With so many sugar-laden goodies all around us at the holiday time, both adults and kids fall prey to its lure! It’s hard to enter an office without bumping into sugary goodies, and it’s hard to pass right by stores, especially bakeries, without wanting to stop in and buy something. It’s hard not to say – just this one time (as if)! And everything is so aromatic. So many traditional recipes are handed down generation to generation, and frankly, the food is just delicious. We know the value of all the good associations we have with food, especially holiday food. But we also know what kind of effect it can have on kids’ overall health, moods, and behavior throughout the holiday season, especially when parents and kids are under a lot of stress. 

When families are experiencing good times, and money is not in short supply (although when does that happen for most of us?!), it’s much easier to have a happy holiday season. However, during this merry but stressful time of year, many of us do not have the budgets we would like.

What do kids want these days? They’re probably dreaming of expensive, name brand clothes, electronic devices, etc. What kid would not love to have the latest version of a name-brand cell phone? Couple that with the fact that it’s only a little after parents have bought their kids back-to-school items, and a new wardrobe, inclusive of a winter coat and boots – both very expensive – since each year they outgrow last year’s things!
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Here are some of our suggestions and thoughts: