Tag Archives: "traditions"

This weekend, my daughters and I made our graham-cracker houses. As I write about in Happier at Home, every year, instead of traditional gingerbread houses, we make graham cracker houses, which are easier to build and decorate. Every year–this also seems to be part of the tradition–I almost forget to organize the house-building, until it’s almost too late. But we’ve … →

For many people, the holidays are a joyous time; other people dread them. If you anticipate that you might have to spend time with difficult relatives, here are some strategies for keeping family dinners pleasant: 1. Before you walk into the situation, spend a few minutes thinking about how you want to behave. Don’t just react in the moment; consider … →

Two of my resolutions are to Start a new family tradition and Do something festive. I want to do something more with the Fourth of July. When I was growing up, this was always a very fun holiday. We were often on vacation in my parents’ hometown, North Platte, Nebraska, which was a great place to celebrate the Fourth. We … →

Every Wednesday is Tip Day. This Wednesday: Ten tips for an emergency energy boost. When your energy level is low, everything feels like a chore — even things would ordinarily make you happy. Holiday time can be draining, with lots of shopping, cooking, traveling, decorating, meeting, greeting, etc. to deal with. Or even if you’re not doing these things, other … →

I recently put up our holiday decorations, and as I was doing it, I was reminded of several important happiness lessons. 1. I love my husband, just as he is. One of the challenges of a happiness project is accepting your own nature – and also your sweetheart’s nature. I wish my husband got a big kick out of holiday … →