Issue 42: The Retirement Buzz

Light in the Darkness: Finding Joy in the Simple Things

Author

Retirement Dreammaker
December 21, 2025

In partnership with

RIDDLE OF THE WEEK

Q: You see me once in June, twice in November, but not at all in May. What am I?

(Answer at the bottom of the newsletter)

Holiday Hydration: Don’t Let the Cold Fool You

❄️ In winter, thirst often fades—but your hydration needs don’t. Mild dehydration is common among retirees in cold months and can cause joint stiffness, dizziness, and brain fog. Experts recommend warm broths, herbal teas, and water infused with citrus or berries. 💡 Tip: Keep a carafe of warm lemon water by your chair. Set a hydration timer during your favorite shows. 💬 “I used to drink less in the winter without realizing it,” says Walter M., 78, from Vermont. “Now I make a daily ‘tea tray’—hydration feels like a ritual, not a chore.” 🔍 Sources: Cleveland Clinic – Hydration in Cold Weather National Institute on Aging – Dehydration Risk in Older Adults

❄️ In winter, thirst often fades—but your hydration needs don’t.

Mild dehydration is common among retirees in cold months and can cause joint stiffness, dizziness, and brain fog.

Experts recommend warm broths, herbal teas, and water infused with citrus or berries.

💡 Tip: Keep a carafe of warm lemon water by your chair. Set a hydration timer during your favorite shows.

💬 “I used to drink less in the winter without realizing it,” says Walter M., 78, from Vermont. “Now I make a daily ‘tea tray’—hydration feels like a ritual, not a chore.”

🔍 Sources:

  • Cleveland Clinic – Hydration in Cold Weather

  • National Institute on Aging – Dehydration Risk in Older Adults

Re-Gifting Done Right: Saving Money with Grace

🎁 Re-gifting is back—but with intention. When done thoughtfully, it saves money and honors sustainability. Just make sure the item is: ✅ Unused and unexpired ✅ A fit for the new recipient ✅ Not obviously from someone else Add a personal touch with a note explaining why the item made you think of them. 💬 “I re-gifted a beautiful puzzle I never opened,” says Marie C., 71, from Ohio. “It reminded me of my sister, so I added a photo of us doing puzzles together as kids. She cried.” 🔍 Sources: AARP – Holiday Gift Spending Tips for Retirees MoneyWise – Is Re-Gifting Okay? Etiquette & Strategy

🎁 Re-gifting is back—but with intention. When done thoughtfully, it saves money and honors sustainability. Just make sure the item is:
✅ Unused and unexpired
✅ A fit for the new recipient
✅ Not obviously from someone else

Add a personal touch with a note explaining why the item made you think of them.

💬 “I re-gifted a beautiful puzzle I never opened,” says Marie C., 71, from Ohio. “It reminded me of my sister, so I added a photo of us doing puzzles together as kids. She cried.”

🔍 Sources:

  • AARP – Holiday Gift Spending Tips for Retirees

  • MoneyWise – Is Re-Gifting Okay? Etiquette & Strategy

😂 JOKE OF THE WEEK

Why was the snowman looking through a bag of carrots?

Because he was picking his nose! 🥕☃️

Holiday Phone Calls that Matter

📞 A five-minute call can revive years of connection. Research shows retirees who maintain meaningful long-distance friendships report greater life satisfaction and reduced loneliness. 💡 Try This: Call someone from your past and begin with: “I was just thinking about you this time of year.” 💬 “I called an old Navy buddy I hadn’t spoken to in 15 years,” shares Bill T., 80, from California. “We talked for two hours like no time had passed.” 🔍 Sources: AARP Foundation – Social Connections & Aging Journal of Social and Personal Relationships – Long-Term Bond Maintenance in Older Adults

📞 A five-minute call can revive years of connection.

Research shows retirees who maintain meaningful long-distance friendships report greater life satisfaction and reduced loneliness.

💡 Try This: Call someone from your past and begin with: “I was just thinking about you this time of year.”

💬 “I called an old Navy buddy I hadn’t spoken to in 15 years,” shares Bill T., 80, from California. “We talked for two hours like no time had passed.”

🔍 Sources:

  • AARP Foundation – Social Connections & Aging

  • Journal of Social and Personal Relationships – Long-Term Bond Maintenance in Older Adults

December’s Secret Craft: Wrapping with Story

🎨 Gift wrapping becomes memory-making when you infuse it with personal meaning. Use old maps, handwritten notes, sheet music, or even fabric from a family tablecloth. 💡 Idea: For every wrapped gift, add a one-line memory. “This paper is from the first concert I saw with your dad.” 💬 “I wrapped a cookbook in my mom’s old apron,” says Janelle R., 76, from Michigan. “My granddaughter said it was her favorite part of the gift.” 🔍 Sources: Good Housekeeping – Creative Gift Wrapping Ideas Etsy Trend Report – 2025 DIY Holiday Trends

🎨 Gift wrapping becomes memory-making when you infuse it with personal meaning. Use old maps, handwritten notes, sheet music, or even fabric from a family tablecloth.

💡 Idea: For every wrapped gift, add a one-line memory. “This paper is from the first concert I saw with your dad.”

💬 “I wrapped a cookbook in my mom’s old apron,” says Janelle R., 76, from Michigan. “My granddaughter said it was her favorite part of the gift.”

🔍 Sources:

  • Good Housekeeping – Creative Gift Wrapping Ideas

  • Etsy Trend Report – 2025 DIY Holiday Trends

Finding Sacredness in the Small Acts

🕯️ Not every spiritual moment needs to be profound. Many retirees find deep peace in simple daily rituals: lighting a candle, holding the door, journaling a kind word. It’s the frequency, not the size, that softens the heart. 💡 Try This: Each night, write down one small act of kindness you gave or received. 💬 “Every time I compliment a stranger’s scarf or smile at the cashier, I feel lighter,” says Leonard F., 74, from Oregon. “It changes the whole day.” 🔍 Sources: Greater Good Science Center – Micro-Moments of Connection Harvard Health – The Health Benefits of Kindness

🕯️ Not every spiritual moment needs to be profound.

Many retirees find deep peace in simple daily rituals: lighting a candle, holding the door, journaling a kind word. It’s the frequency, not the size, that softens the heart.

💡 Try This: Each night, write down one small act of kindness you gave or received.

💬 “Every time I compliment a stranger’s scarf or smile at the cashier, I feel lighter,” says Leonard F., 74, from Oregon. “It changes the whole day.”

🔍 Sources:

  • Greater Good Science Center – Micro-Moments of Connection

  • Harvard Health – The Health Benefits of Kindness

🧩 RIDDLE ANSWER

🔍 Answer: The letter "e" - It appears once in “June,” twice in “November,” and not at all in “May.”

🎖️ MILITARY & HOLIDAY RECOGNITIONS

📅 Dec 15–21: Pancha Ganapati (Hindu Winter Festival)

This 5-day festival honors Lord Ganesha with themes of renewal, gratitude, and spiritual unity. Observed by many Hindu families, it focuses on home altars, acts of forgiveness, and joyful celebrations of wisdom and culture.

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