The holidays can be a festive time of year, even at work. Until, gift giving goes awry. So, to keep everything cheery and lighthearted, be proactive with a little thoughtfulness and pre-planning.

For starters, “Choose gifts that are appropriate from a financial standpoint and for people you don’t know,” said Kim Zoller, CEO and founder of Image Dynamics.

By Christine Cioppa

Finals are here. The holidays are here. Who has time for a doctor’s visit?

Earlier this year, I spoke with naturopath Orna Izakson, ND, RH (AGH), who told me about easy home remedies to help fight colds and congestion. One of her recipes is very simple—a garlic and onion broth.

“If you think about the stereotypical prescription of chicken soup for cold or flu, the base of chicken soup is not the chicken; it is the onions and garlic,” Dr. Izakson says. “Onions and garlic are amazing for immune support.”

Some deployments, I’m determined.  I have projects.  I know we’ll get stuff done.  We’ll do home improvements and learn things.

Some deployments I’m happy, believe it or not. Fun things keep me busy, and I don’t have much time to e-mail and dwell.

Some deployments I’m serious. Worried about bills and broken appliances. Wondering about our child’s education.

Some deployments I’m sad. Watching our child take her first steps without him.  Reading how hard it is for him in between the words in his email. Upset he’s missing another birthday.

Woke up with a cough? Feeling crummy? Too work or not to work, that is the question.

And there's a good chance a lot of us are going to drag ourselves into the office and cough, sneeze and hack all day while we try in vain to get something, anything done.

It is a valiant effort, but it may result in spreading germs and sending the rest of the office home in the coming days to battle the same illness.

WebMD has a page dedicated to deciphering how sick you are and how sick you should be before you make the decision to stay home.