MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII -- For some, the holidays give people a perfect opportunity to spend quality time with family, enjoy rich food and unwrap an awesome gift. For others, the holidays bring nightmares filled with endless responsibilities, financial woes and mailing deadlines.
If the mere thought of the holidays makes Marine Corps Base Hawaii service members and spouses cringe, they are eligible to register for two free classes hosted by Marine Corps Family Team Building to ease the stress.
The Lifestyles, Insights, Networking, Knowledge and Skills Home for the Holidays class is scheduled for Dec. 6 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Waikulu Community Center. The LifeSkills Holiday Stressbusters class is scheduled for Dec. 12 from 2 to 4 p.m. in the MCFTB conference room in building 244.
While many people become stressed out during the holidays for similar reasons, whether with finances or time management, service members can encounter additional stressors.
“I know that as a military spouse (myself), a lot of our families are away for the holidays,” said Jaime Yasumatsu,
the L.I.N.K.S. trainer, MCFTB. “I think it’s important to find ways to decorate and entertain, no matter where we’re stationed.”
Yasumatsu created and is leading the first L.I.N.K.S.
Home for the Holidays class of its kind aboard MCB Hawaii. During the class, attendees can learn how to make crafts from a local vendor. Crystal Brookover, the family readiness trainer will share information about various upcoming holiday events happening on the island. Participants will also learn about holiday traditions in other countries. Kimm Teruya, the LifeSkills trainer at MCFTB, will also present a concise version of Holiday Stressbusters during Home for the Holidays.
Teruya is leading Holiday Stressbusters, which provides information and tips to help cope with stress for the holidays. Attendees can find out tips on different topics from celebrating the holidays in Hawaii to what to expect with one deployed parent. The class will also feature Jacqueline Walker, the Marine Corps Community Services Hawaii Personal Finance Management Program manager. Walker will talk about managing finances during the holidays.
Can’t make it to the class? Here are a few tips from Teruya:
Prioritize. “What’s your reason for the season? Focus on one thing (at a time). Families, gifts, volunteering,” Teruya said.
Create a budget and research ahead of time. “Make a list of what you plan to get each person on your list. People actually spend more money when they shop online intermittently,” Teruya said. “It’s more financially savvy to make a list ahead of time, and bookmark (websites).”
Get help. “Ask for help, whether it be your spouse (or) your children,” Teruya said. “There’s no real perfect holiday.”
While common during the holidays, stress comes year round, and there are ways to cope. The National Institutes of Health and the U.S. National Library of Medicine recommend taking time off to rest, eating healthy food, exercising and getting an ample amount of sleep. More information can be found at
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001942.htm.
There will be child care available at Waikulu Community Center for those attending the L.I.N.K.S. class. For more information or to register for L.I.N.K.S. Home for the Holidays, call 257-2657. For more information or to register for LifeSkills Holiday Stressbusters, call 257-2653 or email
kimm.m.teruya@usmc-mccs.org.