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 Minute Massage For Holiday Insanity
Traditional holiday activities generate a host of physical and emotional trauma, so I’ve put together a fun list of suggestions of ways to relieve the pain and suffering that sometimes appears at this time of year.
- Impending In-Law Invasion – Tension Headaches: These are sometimes caused by increased tension held in the shoulder and neck muscles. Use both hands to rub your shoulders near your neck to relieve the tension. Try kneading your neck up close to the base of the skull with your head relaxed backward or forward. See Self Massage for Headaches for more information.
- Cleaning Frenzy Incapacitation – Back and Shoulder Pain: Lots of visitors means lots of cleaning. Bending over to clean floors or bathrooms, or reaching upwards for serious dusting can cause pain in the back and shoulders. To massage your midback, put a tennis ball in a sock, and drape the end with the ball over your shoulder. Stand next to a wall and use back and forth motions with your body as you press into the wall to massage your back. Be sure to cover the top of the back across the shoulder blades, and use deep pressure between the shoulder blades.
- Holiday Card Hand Cramps: When addressing or writing a large number of holiday cards, hands and forearms often become achy and stiff. Use a thumb to draw small circles on the palm of the opposite hand. Press deeply and draw lines from the base of the palm up to the origin of each of the fingers. Pull and squeeze each of the fingers. Use thumb circles and deep pressure lines on the front and back of the forearm as well. Rub one forearm down the length of the other. See Self Massage for Forearms for more information.
- Baby Back Blues – Lower Back Pain: Extra time with family can mean extra time holding small children and infants. This can stress the lower back/hip area, especially in grandparents. Some simple suggestions follow. Sit down after picking up the children to relieve pressure on the lower back. Put a tennis ball on the floor underneath you in your lower back area as you lay down (or between you and a wall as you lean against it). Roll your body back and forth to get a massaging action in your lower back. Try to work the area between the top of the hip crest and the lower ribs, especially close to the spine. Also work across the hip crest on both sides. Although one side may hurt more, give both sides of your back some attention.
Take care of yourself this holiday season, and ask others to rub your back and shoulders for you. Remember to see your primary care provider if you experience serious injuries or if your soreness lasts a long time. Enjoy!
 Gift Ideas
Give a gift certificate for massage and relieve the stress and tension of a friend or loved one. Go to my website to order online.
Gift ideas:
- Wedding
- Birthday
- Anniversary
- New Baby
- Hannukah
- Christmas
- Hostess Gift
 Rates & Hours
45 min - $55
60 min - $65
90 min - $90
Tuesday: 9 am to 5 pm
Wednesday: 1 pm to 9 pm
Thursday: 9 am to 5 pm
Friday: 1 pm to 9 pm
Saturday: 9 am to 5 pm
*by appointment only (Call 615.294-6672)
Holiday Gift Packages
Ho Ho Ho Package
Buy 3 massage sessions, get $10 off!
- 3 45-min was $165 NOW $155
- 3 60-min was $195 NOW $185
- 3 90-min was $270 NOW $260
Winter Wonderland Package
Buy 5 sessions, get $25 off ($5 off each session!)
- 5 45-min was $275 NOW $250
- 5 60-min was $325 NOW $300
- 5 90-min was $450 NOW $425
Rudolph and Friends Package
Buy 10 get 1 free!
- 10 45-min $550
- 10 60-min $650
- 10 90-min $900
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| Nov. 13, 2005 |
| Heather's Note |
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Happy Holidays to Everyone!
I hope you are all taking some time out for yourself as the holidays get into gear. Remember stress causes tight muscles and lessens the effectiveness of the immune system, so keeping relaxed is good for your health.
In this last newsletter of the year, I want to talk to you about the gift of touch. The minute massage section covers self-massage and stretches for common holiday activities.
