Growing up, there was a Christmas morning “rule” in our house that no present could be opened until my mom had her coffee. Not surprisingly, my sister and I quickly learned how to make my mom her much-needed cup of coffee, so we could open presents as soon as possible.
Over the years, our morning tradition evolved into making my mom her mug of coffee, delivering it to her in bed, and bringing our Christmas stockings into her bedroom to open immediately while my mom looked on and sipped her coffee. We’ve had this same Christmas morning tradition as long as I can remember and we still continue it year after year.
Also part of our Christmas morning is eating Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls for breakfast. I realize that cinnamon rolls are not the most nutritious breakfast (they receive a 2 on the NuVal scale), but it’s a fun, once-a-year tradition that we all look forward to participating in.
Trading Up Downtown Giveaway
Giveaway time! 
Leave a comment about a Christmas morning tradition that you look forward to every year.*
Tomorrow morning, I will randomly pick a winner to receive a holiday gift pack, which includes a box of Celestial Seasonings Peppermint tea and a bar of gourmet dark chocolate.
*Receive a bonus entry if you follow @TinaTradesUp on Twitter and retweet “Enter to win a holiday gift pack on @TinaTradesUp: http://bit.ly/4YZNL7”
Good luck and happy holidays! 
On Christmas Eve, as tradition has it, children leave milk and cookies for Santa to enjoy before he goes on his way. House after house, Santa takes advantage of this hospitality, but maybe he’d be better off with a more nutritious snack? I’m pretty sure Mrs. Claus would appreciate a plate of carrots and a mug of warm tea for her Santa, but what kid wants to take away Santa’s cookies?
Here’s how you can help Santa trade up on Christmas Eve:
Santa Favorite: Chocolate Chip Cookies made from Pillsbury Chocolate Chip Ready-to-Bake Cookie Dough (NuVal score: 1)
Santa Trade Up: Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies
Even though the homemade cookies have many of the same ingredients as the Read-to-Bake Cooke Dough, the addition of banana (NuVal score: 91), oats (NuVal score: 57), and chopped walnuts (NuVal score: 82) boost the nutritional profile of the treat. After taking a bite of these cookies, Santa won’t even miss his old favorite!
Santa Favorite: Horizon Organic 2% Milk (NuVal score: 55)
Santa Trade Up: Garelick Farms Over the Moon Fat Free Milk (NuVal score: 91)
If you’re curious how milk stacks up on the NuVal scale, check out some of these milk scores:
- Dean’s Fat Free Skim Milk: 91
- Garelick Farms 1% Milkfat Milk: 81
- Horizon Organic 2% Milkfat Milk: 55
- Garelick Farms Whole Milk: 50
- Organic Valley Chocolate Milk 2% Milkfat: 24
- Nestle Nesquik Strawberry Milk Reduced Fat 2% Milkfat: 23
- Chug Milk Shake Vanilla: 12
As you can see, the fat free version of milk is Santa’s most nutritious option. He might even enjoy the taste more than his usual 2% milk. Personally, I think that the fat free variety is colder and crisper, which I’m sure Santa would appreciate on his business night of the year.
I’ll be at the airport on Christmas Day. Yep, that’s right. Christmas Day.
Long story short, my husband and I are taking a last-minute to trip to Medford, Oregon to visit his 92-year-old grandmother. I’m really looking forward to spending some quality time with Grandma and, of course, enjoying her amazing sugar cookies. But, I definitely learned my lesson this time: if you wait until the week of Christmas to buy your plane ticket, you’ll be stuck flying on Christmas Day– and paying an arm and a leg for the ticket!
If flying on Christmas Day isn’t stressful enough, my husband and I plan to visit both of our families on Christmas morning before we rush to the airport to catch our afternoon flight. This scenario might seem super stressful, but as long as I plan appropriately, traveling during the holidays doesn’t need to be hectic.
Here’s how I stay sane during my travels:
Sleep. Before taking a long trip (like across the country), I make sure to get a good night’s rest. When I’m sleep-deprived, I get easily frustrated (and sometimes cranky), which is not enjoyable for me or anyone else who encounters me while traveling. Plus, waking up well-rest and excited about traveling makes the whole experience much more pleasurable.
Do my homework. Before leaving home for the airport, I do as much as I can ahead of time to make my trip as stress-free as possible: I confirm my flight, print out my boarding pass, and load-up my cell phone with all of my trip information, including confirmation numbers and addresses. Getting all of this done ahead of time, allows me to focus on enjoying the journey instead of stressing about the details. I also give myself plenty of time before my flight departure, which prevents me from running around like a crazy person if I run into a snag in my plans.
Sip slowly. One of my favorite travel habits, especially at airports, is ordering a hot cup of coffee (or tea) and people-watching. My life is typically so hectic that it’s sometimes difficult for me to just stop and sit, but waiting for my flight with a warm beverage in my hands helps me slow down and really enjoy the moment.
Pack healthy. Eating well while traveling can be a real challenge, especially on a long flight from Boston to the Medford. Most airports provide travelers with healthy food options, why pay double the price for a nutritious meal or snack if you could easily pack a much cheaper one? So, when I travel, I always make sure to bring a bunch of healthy and satisfying snacks. My favorites are fresh fruit, Larabars, dried apricots, and homemade trail mix.
Developed by an independent panel of nutrition and medical experts, the 