12/1/25 - Happy December!! Beat the Stress and Rewatchable 80s Movies

Monday 12/1/25

Happy December

Celebrate:

Civil Air Patrol Day

Day With(out) Art

Ear a Red Apple Day

National Christmas Lights Day

National Cookie Cutter Day

National Fried Pie Day

National Peppermint Bark Day

National Pie Day

Rosa Parks Day - today is the day she refused to give up her seat on a public bus in Montgomery, Alabama, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Walt Disney Day

Wear a Dress Day

World AIDS Day (not that the government is going to recognize it)

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Weekend Box-Office

1. Zootopia 2 $96.8M ($156M for the whole weekend)

But it broke so many records.

Highest global animated opening of all time, highest global animated sequel

2nd-highest Thanksgiving Day of all time behind Moana

2nd-highest Thanksgiving opener ever

2nd-highest Black Friday of all time

Disney holds 9 of the top 10 Thanksgiving opening weekends of all time.

2. Wicked: For Good  $62.8M ($93M full)

3. Now You See Me: Now You Don't  $7.0M

4. Predator: Badlands $4.8M

5. The Running Man $3.7M

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We've had Black Friday Shopping

Small Business Saturday

Now..Cyber Monday (which actually kind of started Wednesday.) The next round of deals to entice you to shop!

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Four volunteer crew members are on Mars!!! Well, the agency’s Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) 3D-printed habitat to live and work for a year to inform NASA’s preparations for human Mars missions.

Once the crew members kick off their mission, they will carry out various activities, including simulated Mars walks, robotic operations, habitat maintenance, medical technology tests, exercise, and crop growth. The crew also will face environmental stresses such as resource limitations, isolation, communication delays, and equipment failure, and work through these scenarios with the resources available inside the habitat.

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Now that Thanksgiving is over, it's just going to get more stressful till the end of the year!!

Here are some effective tips and strategies to help you manage holiday stress!

Prioritize Self-Care and Relaxation

Schedule "Me Time": Don't let your calendar get completely filled with obligations. Intentionally set aside time for yourself, even if it's just 15-30 minutes for reading, taking a hot bath, listening to music, or just sitting quietly.

Maintain Healthy Habits: The holidays are notorious for derailing routines. Try your best to stick to your usual schedule for sleep (aim for 7-9 hours), exercise (even a short walk helps), and eating balanced meals to avoid the emotional swings that come with too much sugar and alcohol.

Practice Mindfulness: When you feel overwhelmed, take a break for a few deep breaths. Focus on what you see, hear, and smell in the present moment. This can help prevent small frustrations (like a long checkout line) from ruining your day.

Set Realistic Expectations and Boundaries

It's Okay to Say "No": You do not have to attend every party, bake every cookie, or accept every request. Prioritize the invitations and activities that bring you genuine joy and skip the rest. Politely declining can save you significant stress.

Avoid the "Perfection Trap": Let go of the need for a "perfect" holiday gathering or gift. Good is often good enough. If making a seven-course meal is too much, ask others to bring dishes or order catering. Simplify where you can.

Budget Your Spending: Create a budget for gifts, food, and decorations, and stick to it. Financial stress is a huge factor during the holidays. Consider setting a spending limit, focusing on small, thoughtful gifts, or suggesting a Secret Santa exchange to reduce the number of gifts you need to buy.

Connect and Communicate

Share the Work: If you're hosting, delegate tasks like meal prep, cleaning, or wrapping presents to family members and friends. People often want to help, but don't know what to do unless you ask.

Acknowledge Your Feelings: It is completely normal to feel lonely, sad, or overwhelmed during the holidays, especially if you have experienced a loss. Don't force yourself to be happy. Share your feelings with a trusted friend or family member, or consider joining a support group.

Respect Differences: If family dynamics are difficult, try to focus on common ground and avoid sensitive topics. If necessary, give yourself permission to take a break from the interaction by going for a walk or stepping into another room.

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Let's go to the 80s for a movie marathon of the most rewatchable 80s movies!

Collider.com did the ranking

10. Rain Man (1988) Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise

9.  Gremlins (1984) Soon to have a sequel or reboot.

8.  Top Gun (1986) Tom Cruise

7.  Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) 

6. Batman (1989) Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson, directed by Tim Burton. Bonus - soundtrack by Prince.

5.  Ghostbusters (1984) Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Harold Ramis. That song!

4.  Back to the Future (1985) Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd

3.  Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) with Harrison Ford

2.  E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) 

1.  Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back.

See their explanations here.

https://collider.com/rewatchable-80s-movies-ranked/

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Today's Useless Fact of the Day - Dr Pepper Made Its Public Debut: The distinctively flavored soft drink Dr Pepper was served for the very first time on December 1, 1885, at the Morrison's Old Corner Drug Store in Waco, Texas. This means Dr Pepper is technically older than Coca-Cola, which was invented the following year in 1886.

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