As this past holiday season approached, the stress level among students and staff at the Read/Write/Now Adult Learning Center in Springfield appeared to be on the rise. Shortly before Thanksgiving, the health team at Read/Write/Now was asked to present some ideas and solutions to handling "holiday stress." The members of the Health Team were eager to take on the challenge.

Talking About Stress
First, the heath team and I talked about stress and the reasons why people felt stressed out during this time of year. Everyone had something to say. Thoughts and ideas ranged from the obvious-financial burden, over-indulgence with food, alcohol, and spending, shopping, crowds, and family pressure-to the more obscure-allergies to pine, cold weather, and transportation problems. We all agreed there were many reasons why people felt stressed out during this "hap-hap-hap happiest season of all." Next, we talked about what could be done to help ease the pressure and help folks relax a little bit more. Our solution to this problem took on three different forms: we developed and performed a social action theater skit, we conducted a Web search on ways to relieve holiday stress and presented the results, and we arranged for a yoga instructor to visit the classes to teach some simple breathing and relaxation techniques.

The Last Scooter
Our skit, "The Last Scooter," revolves around a shopper trying to get to the toy store before all the scooters are sold out. In the skit, the shopper talks incessantly about getting that scooter at the 50 percent discount price. She and her friend get stuck in a stalled elevator with a claustrophobic woman. A heated discussion takes place between this woman and the shopper, and the shopper's friend tries to keep the peace by encouraging the other to breathe deeply and stop arguing.

When the elevator begins to move and the doors open, the frantic shopper and her friend head to the toy store. When they approach a rude salesclerk for help, she tells them to wait their turn in line, and they are again delayed. When the salesclerk finally offers her help, the shopper is informed that the last scooter has just been sold. The shopper and her friend turn to see the claustrophobic woman from the elevator walking out of the store with the last scooter. The scene ends and the actors stay in character to answer questions from the audience about the skit. Many of the students could relate to this scene and a good discussion followed.

Web Search
Our Web search began with a visit to the Web site www.onhealth.com. This is a very user-friendly site that provides health information from the key words you type in the search box. We typed in "holiday stress" and found some of the articles useful, especially "Holiday Survival Strategies." The Health Team members talked to the classes about ways to make the holidays more enjoyable and less stressful. Their suggestions included:

• Spending time with people you care most about
• Exercising to relieve stress
• Taking a holiday from your routine
• Avoiding alcohol
• Cutting out sugar
• Meditating
• Limiting gift giving
• Giving thanks for all you do have
• Starting new traditions
• Yoga

The last activity on the topic of holiday stress included a presentation by two yoga instructors from the Heartsong Yoga Center in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts. Both students and staff participated in a 45-minute mini-yoga session. We learned some yogic breathing exercises and a few yoga techniques to aid in relaxation and stress reduction. The exercise movements were called the "tree," "half-moon," and "mountain."

After presentations in both the day and evening classes, the Health Team congratulated themselves on another job well done. If you are interested in seeing some pictures and hearing a clip from the skit, visit our web site at , click on class pages, and then click on health team. Best wishes for a happy and "stress-free" new year!

Susanne Campagna has been an adult basic education teacher at the Read/Write/Now program in Springfield,Massachusetts, for the past eight years. She has been the Health Team facilitator for five years, where she has overseen the production of two health video projects and the publication of several health brochures. She can be reached at susannedc23@yahoo.com