How to have fun this December and beat January blues

The month of December, whose climax is usually the Christmas celebrations and ushering in of the New Year, always calls for a delicate balance between the demands of the season and a reality check with January beckoning.

While most people deserve the fun after a long year, some find themselves falling into the trap of impulse buying, piling on the pounds because food and drinks are in plenty, engaging in dangerous behaviour like drink-driving or falling victim to opportunistic crime. 

With all these pitfalls, January is likely to be 31 days and 31 nights of lamentation for many. The script can, however, be different with proper planning and care at this stage of the month, according to a guide compiled by the Nation with the help of experts.

Spending

Most shops you come across will likely have the words ‘sale’ or ‘Christmas offer’ teasing you to buy one thing or the other. Should one take the offers?

Financial advisor Peter Chege, the founder of Nairobi-based Shizki Financial Advisors, says the rule of thumb is to ask whether you really need what is on offer.

“Have you in the past needed the item? Is the item on offer budgeted for? If the answer to both questions is no, then you shouldn’t fall into the temptation,” says Mr Chege.

Even if one has been saving for the festive season, Mr Chege says, proper planning is key. “Allocate an appropriate amount for each activity and stick by hook or crook to the budget,” he says. “No amount of money is enough for the festive season. What is required is proper planning and to be done well in advance.”

BORROW MONEY

Under no circumstance, Mr Chege advises, should someone borrow money to finance fun. “Borrowing is a big no if not to invest or meet serious emergencies that are not insured. The old adage ‘live within your means’ comes to play. You don’t need too much money to have fun,” he says.

The common myth about January being a difficult month, Mr Chege adds, is because some people bury their heads in the sand.

“It’s funny how we claim to be broke in January while we knew the sequence of events all year,” he says. “We should bear in mind our normal lives do not stop once the festive season checks in. School fees, rent and other bills fall due immediately after the season.”

Relationships

Marriage counsellor Jennie Karina notes that the most common source of disagreements among couples during the festive season revolves around finances.

“There are cases where couples are not open about how money should be spent during the holiday; how much to give to which family members, where to spend the festive holiday, how much to spend on the children and so on. I think what happens is that families have expectations that are unspoken and when they go unmet, it creates conflict and disagreements,” she says.

Ms Karina, who has authored two books on marriage, advises that couples should work out a financial plan where expectations are clearly laid out.

Even the fact that couples suddenly have a lot of time to spend at home, she observes, can spark disagreement at home. “That change might create an atmosphere of disagreements as couples become more aware of how things are run in the home,” she warns.

Most people drop their guard as the temptations associated with the festive season become irresistible. Recent studies show this is also the time many fall to the cheating temptation.

A recent analysis by the UK Office for National Statistics indicates the most common birthday in the country between 1995 and 2014 was September 26. “This suggests more babies are likely to be conceived around the Christmas holidays,” reported the Independent in 2015.

Planning getaway

This is the time to take a break, mostly with loved ones. While some travel to their rural homes or visit relatives and friends in towns, others opt for holiday destinations. But financial experts say one does not need to break the bank to have fun.

The ideal way to go about it is to plan months ahead of December — but it is not too late to make arrangements this week.  “Depending on how far one is travelling and with whom, they can settle for options available. If travelling alone, public transport would be the most ideal. If travelling with family and children over short distances, you can use your car or digital taxis. If travelling as a group, carpooling would be ideal to allow sharing of fuel cost,” says financial adviser Peter Chege.

TRIPS

Already, it appears many Kenyans have been planning their trips as there has been a surge of bookings for the Standard Gauge Railway train between Nairobi and Mombasa.

On travelling destinations, Ms Jennie Karina, a counsellor, says: “Accommodation should be organised in such a way that the family is within the same suite. It would be quite irresponsible to have children in a different suite away from the parents.”

She adds that planning should involve understanding that supervision during the holiday is important to avoid children getting into undesirable behaviour or being at risk of exploitation, underage drinking and taking off with strangers.

 Watch weight

This is the season when the spirit will be willing but the flesh may not always obey. And for those who are conscious about what they eat, the big question will be whether or not to indulge.

Fitness trainer Steve Adika, who trades in Nairobi under the name 254 Celebrities Trainer, advises the health-conscious to be choosy.

