As much as we all love the holidays, there is no denying that they are unnecessarily stressful. Having to prepare for parties, buy gifts for your loved ones, bake sweets, and fit everything into a few short weeks can really get the best of us.
Luckily for you, I’ve come up with three ways you can ease through the holidays!
Manage Your Family Gathering Anxiety with CBD
If you’re anything like me, going to any family gathering makes your anxiety spike to record-breaking levels. There is just something about going into a situation where you know you will be getting drilled with questions about your career, dating life, and home situation by your family members that leaves us all a little on edge.
A few years ago, I knew I would be bombarded by my grandma over a recent breakup, and my mom asked me not to use too much THC, so I dosed myself with a good amount of Perla CBD Drops sublingually about an hour beforehand. As a result, I walked into my grandma’s house feeling better than ever and handled myself perfectly the entire night.
Scientifically, there is a reason for this! CBD interacts with your endocannabinoid system to regulate critical chemical messengers responsible for mood. Some researchers and doctors say this is the best alternative to pharmaceuticals such as prescription anxiety medication, which can often come with unwanted side effects.
If you’re caught up in holiday drama and need quick relief, vaping CBD is the fastest way to feel relief!
Go On A Walk with Your Favorite People
There is this ongoing joke in the cannabis community about finding your favorite cousin, or some friends, to go on a pre-holiday dinner “walk.” Now, whether you decide to actually go on a walk around your neighborhood, the whole purpose of this “walk” is to share a joint together to get ready for the meal.
One of my favorite parts about holiday get-togethers is sharing a lot of laughs and good vibes with my friends and family, and what better to put you in a carefree mood than a bit of cannabis? Some of my favorite holiday memories have been made while getting high with my family members, and this tradition should be just as typical as sharing a glass of wine at the table.
Prep ahead of time by swinging by your local dispensary and grabbing some pre-rolls or a few Jane West Pre-Filled Pipes for everyone to have. The beauty of these pre-filled pipes is that they’re individually dosed and make for a great souvenir to bring home and use once you’re finished.
Make Infused Holiday Treats
Nothing screams the holidays quite like your favorite desserts. Cakes, cookies, pies, and pastries are the true MVPs of the holiday season, and there is only one way to make them better – infusing them!
Luckily, unless you really enjoy making whole flower cannabutter yourself, many different products make infusing treats simple and fun. My favorite way to infuse treats nowadays is using Smokiez Handcrafted Agave Nectars. Agave Nectar is a sweetener from the agave cactus that can be used instead of sugar in recipes. It’s about 40% sweeter than sugar, so start by using about half as much agave as you would sugar. For one cup of white sugar, use 1/3 to 2/3 of a cup of agave and reduce other liquids by 1/4 to 1/3 cup.
Another easy way to infuse your recipes is by mixing in either distillate or RSO to whichever fat you are cooking with (butter, coconut oil, olive oil, etc.). These both contain activated cannabinoids, so you don’t have to go through the same process as you would using whole flower. Just keep in mind that these are both concentrated forms of cannabis and a little bit goes a long way. But since they are both in 1000mg syringes, you can easily control the dose for each recipe.
If you’re not a baker but still want to enjoy infused treats, eat some Smokiez Gels or make a mocktail with infused drink powders. Just be sure to label the treats as infused and keep them out of reach from children and other unsuspecting guests!
Regardless of how you decide to prep for the holiday season, integrating cannabis into your festivities is a sure way to get through it with a smile on your face. Just don’t overdo it and fall asleep on the couch, or else you’ll end up being next year’s family inside joke.