WITH NO SNOW AT ALL An old-fashioned snowball fight is the epitome of winter activities. But if snowfall is lacking or it’s just too cold to venture outside and hurl freezing balls of ice at each other, don’t let it dampen your spirits. You can create and orchestrate your own indoor, snow-free, and entirely safe snowball fight. Make Your Snowballs While craft stores sell large white cotton puffs that look like snowballs, they’re too light to get any good velocity behind them. Instead, make your own “snowballs” with just a few materials in four easy steps: 1. You’ll need a pair of scissors, several pairs of cheap white nylon stockings (one pair can make about 10 snowballs), and a bag of polyester fiberfill, like Poly-Fil, or use the stuffing from a few old stuffed animals you no longer want. Creating the Perfect Snowball Fight
4. Cut between the two knots to snip off a tied-off snowball. Repeat these steps until you have at least a few dozen, but if you’re patient enough to make 100 or more, you’ll have ample supply for a substantial encounter. How to Play There’s really no “right” way to have a snowball fight. It’s often just about who can hit whom the most, but if you want to turn it into a measurable competition, divide your group into two teams and distribute the snowballs evenly between them. Then create boundaries for each team by laying down masking tape across the room. Teams must stay on their side of the line at all times. Set a timer for however long you’d like the fight to go on, and at your signal, teams can start hurling snowballs across the room at one another. When time is up, gather and count the snowballs on each side, and the team with the fewest snowballs is the winner! A crafty indoor snowball fight can be a lot of fun for people of all ages, not just kids. Best of all, the crafting part is something you only have to do once, and then you have a stock of snowballs for every winter to come.
2. Stuff a handful of the filling down into the end of one stocking leg and tie a knot, creating a round “snowball.”
3. Make another knot after the one you just made, leaving a little space between the two knots.
DON’T FORGET ABOUT YOUR HEALTH Managing Stress During the Holiday Rush
Take a step back and breathe. Remember that many “obligations” during the holidays are optional. Take control of your day by saying “no” to anything you know will pile on the stress. On top of that, take breaks when you need to. When you do start to feel overwhelmed, step away from the rush.
During the holiday season, it’s easy to go overboard. It’s an exciting time with plenty of shopping, celebrating, and indulging in pumpkin spice lattes, mixed in with your everyday routines. It can get stressful fast — especially after the year we’ve had.
to injure themselves lifting boxes, decorating the house, or taking on too many activities that keep them moving without rest. If you are injured, waiting to take care of it can exacerbate your issue. Plus, when you’re dealing with pain, your stress levels can easily go through the roof. Thankfully, there are many resources that can help, including physical therapy. One great resource we’ve found is ChoosePT.com. This website, managed by the American Physical Therapy Association, has numerous resources showing how PT can help for all kinds of issues. It’s a great place to start if you have questions or concerns but aren’t yet sure if you or a loved one should make a PT appointment. At the end of the day, managing stress during the holidays is about putting your health first when you need to. Your health is important; don’t overlook it. If you start to feel stressed, remind yourself that it’s okay to slow down and ask for help.
Many of us try to do too much in too little time, which can be
Designate a quiet place where you can take a 10–20-minute break. Apps such as Calm or Headspace can be very helpful. These apps can guide you in meditation or breathing exercises, which can do wonders to change your state of mind during a busy day.
overwhelming. We often forget about what really matters most and end up stressed out, which can be detrimental to both our physical and mental health. When we push ourselves too far, stress can lead to overexertion and injury.
Take care of yourself. If things are getting to be too much and you’re experiencing discomfort or pain, Mission PT can help can help. During the holidays, it’s not uncommon for people
How can you better manage stress and avoid overexertion?
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