4 Ways to Get Your Holiday Shopping Done Without Triggering a Flare

The holiday season demands an awful lot from our bodies. It expects us to attend family and community events, cook and bake more than we normally would, decorate our homes inside and out, and to top it off we need to find time and energy to purchase gifts! Whew, I am worn out just from typing that! I don’t know about you, but I am all about simplifying my life and that includes changing how I shop for gifts. Here are four ways I shop without sending my body into a full-blown flare.

One stop shop, pick one store!

Instead of driving all over town, fighting traffic, and searching for a parking space preserve your sanity and choose one store to buy all of your gifts. Arm yourself with a list of everyone you need to buy for and don’t leave the store until you have a gift for every one of them. Have multiple ideas/options if you are unsure if the item on your list is available.

Click to buy

One of the easiest ways to get everyone exactly what you want is to shop online. The best part of shopping online is that you don’t have to get dressed!! Not only will you avoid a flare, but you won’t be exposed to all the people who decided that their need to go shopping was greater than not exposing the public to their colds. To make my life even easier, I pay extra to have the online retailer gift wrap my presents and then have them shipped directly to friends and family who I will not be seeing in person.

Something for everyone

Gift cards are always appreciated. You can purchase them online, while in line at the grocery store, or while picking up your morning latte.

Roll on

If you really need to go to a physical store, but know that all the walking and standing that the trip will require is too much for your body, use a mobility aid. Try shopping at non-peak hours for a better chance of having a store scooter available. Bring your own or borrow a wheelchair, rollator, or scooter from a friend if needed. Planning a day at the mall? Call ahead to see if they rent scooters or find a company nearby that you can rent one for the day.

While it may be nice to be known for being the person who chooses the best and most personalized gifts, is it really worth having to spend days or weeks in bed recovering for? There were years when I spent so much energy shopping, wrapping, and shipping/delivering gifts that by the time the holiday arrived I couldn’t get out of bed. Pain and fatigue overtook my body and mind. I didn’t even have the energy to watch a movie with my family. I can’t imagine anyone wanting someone to sacrifice time that should be spent with loved ones because they went shopping for a gift. It is easy to get wrapped up in wanting to do something extra special for others and yet totally ignore our own needs. This year give yourself the gift of time out of bed by taking care of yourself.