I am also including one last reminder in my newsletter of purchasing massage gift certificates for holiday gifts. These are available through December 21st. My holiday gift certificate specials are enclosed, and I will be taking orders via phone, email and online, so if you need to, forward this to family members to give them a hint of what you’d like for Christmas. The More on Massage section has been replaced with my gift certificate specials.
Have a Wonderful Holiday and a Great New Year!
- heather wibbels (615.294-6672)
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The Gift of Touch
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As the year draws to a close I am reminded that touch is a gift. Many of us spend our time in the workplace or schools where touch is no longer encouraged. Giving the gift of touch to friends and family over the holidays brightens your day by giving and their days by receiving.
Massage provides therapeutic touch to the body, soothes muscles and getting the mind into a more relaxed state. You don’t have to be a massage therapist to give that gift. Think of the people in your life who may be touch-deprived: an elderly neighbor on her own, a senior relative in assisted living, a sibling without a partner, or a dear friend who could use a hug. These are people without others in their lives to provide regular touch, and they could all use a hug.
In particular, seniors in assisted living facilities, nursing homes and even those on their own may feel the lack of touch acutely if are widowed or divorced. One way to get touch back in to their lives over the holiday is to visit them and take along a bottle of lotion. As people age, their skin thins and blood flow to the extremities reduces. Use your hands to apply lotion to their hands and stretch out their fingers. Gently rub and massage the lotion into their hands. For individuals with arthritis, light touch will feel wonderful and will warm their hands. The moisture and oils of the lotion will provide elasticity to dry skin and will decrease chapped knuckles or cracked skin.
Massaging the feet as well is a wonderful treat to older folks. Flexibility sometimes decreases as we age, and it’s no longer as easy as it once was to massage and care for our own feet. Working on the feet of a friend or relative of any age can be a way to thank them and treat them on the holidays.
In addition to performing hand and foot massage, sometimes the best medicine for touch deprivation is a good hug. If you believe the individual would welcome a hug, or might just want to sit and hold your hand for a bit, offer it to them. If you’re not sure, saying, “You look like you need a hug,” or “Can I give you a holiday hug?” keeps them in control, but lets you offer the gift of touch.
Healthy touch heals, both physically and emotionally. I am lucky to be able to give the gift of touch every day, and I am thankful for it. Put your hands on those in your life needing a little extra touch – you’ll feel better for giving the gift, and they will enjoy receiving.
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Holiday Specials!!
Gift Certificate Packages
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Get all your holiday shopping done early and easily by buying gift certificates for friends, family members and co-workers. This season, I’m offering special packages when you purchase gift certificates for others:
Ho Ho Ho Package
Buy 3 massage gift certificates and get $10 off the total!
- 3 45-min was $165 NOW $155
- 3 60-min was $195 NOW $185
- 3 90-min was $270 NOW $260
Winter Wonderland Package
Buy 5 massage gift certificates and get $25 off! That's $5 off of each session!
- 5 45-min was $275 NOW $250
- 5 60-min was $325 NOW $300
- 5 90-min was $450 NOW $425
Rudolph and Friends Package
When you buy 10 massage gift certificates, you'll get 1 free!
- 10 45-min $550
- 10 60-min $650
- 10 90-min $900
Gift Tip: A clever way to give massage gift certificates is to take the gift certificate and wrap it in a small box with a scented candle, some lotions or essential oils.
Take advantage of these package rates through November and December. They are only good through December 31, 2005. Any gift certificates needed by Christmas must be ordered by December 21.
About Ordering Online:
Rest assured that your transactions are secure - I'm using PayPal as my online order vendor. Make sure you enter your phone number when going through the checkout process. I will be calling the number you enter within 24 hours to confirm the delivery method, the address and the pick-up time if you are coming to the office to retrieve the gift certificate. If you need to pick up the gift certificate within one or two days, please call me at 615.294-6672 after you send in your order to arrange a pick up time. Please note that since I'm using PayPal, a surcharge is added to the order to cover credit card processing fees from the vendor.
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