpetrator could still be close by. So what could top all that? Writing Romance! Karen writes full-time now, and collects junk which she fondly calls antiques. She loves sitting on the patio on a warm spring day and procrastinating about her approaching deadline. 
that sounds good, candles are great with a hot bath. just waiting for the holiday time off to spend with family for me, have fun karen
Hell On Wheels can’t wait, hope I win!!!!!
I agree. It is important to relax and enjoy yourself this time of year but I found that it was difficult to do that when my kids were little.
Your way of relaxing is a lot like mine. Unfortunately, my back has went out and I am having a problem with a sciatic nerve. The hot bath sounds wonderful.
You have the right idea on how to relax. The candles, bubble bath, and wine sound great. You just need to add a good book!
Since all my favorite TV shows are not on, or repeats, I try to get in bed early a couple of night each week and read until I’m ready to fall asleep. Gotta have the flannel sheets and PJs too.
I definitely need some de-stressing. My hubby is away on business! Still to do shopping! Kids Christmas concert…what else…arrr! going crazy, lol
I like your way of de-stressing!
I need a vacation for the upcoming holidays. Too much going on.
There is no way I am going to go into the stores otherwise grocery shopping (which that in itself will be busy). I think everyone needs a rest after the holidays are over.
Sounds great way to relax. I am finding it hard to relax this Christmas because I have a 2 month old baby girl. She was born on October 10th. I am very sleep deprived but I try to make time every evening to escape for a little while in a good book because I know how important it is to find time for myself since this is my second child ( I also have a 3 1/2 year old boy.)
I love the way you destress. Sounds heavenly.
Relaxation is not easy for me to obtain. I am somewhat uptight most of the time; just my nature. I am so trying to change. Candles, a good book and soft music are great ways to try and relax. A glass of egg nog adds to the environment as does nice fragrant scents.
LOL I think the older I get the more I have piling up! And no, I don’t think you have much time for relaxing when the kiddos are at home.
I always read before I go to sleep. That’s the best way I know of unwinding.
Karen
Oh, I know I need to de-stress. The past 2 years, in early January I had stress attacks and ended up in the ER… hoping it doesn’t happen again this year!
For me, the best way to unwind from my stress is to lock myself away from everyone else and get lost in a good book.
I have decided that each night to unwind I shut the computer down, take a hot shower and retire to my bed with a book and get lost in it………..since I have been doing that every night, I find that I have been sleeping better………..
Sitting down with a cup of hot chocholate and a good book is my way of relaxing.
I get a cup of coffee, grab a good book and curl up on the couch by the wood stove to de-stress.
sounds`wonderful. I love to snuggle in bed, a cinnamon candle burning, with a cup of lemon tea and a good book.
I have been trying to sew wheelchair bags to give as gifts. I’m very much behind on this. I hope to find time to relax after the holiday is over.
What a lovely prize package Karen! That is exactly how I like to relax is by soaking in the tub with candles burning on my top shelf, reading one of my favorite books, with bubbles all around! I also have my radio on. My husband put a speaker in the bathroom that is tied into the stereo. I play my favorite radio station, WNUA, 95.5, Smooth Jazz. Heavenly!
Karen, I wish you a very blessed Christmas!
Going for a walk or a bike ride helps ease my tension, although I’m a sucker for scented candles and oils. I purchased a tub of Karma Kream body lotion from Lush a few weeks ago and find the scent of orange and patchouli very soothing.
Oh, wow, y’all have some great suggestions, too. I think I forgot to mention that I’ll pick a winner before I go to bed tonight
Karen
An early night with a good book is a nice way to relax.
Oh…a bubble bath with candles sounds heavenly right about now.
Last week a splurged ~ I scheduled an appointment for a massage in between my shopping. (And, I didn’t even care that my hair was all messed up after.)
DH and I relax after the kids are in bed. Pour a glass of Bailey’s and just sit and talk about our day, what we’ve done, what the kids are up to, whatever crosses our minds. Sometimes we just sit together and not say anything, just enjoy being together in the quiet.
A great book, some tea ,quiet, and I am good to go
De-stress? What is this de-stress? LOL. I read every night beofre bed, so that counts, right? Other than that my day takes off when the alarm rings and doesn’t stop until the DH is asleep. Have a Merry Christmas!
And the winner is…..
***On December 12th, 2006 at 9:20 pm (e) Sue A. Says:
An early night with a good book is a nice way to relax.***
If you’ll e-mail me your address to kskelley@classicnet.net with Brava contest winner in the subject line I’ll get your prize in the mail.
Congrats,
Karen Kelley
wtg sue
thanks for the de-stress info, I find that as we carry post-holiday stress, we need to look at why we are still carrying thoughts and emotions around, and then work on letting it go by seeing if we really need to focus on this, or is it something we can leave in the past.
I take slow, full breaths, consentrate on quiet, and look for the simple things going on in my life at the moment to refocus myself from the past stress and get myself ready for the rest of the day.