“Something like chicken is very healthy. But we have roasted, boiled and fried chicken. If you can go with the alternative of boiled or roasted chicken, it’s much better because it is not too oily,” says Mr Adika, who trains people at the Racing Sport Gym in Nairobi’s Parklands.

If one encounters wheat products, he says, the best decision will be to shove them aside and go for arrow roots or sweet potatoes if they can be found.

Having snacks will also help.

“We tell clients to try having many snacks in between; things like fruit salads and fresh juices. That will make you full for a longer period of time so you don’t have the urge to eat too much food at once,” he says.

In January, many will be hitting gyms trying to shed weight. Some will make being fit their New Year resolution.

Mr Leon Weche, another fitness trainer in Nairobi, advises those who plan to start the fitness journey in January to start preparations now.

“Now they should be researching a lot on fitness and nutrition, the basics of both and also identifying with goals that they want to achieve, identify with someone who can motivate and inspire them,” says Mr Weche, a certified personal trainer and nutritionist.

Mr Weche observes that the festive season should not be a bother to anyone who has been getting it right in diet.

“The festive season doesn’t mean falling off. It’s a small time for one to feel guilty about indulgence and I think if one feels guilty then it means the whole year they haven’t been honest with their health and fitness goals,” he says.

No house-help

Marriage counsellor Jennie Karina believes the festive season is the ideal time for families to relieve their house-helps of duties so that chores can be shared among children  and parents. “It gives her a break as well as gives the family time to bond and parents to reconnect with the children,” she says.

Ms Karina says sharing chores at home is one of the ingredients to a healthy family. However, she warns, parents should not let children perform risky tasks.

“Parents need to avoid leaving children to do risky chores like cooking without adult supervision to avoid injuries like cuts and burns not to mention fire accidents,” she advises.

She adds: “Families can work as a team to identify the chores and participating together in the ‘division of labour’. The work should be equally shared and consequences for non-completion  identified,” says Mrs Karina.

In case families plan trips, she says all members should take part. “The festive season is a time for the family to celebrate their relationships,” she says.

 Road safety

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) is already on high alert because of the high number of accidents that happen during the festive season.

On Saturday, NTSA officers were on the Thika superhighway, inspecting vehicles to check for excess passengers, rogue motorists and drunk drivers.

On Thursday, NTSA director-general Francis Meja held a meeting with operators of public service vehicles and warned them against vices like speeding and overlapping.

The agency has put up several safe driving messages on Twitter and other social media.

“Don’t drive after drinking alcohol. Drink or drive but not both,” NTSA posted on Twitter on Friday.

“Drinking alcohol affects vision, judgement and reaction time. Avoid drunk driving,” the Automobile Association of Kenya also tweeted on Friday.

Road safety is a key point to watch this month when there is likely to be a lot of travelling. 

 Crime alert

Crime rates are expected to surge this period, and break-ins by opportunistic thieves are bound to go up, according to security experts. The vulnerability increases because many people travel.

For instance, on Thursday last week, Nairobi resident Edward Chweya, who had travelled to his rural home in Kisii County for holidays, fell victim to crime after his house in Roysambu was broken into and electronics worth more than Sh140,000 stolen. The thieves broke into his house in the morning.

“If there was a daytime guard at the gate to the four-storey residential building, this may not have happened,” Mr Chweya, a journalist, said yesterday.

He had to cancel his stay in the countryside to help police in Nairobi investigate the matter.

“Luckily, my hawk-eyed neighbours spotted the car the thieves used and noted down the registration numbers,” he said. Administration Police spokesman Masoud Mwinyi advises those who will move to the countryside or to urban areas to notify their neighbours that they have travelled.

PROPER LOCKS

“It is important while travelling to ensure that the house is properly secured with proper locks and that windows are properly shut. But above that, the most important thing is to ensure that neighbours or friends who are nearby are aware that you’ve travelled so that in case of any suspicious activity, they will report or notify you very quickly,” he said.

Mr Mwinyi also urged Kenyans to be careful on the roads, telling those who use public transport to resist the urge to board already packed vehicles.

The spokesman asked Kenyans to be always vigilant, even when partying.

“These are times when people are most vulnerable because they are a bit care-free. We are urging them to exercise caution if they go out to have fun or have a good time with their friends and families,” he said.