Socializing at Home This Holiday

Tis' the season to be jolly...family and loved ones will soon be arriving. It is time to start planning meals and wrapping gifts. Elaborate wrapping with all the ribbons, bells, and whistles. Handwritten notes, and moments with loved ones to hold in our hearts forever. End-of-year holidays are my favorite, through from Christmas to New Year's. This can also be a time that is largely overwhelming for those of us with psoriatic arthritis.

How will my holidays look different this year?

I have found that the year has been a little heavy for me, my body is exhausted from battling a variety of ailments and just life in 2023. My pain levels have been extra high the last few weeks and in the most unusual places. There is little to no energy left to muster for this holiday season that is coming up. So I have made a bold decision to keep socializing out of my home to a minimum over this period and we will be having a staycation, and spending most of our time at home.

I would still like to see and spend quality time with my people, as this is our big holiday for the year, 6 weeks of celebrations, birthdays, holidays, and the like. So It is time to find the balance.

What activities can you do at home?

Think along the lines of lounge picnics, a pizza night, board games, and hot chocolate. Warm fuzzy blankets, heated bean bags, warm soups, and cozy days.

If you are in the southern hemisphere, this will possibly look more like outdoor picnics, swimming days, and games in the garden with cool drinks and lots of ice.

Reading parties, oh yes you got that right, bring your favorite books, some drinks, and snacks and we can hang out and ready and chat and laugh. If you fall asleep, and nap, that is great too.

How can you share the load with loved ones?

Each family brings a ready-made snack platter/part of the meal, this way one household is not left preparing all the food. We will be using disposable plates for any events, this way it can all be recycled at the end of the day. It also means that the time spent tidying up is halved.

Take your dishes with you and wash them at home, Everyone takes their dirty bowls with this further eliminates clean-up time (this, in turn, means that you will not be standing on your feet excessively). While this may seem like a small change, when you have psoriatic arthritis this can be a game changer.

Reading and movie parties - bring a blanket and please take it with you. The same goes for picnics and the like.

Most of my close friends and family, know that I have psoriatic arthritis, and they are always in support of this. It means minimal prep work for me or any single person. We get to see each other, without me needing to cancel as I can't go out.

How am I accounting for down days?

As important as it is to spend time with your loved ones and family over this holiday. I am making a point to make sure that I also take time to rest and recover. Slow days with my kitty and my family at home, where there is nothing to prepare for, and no celebrations, is a celebration in itself.

It is vital to look after yourself and make sure that you do not burn out and take on more. On the days that you are not feeling the extra buzz, rest, have a long soak, and take care of your psoriatic arthritis carefully.

Wishing you all a beautiful festive season, take care of yourselves and be kind.