Junior League Of Tampa Holds Holiday Gift Market At Florida State Fairgrounds
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398222 02: Dick Johnson dressed as Santa Claus listens to John Mahoney,10, December 5, 2001 at the Fashion Mall in Plantation, Florida. With Christmas just around the corner malls turn to Santa to boast shopping. This years holiday season has started out tougher than most since retail sales were a disappointment in the first full holiday shopping week, particularly at specialty stores in malls, according to two reports recently released. A sluggish start to the shopping season amid lingering concern about possible future terror attacks portend a grim holiday for retailers, analysts say. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Get a jumpstart on your holiday shopping. Check out the Junior League of Tampa holiday gift market. It’s back and better than ever this year. It will kick off on Thursday, November 9 with a VIP preview party and preview night the shopping extravaganza. On Friday, November 10 from 9 AM to 10 AM, gas can purchase a special event ticket to enjoy exclusive Early Bird shopping. And then you can enjoy shopping throughout the weekend.
Merchants At The Holiday Gift Market
What makes the Holiday Gift Market so special is two-fold. First off, the vendors are amazing. You’ll find all kinds of local vendors selling incredibly unique gifts. You WILL find something for that impossible-to-shop-for person on your list. Whether you are looking to buy clothes, accessories, candles, home goods, beautiful artwork, tasty food products, cookware, elegant jewelry, outdoor furniture, pet accessories, and/or holiday decorations, you will find what you’re looking for by visiting the Holiday Gift Market merchants.
This truly is an event that all the family members can enjoy. If you’re a mom with a new little bundle of joy, you can take a break with baby in the Mothers’ Nook. You can enjoy privacy there to nurse your baby. Maybe you’ve got a family member who isn’t keen on walking around and shopping the entire day. He or she can take a break in the Fan Cave. Take a load off. Make your life even easier by taking advantage of the Holiday Gift Market gift wrapping services. The second thing that makes this event so special is that Junior League of Tampa raises funds for wonderful non-profits in our Tampa Bay area.
Won’t it feel good to know it’s early November and you’ve already gotten some shopping out of the way.
To buy tickets and to find out more information, click here.
If you’d like to listen with Junior League of Tampa’s co-chair of Holiday Gift Market, Sara, chat about what’s in store for this year’s event, you can listen to her interview with Roxanne Wilder below.
Top Holiday Season Stressors: Strategies for a Stress-Free Season
The holiday season is a time for family gatherings and spreading cheer. However, alongside the cheer, various holiday stressors can cast a shadow on the celebrations.
Braving the holiday rush.
The end-of-year holidays bring happiness to many, but the stress of the season can be overwhelming. The responsibilities of entertaining, shopping, traveling, and various other tasks can add extra pressure to an already busy schedule. If you feel stretched too thin, taking a moment to pause is beneficial. If you can, it’s a good idea to plan your menus and think about gift ideas well in advance. Create lists of needed items and allocate a few days to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything before braving the holiday rush.
In recent years, we’ve seen a growing influx of advertisements on television and in magazines depicting holiday feasts and gifts beneath beautifully decorated Christmas trees. This can sometimes lead to overspending as people strive to meet these holiday expectations.
Holiday season stressors.
To avoid financial strain, set a budget and stick to it. While making your gift lists, determine the amount you can comfortably spend on each person and adhere to it. Consider pooling resources to purchase group gifts for friends or draw names from a hat to choose one family member to buy for instead of all of them. Also, think about giving handmade gifts such as baked goods, ornaments, a recipe book, or a photo album. Offering your time, like babysitting for a friend or cleaning out your grandmother’s attic, can also be a thoughtful gift.
On the other hand, this season often brings attention to the absence of family or social connections. If you’re away from your loved ones, consider ways to stay connected, such as email, videos, or video calls. When you feel isolated, look for local holiday concerts or community events to attend. You may also think about spending your time assisting those in need by volunteering at a local soup kitchen or food pantry or by distributing gifts to less fortunate children.
Preparing for the holiday season’s stressors can be challenging, but knowing what you might face and how to cope with those feelings is important. Look at the top holiday stressors and find ways to manage them.
