10 Things You Can Do To Relax This Holiday Season 

Sometimes the most important thing in the whole day is just to pause and breathe in the moment. Every now and then it’s important to give yourself a break, slow down a bit, relax and unwind. We are always pre-occupied with our lives and juggling too many things like work, household chores, having a social life and so much so that, we just forget to hit the pause button. I know I am always on my toes running from pillar to pole juggling between my job, blog, studies and family. We even get stressed about festivals. The amount of cleaning, cooking or shopping you need to do sometimes just stresses you out.
Hence I have decided to take a break this Christmas, and do all the things that I enjoy. Celebrate the festivities with the small things that make me happy and give me satisfaction.

One of the things that come to everyone’s mind when we talk about unwinding is a spa weekend. But let’s get real, we don’t always have the time or money to do so and same goes for vacations.

So here are a few ideas for you to enjoy your holidays without breaking your bank:

  • Go out for a coffee or hot chocolate: Winters are all about warm snugly drinks, and cafes are nicely decorated and Christmasy during this time of the year. An even better idea is to go café crawl – try out all the cafes near your area to see which one serves the best coffee or hot chocolate. Then go crazy on the sugar high.
  • Read a book: Remember the book you have been meaning to read since your last resolution. It’s time to grab a copy get cozy under the blanket or by the fire in your bedroom or mix up the café crawl with a book reading.
  • Get a digital detox: spend the time with your friends and family and turn off the internet and all your gadgets for a few day. Ok, let’s get realistic here at least a few hours and just relax.
  • Detox your body: After a digital detox it makes sense to follow a detox plan as well between Christmas and New Year. It’s the thing our body needs after all those bubblies and candies this year.
  • Exercise: After all the merriment you’ve had this Christmas, get your body back on track by hitting the gym or going for a run. Getting your sweat on helps increase your endorphins, blood circulation, improves your mood and makes you more relaxed.
  • Walking: If you aren’t a fan for some hardcore exercise then just go for a walk, alone, with a dog or a friend. Enjoy the mesmerising lights, the humungous Christmas trees and the decorations around your town.
  • Catch up: Invite your friends over for some tea, brunch or even a dinner and catch up on all the gossip and happenings in each other’s lives. After all festivals are all about enjoying them with your close friends and family.
  • Get Artsy: Remember that DIY pin you’ve saved on Pinterest for over a couple a months. Well, its time get your craft kit out. This Christmas get creative with your gifts and give your friends and family something they may remember. Make the scented candles or the dream catcher. Or even better, paint and fill up that empty wall in your house. If nothing else it would be a great story someday.
  • Wardrobe Detox: It’s time to take the plunge. Get rid of all the clothes you don’t wear, don’t fit or are out of style. This is the only way to fit in more new clothes. 😉 Make it a fun day by getting your friends and some champagne and strutting in your house like a model. (Imagine Sex and the City scene with Carrie)
  • Get Organised: Have a pile of mail, bills and random papers lurking around in some drawer? Get your work mode on and clean your paperwork or pending tasks at home. Send a thank you note and reply to all those Christmas greetings and check this off your list.

So now that you have detoxed, relaxed and enjoyed your Christmas. Get your boots on to rock the work with a fresh mind. How do you like you unwind and relax? Let me know in the comments below.

Coffee Lovers Must Read – Toffee Cookie Cappuccino Recipe

MONIN is a popular brand in the gourmet flavor business. The brand offers over 140 products including premium syrups, liqueurs, gourmet sauces, fruit smoothies and cocktail mixes and frappe powders across 140 countries.

The brand is a leader in the premium syrups category and also my go to brand when it comes to buying syrups for coffees and drinks. I recently tried the MONIN Chocolate Cookie Syrup and totally loved it.
monin-chocolate-cookie-syrupThe chocolate cookie syrup has a buttery dark chocolate biscuit taste. It is really great syrup for making signature cocktails, mocktails, flavored coffees and other dessert drinks. The syrup is dark brown in color and has glints of caramel in it. The tasting notes contain cookie with a touch of caramelized sugar, buttery chocolate biscuit and creamy chocolate notes.

You can use MONIN Chocolate Cookie Syrup with dairy products like milk and ice-cream for making thick shakes and milkshakes. You can also use it with cream for dessert drinks or drizzle a little over vanilla ice cream for cookie flavor.
coffee-monin
Here, I tried a flavored coffee recipe with the chocolate cookie syrup. Here’s my recipe for Toffee Cookie Cappuccino:

  • 15 ml MONIN Chocolate Cookie syrup
  • 15 ml MONIN Caramel sauce
  • 1 espresso shot
  • Add the  a shot of espresso first and then add the 150 ml hot frothy milk

Have you tried any syrup from MONIN or flavored coffee recipes?
Comment and let me know in the comments section below.