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Self-care Christmas? It’s a time of joy, family and a whole heap of expectation – how can we do self-care at Christmas? Indeed, it is one of the most stress-filled times of the year for many of us. Self-care is essential to survive that Christmas stress says Jen Wood, our Wellbeing Lab manager & therapist FIVE MINUTES WITH Jen Wood, Wellbeing Lab manager & therapist Why is Christmas so stressful? The main thing is the expectation we place on ourselves. We are trying to be all things to all people. There is this huge pressure from the media and society to be perfect and as soon as we strive for that we are in trouble. We actually get hooked on the dopamine our brain releases when we receive praise and society rewards perfection. We often don’t realise that good enough is good enough. Also, the media tells us it is a season of joy, fun and togetherness. We should be out having fun. Yet, particularly the bereaved, that triggers a sense of loss, loneliness and isolation. Statistics show the increase in numbers of people suffering depression and anxiety at this time of year. What should we be doing to counteract the pressures? Downtime is hugely important. In our seasonal cycle, winter is a time of resting and renewal yet we are instead building up to a crescendo of festivities in a state of Christmas-stress induced panic. It’s difficult to step back completely but look at bringing in some self-care to your everyday. How can you nourish yourself? Even if it is just one minute your brain acknowledges you’re nourishing. You need to fill up your self-care cup every day. But we are so busy – what can we do to fit in self-care? The key things are eating well by balancing all the rich foods we eat at this time of year with lots of good, natural foods. Hydrating ourselves is essential, especially if we are drinking alcohol. Also, ask yourself if you sleeping enough? If we are just on the edge of coping a lack of sleep will tip us over. Just thinking of nourshing yourself will start to help. What are your top self-care tips? A little self-care can be a different thing everyday. I drink a glass of water in every morning before I do anything and I drink it in, mindful of all the goodness its bringing me. Or it might be that you come home and have a shower after a stressful day. Literally wash that stressful body off your body and out of your self. Breathe. Consciously breath, asking yourself what do I need today. If the answer is that you feel stressed then try breathing that out on your out breaths. I also find writing out my feelings and thoughts as a way towards stress-relief. It is lovely to meet up with friends but it is not always possible. If you hold your anxiety in then it can come out in an unhealthy way – losing your temper, feeling highly strung with everything still locked inside of you. Writing is as good as talking so writing a journal can help let those feelings out. If we have a little more time for self-care what should we do? Go for a massage. Ask for that voucher for Christmas or treat yourself. It’s cold and in the cold we tense up without even knowing it – even without stress. So the best way to combat that would be a luxurious massage. JEN’S GUIDE || HOW TO DO SELF-CARE AT CHRISTMAS Restoration Yard is not just a store and a beautiful restaurant, we passionately believe in restoration of self too. Life is complicated enough: so we’ve created a haven for emotional healing, rebalancing and renewing the self. We call it our Wellbeing Lab: a welcoming series of spaces for everything from yoga and Pilates to mindfulness and mums & babies classes. We host learning workshops and art-making crafternoons, and also offer harmonizing coaching, massage therapy, reflexology and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in our Sanctuary.

Enjoy a curry? Our Christmas Foodie Market is opening up its hatches again this weekend, December 8th and 9th – we are looking forward to warming up with a delicious curry from Scotia Spice. Come along, enjoy sample pots made up by Yasmin McDonagh, founder of Scotia Spice. FIVE MINUTES WITH Yasmin McDonagh of Scotia Spice What can we expect from Scotia Spice this weekend? Well it’s December. People will be cold. We will be in the courtyard with something to warm them up. I’m going to be bringing a taster of our Tandoori Salmon and our Lamb Keema. How did Scotia Spice come about? I’ve always been a passionate foodie. I grew up surrounded by Punjabi cooking. My mother and grandmother were always cooking. Food is part of the fabric of our family. In 2006 when my youngest went to school I thought what now. I’d always worked in pension litigation but now I wanted flexibility. So I started a small cookery school. What did that entail? I started courses for three, in my kitchen. It was about getting people to look at spices, taste them and then cooking with them. It’s all about bringing different layers of taste through learning the expertise behind authentic Punjabi cooking. It’s easier to cook with spices when you understand them. How did you go from cookery school to Scotia Spice packs? I thought about how I could put the cookery school into a box. I decided to try out my idea at a local Christmas fair in Stirlingshire. 11pm the night before I had 15 boxes prepared all complete with hand-wrapped spices. Within half an hour of the fair opening my 15 boxes were gone and I had a list for more. I sold 70 in the end. It grew and developed from that point on. Since then I’ve moved it on to smaller kits for people to try on a smaller scale. Little recipe kits. It’s had an unbelievable response. Best moments so far? In 2016 – to my utter surprise – I won the Curry Queen Award in the Scottish Curry Awards. All I am doing is trying to show how simple it is, using simple methods, how the magic comes from the spices. What are the future plans for Scotia Spice? In 2018 I’ve started working directly with a spice trader. He goes back generations of spice traders – his uncle, his grandfather. Now I can source single origin spices. If I want a chilli powder from India I can select which one. For the first time I am able to make my family Garam Masala. I am hoping to market that next year. MORE ABOUT CHRISTMAS AT RESTORATION YARD Make Restoration Yard your Christmas shopping destination this year. Every weekend you’ll find a pop-up mini festive foodie market with a selection of local artisan producers showcasing their favourite Christmas gifts to help you tick off your list. Alongside Scotia Spice, other producers include O’Donnell Moonshine, Buck and Birch. Plus, don’t forget to bring the car and pick up your Christmas tree – we have a selection of 5-8 foot stunning Nordmann Fir non-drop needle trees for sale. Also, this weekend you’ll also find a selection of local choirs performing their favourite Christmas songs. Find who’s on here.