Navigating Those Emotions
If you’ve been through a recent traumatic event, family drama, or the loss of a loved one, the holiday season can stir up feelings of sadness, loneliness, or even grief. It’s all perfectly normal, and you don’t have to put on a happy face just because it’s the holidays. Engaging in activities you enjoy, getting some fresh air, or lending a hand through volunteering can boost your mood. Joining community events or helping others is a way to socialize and make a positive impact. When it comes to handling your feelings during the holiday season, Genesis Medical Associates, Inc. has a few useful hints: stick to healthy habits, be open to help and find support when you need it, and set boundaries that make sense for you.
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Sticking To the Basics and Maintaining Routine
Putting on a few extra holiday pounds might seem like a tradition, but for some, it’s a major stress factor when trying to shed or maintain weight. Changes in your exercise and sleep routine can also add to your stress and potentially worsen other health issues. Sticking to your regular diet, exercise, and sleep schedule during the holidays can give you a sense of stability when everything else seems crazy. It can help keep your mood in check, your immune system strong, and your ability to handle stress intact. Plus, it can be a lifesaver for managing other health conditions. The Traini Counseling Group recommends taking a daily walk or simply carving out 20 minutes for yourself daily.
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Keeping It Real with Expectations
During the holiday season, many folks set crazy-high expectations on themselves and others. But you don’t have to be a perfectionist to have a fun and memorable holiday. Sure, holiday traditions can bring a warm and fuzzy feeling, and you might feel like you have to keep things exactly the same year after year. But when life throws you a curveball, it’s okay to roll with the punches. Changing up those holiday routines and traditions to match new circumstances is perfectly fine. Psychology Today suggests lowering your expectations. “By keeping expectations realistic and focusing on what’s really important to you, you may just find that your ‘good enough’ holiday turns out to be ‘pretty great’ after all,” they wrote.
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Dealing with Family and Social Pressures
The holiday season can be a bit of a stress-fest, thanks to family get-togethers and social shindigs. There’s a ton of stuff to manage, from party planning to a jam-packed social calendar, and it can all leave you feeling frazzled. One trick is to get ahead of the game by planning for those family bashes and gatherings. That can help you handle the event with less stress. And remember to factor in some downtime after these gatherings to recharge your batteries. If you know that a family visit or social event is going to trigger your anxiety, make sure you’ve got some relaxing time scheduled right afterward. Maybe head home and relax by watching your favorite movie or curling up with a book. Remember to not jam-pack your schedule with visits and events without giving yourself a break. Mayo Clinic suggests simply saying no to holiday commitments. “With holiday commitments, it is OK to say no to a few or all of them,” they wrote. They also added that sharing your to-do list with other family members may help alleviate your stress.
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Dietary Dilemmas
Holiday festivities typically revolve around tons of grub, and some of it might not fit with your diet or allergies. If you have specific dietary needs, make sure you let your party host or caterer know in advance. Ask about what’s cooking. And if you’re hitting a potluck or buffet, try serving yourself first to avoid cross-contamination with other dishes. If you’re not sure what’s on the menu, just skip the meal. But don’t forget to eat something beforehand so you’re not starving. Holiday parties are famous for their special cocktails, which might have sneaky ingredients that mess with your allergies or sensitivities. If you’re not sure about what’s in your drink, stick to beverages you know are safe. The same goes for baked goods, which can hide all sorts of surprises.
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Roxanne is a co-host on the MJ Morning Show and host of Middays on Q105 in Tampa Bay. She also hosts segments on The Current, which features local feel-good stories and health and wellness segments, and airs on five of the six Tampa-based Beasley Media Group stations. Roxanne has conducted hundreds of interviews, from athletes to Oscar winners, including Matt Damon, Christian Bale, and Chadwick Boseman. She also specializes in media training, having worked with clients in the NFL, NBA and WWE for television, in print, and online. Roxanne is a published author and will be releasing a thriller novel in 2024. Her favorite thing in the world is being with her two daughters and husband. As a content creator for Q105, Roxanne writes about family activities in the Tampa Bay area, as well as reviews for local restaurants and travel.
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