Season’s Greetings
for the 2014 Holidays

Yes they’re coming! It’s that time of year when the holiday season is arriving. Here in Southern California, with the temperatures in the 90s to 100s it’s hard to tell, but when my nine-year-old son starts asking about his Halloween costume, I know it’s time! Incidentally, my son wanted to be a Star Wars Storm Trooper, and he just couldn't live without that $90 costume. Ninety dollars? Give me a break.

Despite the inevitable conflict with my price-unconscious son, Halloween is the gateway holiday to the rest of the season with Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza and the New Year soon to follow.

I always enjoy this time of year for the closeness of family and the impending changes of the New Year. What does 2015 have in store? Wait and see! This is also typically a busier clinical time of year in the office with patients having met their insurance deductibles and wanting to fix their foot problems before the end of the year.

		Tonight's Premier Lecture is Treatment options for diabetic neuropathy Lawrence Lavery, DPM, MPH

For some, the holidays can be a sad time of year.

Cruising the internet, I came on this interesting list of suggestions to make your holiday season happier. Considering we’re always talking about evidence-based medicine, I found the fact that these are backed by some research to be not only more interesting and legitimate, but also more fun to read. Read this interesting article for the specifics on the research.

Here are your six research-based suggestions for a happier holiday:

1. Set your intention to enjoy the holidays as much as you can.
2. Savor any moments of well-being when they’re here.
3. Take a break, regain your focus.
4. Practice gratitude.
5. Practice generosity.
6. Play and have fun.

Not so sure if these suggestions will help you enjoy the holidays? Thinking instead of “getting away from it all?” How about a vacation? Well, my holiday revelers, you might be surprised to find out that taking a trip for the holidays may not satisfy you as much as you might hope.

An interesting study conducted in the Netherlands looked at pre- and post-vacation happiness in 1,530 Dutch individuals (974 vacationers, 556 non-vacationers).¹ The traveling vacationers were asked to complete a survey aimed at evaluating happiness before and after their trip. Traveling vacationers were noted to be happier prior to the trip (explained by the authors as anticipatory happiness), but were no happier after the trip than the non-vacationers.

This research study is highly instructive. Many people feel that a vacation in which we travel will somehow make the rest of the year better. This study contradicts that oh so common view. I suggest, instead, we try to focus on being happier during each and every day and don’t rely on that rare getaway. By all means, take a trip when you can, but work to make each day like a vacation and you’re one step closer to fulfillment.

That’s what the holidays are for me – a reminder to take a step back and enjoy the specialness of life each day, the chance to have that vacation feeling while still being home. That’s what the holidays are about.

So for those of you who enjoy the end of year holidays, Season’s Greetings. I hope the end of your year is full of fun, excitement, family, friends, and a most happy and profitable year to come!

Best wishes,

Jarrod Shapiro, DPM
PRESENT Practice Perfect Editor
[email protected]

REFERENCES

1. Nawijn J, Marchand M, Veenhoven R. et al. Applied Research Quality of Life, Mar 2010; 5(1): 35-47.
   

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