Best wishes for holidays filled with joy, and free of debt and injury

The end-of-year holidays are a perfect time to enjoy family, gifts and food. It's time to laugh, relax, cook and eat the most delicious meals of the year.

Unfortunately, it can also be a time when excess can put your health and finances at risk, leaving you to begin the New Year with debt, stress and anxiety.

Experts with UC Cooperative Extension have practical advice to make the festivities joyful and worry-free. They also provide some simple guidelines to select toys for children with maximum fun and minimum heartache.

Even conservative shoppers can succumb to temptation and overspend during the holidays.

Don't go into debt

Shopping is a temptation all year, but during the holidays even conservative shoppers can be seduced into spending too much. In the United States, the average shopper will spend $885 on gifts, according to Gallup.com. For that spending, UCCE experts recommend shoppers avoid making purchases on credit.

Patti Wooten Swanson, UCCE nutrition, family and consumer sciences advisor in San Diego County, believes using a credit cards encourages over spending. Before you know it, the debt will begin to acquire interest, the interest continues to grow, and the purchases become substantially more expensive.

She suggests shoppers establish a budget, think of the people you would like to give gifts, and determine the amount of cash available for each of them before heading to the store.

“Organizing the expenses is very important for people at all income levels to learn to manage money, reach financial security and use their economic resources to acquire what is really important for you and your children,” Wooten Swanson said.

Following are recommendations for using a credit card:

• Don't use a credit card to make a purchase if you don't have the funds to pay it off at that moment.
• Understand that the actual cost of interest can vary greatly, from zero percent for a limited time up to 30 percent. Pay all charges at the end of the month to avoid paying interest.
• Avoid paying only the minimum payment on your credit card, as creditors may then consider you “high risk” and increase your interest rate.
• An advantage of paying with a credit card is the security of not having to take cash with you shopping.

Remember, spreading holiday cheer doesn't require spending a lot of money. There are also treasured gifts, such as those that are homemade, that will persist in the recipient's memory because they come from the heart.

Eat healthy most of the time and don't feel guilty for splurging on a treat, while mindful of moderation.

Eat everything, but in moderation

The holidays hail the arrival of many rich dishes, such as tamales, roasted meats and an array of chocolates, cookies and desserts. Many of these foods require a great deal of preparation and are only available at this time of year, increasing the temptation to eat them. But, they often contain a significant amount of salt, sugar and fat.

“Everybody knows we eat because we have to nourish our bodies, but we also eat for pleasure, to socialize or because we enjoy the flavors of the foods,” said Lorrene Ritchie, director of the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources' Nutrition Policy Institute. “Sometimes what we like eating isn't the most healthy, and it's important to know that you don't have to feel guilty and renounce all foods that are unhealthy. Just be sure that most of the time you and your children opt for healthy foods.”

Following are a few suggestions from UC ANR experts can make the holiday eating and playing healthier and safer.

Drink water

During the festivities, we can allow ourselves to enjoy a sugary drink now and then, but always drink water to quench thirst.

“To work off one can of soda, you'll have to walk a few hours. Calories don't burn off very rapidly with physical activity,” Ritchie said.

Always serve salad at holiday parties to help guests make healthful choices.

Salads at your parties

Salads are very healthy, and the more colorful, the better. Each vegetable of a different color contains different nutrients.

“Latinos love fruit. I believe we eat enough fruits,” said Margarita Ramirez Schwartz, UC Cooperative Extension nutrition educator in San Diego County. “But we don't consume as much vegetables, and above all, raw salads.”

At your parties, always serve salads. If you don't have time for salad preparation, opt for convenience products like packaged vegetables and greens that are pre-washed, pre-cut and ready to serve.

Dance

A family dance creates timeless memories. There is no grandparent that can decline when a granddaughter wants to dance. Among Latinos, dancing is part of the culture. Be it salsa, samba, huapango or merengue, any rhythm will help you stop eating, have fun and improve your health.

“The key is to realize that exercise is as important for your health as eating and sleeping,” Ramirez-Schwarz said. “We all want to live for many years, and spend those years enjoying good health. No one likes to be sick and physical activity is part of illness prevention.”

Select age appropriate, safe gifts for young children.

Toys

The joy of Christmas and Epiphany for children often takes the form of new toys, which entertain and spark imagination and creativity. Parents want their children to be happy and have the opportunity to learn by playing with safe toys. Alas, it doesn't always work out this way.

In 2016, there were 240,000 injuries related to toys, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Toys usually appear harmless, but children with injuries caused by toys arrive at hospitals every year. WATCH (World Against Toys Causing Harm, Inc.) is a non-profit organization that monitors toy safety and compiles a list of harmful toys. For example, the leash on a wooden dog can cause strangulation. The lighted eyes that detach easily from a stuffed unicorn can choke a youngster. A toy rifle that shoots plastic disks can hit another child in the eye.

UC ANR experts recommend that you choose toys that will hold a child's interest, taking into account the child's age, fine motor skills and preferences. A toy that is too advanced or too simple could be used in the wrong manner and cause accidents. Think big when choosing toys. Each small piece must be larger than the child's mouth to prevent harm.

• Carefully examine the toys made of painted metal. There are some made overseas that can contain high levels of lead.
• Make sure the toy doesn't have small parts on which a child can choke or that can put younger children in the household at risk.
• Avoid toys that are old and used because they may not comply with current security rules or they may be worn out, break easily and be a danger to children.
• Look for toys with a solid structure. You do not want to give a toy to children that can break easily.
• To prevent cuts, check to be sure the toy doesn't have sharp points or edges.
• Avoid toys that make a lot of noise that could damage the child's hearing.
• Be sure activity books and art supplies are nontoxic.
• Give the toy with batteries, if needed, so that the children won't be frustrated when they receive the gift.

Finally, remember that there is no better gift to children than your time. The toy will be forgotten shortly, but the time that children spend with their families will create life-long memories.

Read the Spanish version of this story.

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