Every November, the same scene unfolds in my Laguna Beach shop. Someone walks in with grocery bags cutting into their hands, a phone buzzing nonstop about 405 traffic, and a tight little smile that says, “Vidya, I love Thanksgiving, but I’m already overwhelmed.”
Nothing about that reaction is strange. A recent survey from the American Psychological Association found that nearly nine out of ten adults feel stressed during the holidays.
And when people tell me they feel guilty for being overwhelmed, I remind them that their nervous system doesn’t recognize holidays. It recognizes pressure, noise, expectations, and the emotional weight of family history.
Ayurveda has a line I come back to often: the mind digests life the way the body digests food. And Thanksgiving serves up a lot of both. You’re absorbing conversations, tone, memories, absence, tension, joy, noise — all of it layered on top of cooking and logistics.
It’s no wonder people walk into the shop with that “I’m hanging on by a thread” energy.
That’s why I teach small nervous system rituals in November. Not grand practices, not hours of meditation, the opposite. One of the most effective is Bhramari, the humming bee breath.
You sit tall, inhale through your nose, and exhale with a soft hum that vibrates through your chest and jaw. Pair that with a warm cup of Divine Tulsi Rose or Lavender Moon, and your body finally gets the message: you can let go.
I always tell customers to start this the week before the holiday. It’s like charging a battery. You build a little reservoir of calm each day so you’re not running on fumes by Thursday.
What I hear just as often, and usually said quietly, is the emotional side of Thanksgiving. The comment that lands wrong. The topic you don’t want to revisit. The sudden feeling of being twelve years old again.
You don’t need drama to protect yourself. You need micro-boundaries and a breath. A simple “I’m stepping outside for a second,” or “Let’s keep things light today,” is more than enough. Your tea becomes both a comfort and a small shield.
And speaking of fumes, let’s talk about the moment that hits so many hosts around five o’clock. You’ve been cooking since morning, you’ve barely eaten, the house is loud, every timer is beeping, and someone shouts from the other room, “When’s dinner?” It’s a breaking point.
There is nothing wrong with you if you feel your shoulders rise to your ears. That moment is exactly when you step outside, hold your tea, and take two humming exhales. Two minutes is enough to reset your nervous system.
And then there’s the ache. The people who tell me, “This is the first year without…” or “Everyone else has somewhere to go but I don’t.” Loneliness and grief show up more during the holidays than any other time of year.
When someone shares that with me, I often suggest making a cup of something gentle, Saffron Rose Latte is beautiful for this and giving yourself five quiet minutes to honor what you’re carrying. Or creating one small tradition of your own: a beach walk, a sunset ritual, an afternoon tea. You don’t owe anyone a glossy version of the day.
By the time Thanksgiving week rolls around, the same four questions show up in the shop again and again.
"Why am I stressed when I’m supposed to feel grateful?"
Because gratitude doesn’t override stress; it coexists with it. Your nervous system reacts to the load, not the holiday. Gratitude lands best when your body has already softened — which is why those small rituals matter.
“How do I stay calm when I’m hosting and everyone needs me?”
Hosting is a full-body sport. I always tell people to plan two reset moments no matter what: one before guests arrive, and one right before serving. Eat something real. Let people help. Lower the bar by ten percent. No one will remember if you skipped one side dish, but they will feel your calm.
“What do I do when family tension creeps in?”
Prepare your lines ahead of time. A few that actually work:
• “I’m not getting into that today.”
• “Let’s pause this for now.”
• “I care about you, and I want today to stay light.”
You take a sip, you breathe, you choose your peace over your pride.
“What if I feel lonely or sad?”
You honor it. You don’t pretend it’s not there. You create something that supports you — a small ritual, a walk, a special cup of tea in someone’s memory. And if the sadness feels heavy or frightening, that’s the moment to reach out to a professional. Tea supports you, but it doesn’t replace real help when you need it.
Even with all of this, you might still have that moment where your breath gets shallow and your thoughts speed up. When that happens, come back to the simplest rhythm I teach:
Hum. Sip. Step away.
That’s it. That’s the whole nervous system reset.
If you need help choosing a calming blend or creating a ritual that fits your life, come into the shop. I’ll walk you through Stress Less, Divine Tulsi Rose, Lavender Moon, Saffron Rose Latte, not just the flavors, but how each can support your body this week. And if you’re not in Orange County, everything is online so you can build your own ritual wherever you are.
From our family at Tea & Turmeric to yours, I’m wishing you a Thanksgiving that feels calmer, kinder, and a little more like you.
