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25 Ways to Find Joy and Balance During the Holidays

By R. Morgan Griffin

Finding the Holiday Spirit: Shopping

15. Forget about the perfect gift. If you're already feeling overwhelmed, now is not the time to fret about finding the absolute best gift ever for your great aunt or your mailman. Remember: Everybody likes a gift certificate.

16. Shop online. Save yourself the inconvenience, the crowds and the horrors of the mall parking lot by doing the bulk of your shopping online.

17. Stick to a budget. The cost of holiday shopping mounts quickly and can make people feel out of control and anxious. So draw up a budget long before you actually start your shopping and stick to it.



As a reminder, always consult your doctor for medical advice and treatment before starting any program.

Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD, on October 01, 2008.
SOURCES: Ken Duckworth, MD, medical director, National Alliance on Mental Illness; assistant professor, Harvard University Medical School. David Dunner, MD, director, Center for Anxiety and Depression, Mercer Island, Wash.; professor emeritus, department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, University of Washington. Mental Health America website: "Holiday Depression and Stress." Gloria Pope, director, advocacy and public policy, Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, Chicago.
David Shern, PhD, president and CEO, Mental Health America, Alexandria, Va. ¿¿ 2008 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.