The holidays are almost upon us, there are parties, dinners and we start feeling guilty. Too much food, too much good cheer, clothes that suddenly don’t fit. So now what?
Just because you hate exercise and never had any success with dieting, doesn’t mean you are a terrible person, doomed to look and feel unfit. I have the solution and it’s really easy.
I call this the aerobic lifestyle with a no diet diet.
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So, what is the aerobic lifestyle? 
Many years ago, I bought a little book with that title, but since I’ve long forgotten the author, I can’t properly credit her. Suffice it to say that this is not an original concept with me. Here are the aerobic things you need to do without ever hitting the gym or the exercise mat.

•   Never bend, always squat. We bend down to retrieve things many times during our normal day but if we squat instead, we are now working our glutes, our thighs and our abs. 
• Twist instead of walking a step to retrieve an item just out of reach. Now you’re working your mid-section, otherwise known as the rectus abdominis muscle or 'abs'.
• When reaching for something on a high shelf, try to get up on your toes and hold for a few seconds, don’t use a step stool unless the item is really high up. Now you’re working your calf muscles.
• When there are stairs, don’t use elevators, walk up at least 4 or 5 stories and walk down at least 7 or as many as the building has to reach ground floor. Now you’ve done your cardiac exercise.
• Park your car or get off the bus/train a good ½ mile from your destination and walk. Walking is the best overall exercise and easy to do.
• If you have the opportunity to do some gardening, this is also an aerobic activity. You will be bending, squatting, digging, all work different muscle groups.
• Sign up for a dance class. Dancing is a vigorous workout and an enjoyable activity.

Now, about the ‘no-diet’ diet
It’s called portion control. You don’t have to cut out anything, don’t have to watch carbs, fats, calories or sugars. All you have to do is eat smaller portions of everything. Sounds easy but it will take practice. The goal is to eat about half the amount you usually pile on your plate.
​This is especially important during holiday buffets and parties. Start practising now and by the time the holidays roll around, you should have it down pat.

 ​Christmas has always been my favorite holiday and remains so today. Part of it is the keeping of the traditions which I grew up with in my native Hungary.
The season begins with either the first Sunday in Advent or St. Nicholas Day on December 6th, whichever comes first. An advent wreath is made up of pine boughs, decorated with small ornaments and four candles - one for each Sunday in Advent. The wreath is then hung from the dining room chandelier, if practical or simply laid in the middle of the dining room table. 
A candle is lit each Sunday in memory of loved ones gone, as well as thinking of the coming of the birth of Christ. Children get advent calendars with 24 windows, one to be opened every day from December 1st to Christmas Eve. My grandkids received these well into their teens and always loved them.
The next celebration is St. Nicholas Day on December 6th. There are several variations of the St. Nicholas story. The one I grew up with is that he was a Dutch bishop who loved children and gave them gifts. This was elaborated some by adding a devil-type creature (Krampus in German speaking countries) who accompanied him to be sure only well-behaved children got gifts. The gifts were usually candy or apples or dried fruit. The naughty children received coal and onions! Children left their shoes out by the front door and the gifts or coals and onions were deposited in the shoes to be found next morning. The house is decorated for St. Nicholas Day.

Our tree doesn’t go up before Christmas Eve. As a child, the story was that we had to go take a nap and not peak as the baby Jesus was helping mom to put up and decorate the tree. I could do this until the age of five and then I had to peak. It was a bit disappointing to not see baby Jesus, just mom doing the decorating. The tree then remained only for the 12 days of Christmas.
Now our grandkids are grown and we don’t see them regularly around Christmas, but I still follow the same tradition and love to see the house transformed into the magic of the season. We put lights and garlands outside and it’s fun to see if anyone else in our neighborhood does the same.
The first few years of Christmas in Grenada were a bit strange, as hot sunny weather was not what we were used to, but now I don’t miss the snow and I love this time of year with cool breezes. How do you celebrate Christmas? Please share in the comments