7 Tips for a Stress-Free Holiday Season

This article is in partnership with Tattersall Functional Beverage Let’s be real. The holidays are supposed to be merry and bright, but sometimes they feel more frantic and fried. Between the shopping, the hosting, the travel, and the sugar rushes and crashes, our stress hormones don’t always get the memo that this season is about joy. Here’s how to actually unwind this year in body, mind, and spirit, so that you can show up as your calmest, most grounded self and actually enjoy the holiday season. 1. Keep Your Blood Sugar (and Mood) Merry and Bright When we’re stressed, cortisol spikes and so do cravings for sugar and carbs. Keeping your meals balanced with protein, fiber, and healthy fats helps stabilize blood sugar and keeps those “holiday hanger” moments in check. Make starting your day with a protein-rich breakfast a non-negotiable. Hard-boiled eggs with sliced avocado or Greek yogurt with berries and hemp seeds are two go-to easy options. You’ll have more steady energy and patience for those long checkout lines and holiday traffic. 2. Move to Manage Stress (and Digest the Cookies) You don’t need a 60-minute workout to get the mental health benefits of exercise. Even a brisk 10-minute walk after meals can help regulate blood sugar, improve digestion, and trigger endorphins that counter stress hormones. Think of movement as your emotional reset button not a punishment for indulging and you may be more motivated to get it in. This holiday season make an after lunch or dinner bundled up walk your movement and “me” time. 3. Reimagine “Happy Hour” If you love the ritual of a cocktail but not the aftereffects, consider swapping your drink for a zero-proof option that still feels special. One favorite in our holiday rotation: Tattersall Functional Beverages—non-alcoholic, THC-infused drinks made with adaptogens and electrolytes to help you enjoy without the hangover. Their Uplift blend contains adaptogens like lion’s mane and rhodiola rosea to deliver the perfect state for lightening the mood and socializing. The flexible dosing and predictable effects make it the perfect low-calorie mocktail for a festive night out or a mindful moment after a long day of hosting or holiday chaos. THC beverages are for adults 21+ and should be enjoyed responsibly — start low, sip slow, and savor the experience. 4. Protect Your Sleep Like It’s a Holiday Miracle Sleep is a pillar of a nutritious life for very good reason. Sleep is when your body restores and repairs. There will likely be some later nights out during the holidays but on those nights at home you’ll want to focus hard on your sleep hygiene. Aim to keep a semi-consistent bedtime, limit alcohol (it disrupts REM sleep), and swap your scrolling habit for something that helps your nervous system downshift such as reading or journaling. A great swap for the glass of wine while wrapping gifts is Tattersall Functional Beverages Unwind—all the zen, minus all sleep disruptions. Also, you may want to consider a sleep supporting supplement such as magnesium glycinate. 5. Choose Rituals Over Routines One of the reasons holidays feel magical as kids is because kids love rituals and traditions. As adults, we often lose that sense of intentional pause and fun. Try bringing it back in a healthy form: light candles with dinner each night, end the night with a cozy tea, or light a fire and make your holiday gift lists as a family. Small moments of mindfulness go a long way toward lowering stress. 6. Stay Connected — But Set Boundaries Connection lowers stress hormones like cortisol and boosts oxytocin, the “feel-good” hormone. But don’t confuse connection with overcommitment. Choose quality time with the people who fill your cup and give yourself permission to say no when you need to protect your energy. 7. Unwind with Intention Managing stress isn’t always about doing less during the holidays, it’s about doing what actually makes you feel good. Whether that’s a long walk, a good book, or a Tattersall Functional Beverage Unwind mocktail by the fire, make space for those moments that help you exhale. Because that’s where the real holiday magic happens, when you’re calm enough to feel it. This holiday season, skip the pressure to make it “perfect.” Instead, make it peaceful. Balance your blood sugar, protect your sleep, move your body, and find little ways to unwind that feel good — body and soul. You can go to Tattersall Functional Beverage and use the code KERI15 for a special offer. This offer is valid now through December 31, 2025. It can be used on all products except the $10 “Just Try It” box and cannot be combined with other promo codes or discounts.

5 Smart, Simple Strategies for a Lean Holiday Season

It’s officially the holiday season (yay!), which means festive soirees, gift wrapping, and…sweet treats that just keep on coming. And every year, although we swear we won’t do it again, it’s hard to avoid trying a bite of every glittery cookie, which leads to gaining extra pounds we then resolve to lose come New Year’s. This year, we’re ready to break that same-old cycle (without sacrificing even a moment of joy). Here are a few smart, simple ways to avoid holiday weight gain that don’t include swearing off every piece of pecan pie or avoiding eggnog for the entire season. The best part? Staying lean and healthy will allow you to feel great amid all of the hustle and bustle, so you can soak up even more of the season’s happy vibes. Schedule your workouts in advance. You want your exercise routine to stay as consistent as possible. Hold yourself accountable by signing up for classes or adding your workouts to your calendar in advance. You might even want to treat yourself to some extra classes, since it’s easier to drag yourself out of bed for an early morning sweat session knowing you’ll avoid a cancellation fee and can spend your hard-earned dollars on killer gifts, instead. Bonus: The endorphin rush after class will help keep the stress of the season at bay, and you can refuel with a post workout smoothie. Stay super focused on eating your veggies. Yes, we’re saying it again. If your belly is full of veggies, after all, there will be less room for multiple servings of mashed potatoes. Make sure to eat greens and other winter veggies at every meal. Throw sauteed broccoli rabe and red peppers into scrambled eggs for breakfast, wilt kale and swiss chard into a white bean soup to bring with you for lunch, and lay your salmon filet over a bed of sauteed broccoli rabe as an easy go-to dinner. Stuck with only the options available at a holiday party? Station yourself near the crudite platter and fill up. The nutrients in veggies are important for a strong immune system, and the high water and fiber content will keep you full. Indulge when you actually want to. As you’re unwrapping yet another candy cane, think, “Do I really want this?” Eating mindlessly as you hop from glam parties to office cookie swaps won’t actually ever satisfy your sweet tooth. If it’s not a dessert that makes your mouth water, skip it. Save that indulgence for your Grandma’s pumpkin pie you wait for all year long, and while you eat it, savor every last bite. Drink smart. Champagne is going to be flowing like crazy, so choose a night or two a week to treat yourself to a drink (or two!). Have a holiday party coming up? Save your alcoholic beverages for those nights and skip the glass of wine at your after-work sushi dinner. On the nights you do drink, start with a glass of water or seltzer with a lemon or lime and drink another in between every martini or glass of wine. Staying hydrated will keep you from overdoing it and will help prevent a hangover. Prioritize shut-eye. If you don’t get enough sleep regularly, the constant go-go feeling of the holiday season will make your stress level spike, which raises cortisol in the body and leads to weight gain. Plus, you’ll be more likely to overeat as a result of fatigue. Set a bedtime you want to stick to on weeknights and try to honor it unless you have a special occasion. After all, you’re trying to stay lean and healthy, but you also don’t want to end up spending the season acting like The Grinch.