Did I mention I love Christmas? Because listen … when December hits, I turn into one of those people who hums carols in the checkout line and smiles at strangers like I’m starring in my own holiday movie. It’s bad. Or good ― it depends who you ask. But either way, I’m fully committed.

And before anyone asks — yes, I also adore The Grinch. The original film, the remake, the animated one … all of them.

The man was misunderstood, stressed out, and minding his business on his mountain. Very relatable.

Honestly, he just needed a little love, a little food, and maybe a nap — which makes him basically Bermudian.

So yes, my Christmas spirit includes a soft spot for that green, slightly dramatic king.

And like every Bermuda holiday, Christmas is soaked — repeat, soaked — in love, family, fellowship, and all the real things that keep us going.

It’s the annual reminder that even when life is loud, busy, and borderline chaotic, there’s still room for joy.

And honestly? That joy is an important piece of our fitness puzzle.

We get so caught up in steps, calories, macros, training days, performance goals … we forget that emotional wellness is the glue that keeps the whole thing from falling apart like a stale gingerbread house.

Christmas pulls us back to centre.

It slows us down just enough to breathe — right after it speeds us up with school concerts, office parties, and trying to find parking in Hamilton (which, let’s face it, should count as a high-intensity workout all by itself).

It reconnects us with family, whether that’s the people in our home or the people we choose along the way.

It gives us permission to pause, laugh, eat something that didn’t come out of a meal-prep container, and remember we’re human beings, not machines powered by protein shakes.

And let’s not pretend: Christmas in Bermuda has its own unique flavour.

There’s nothing like a St Davids Cricket Club Christmas set or an invite only BPSU party (that you eventually get into). Or the unspoken competition over who makes the best cassava pie.

There’s nothing like seeing children tearing through gift wrap like they’re being timed.

Do I hear drums? Oh yes — Gombeys are out! --- And there’s nothing like the holiday judgment we all pretend doesn’t exist — “Oh, you still haven’t put up your tree yet? Couldn’t be me.”

Relax, Shirlene. The tree is coming. But this season also invites us to reflect, gently but firmly.

To take inventory of what we’ve been carrying all year — stress, responsibility, fatigue, purpose, growth — and lay some of it down.

To step back in to gratitude. To refill the parts of us that have been running on fumes. Because when your heart is full, your body moves differently.

Your mindset shifts. Your energy returns. Suddenly workouts feel less like obligations and more like gifts.

That’s the secret: Christmas refuels us. Spiritually, emotionally, socially … and yes, physically.

Even if some of us are “physically” refuelled with macaroni and cheese, fried pie and ham on Boxing Day morning. But hey — balance.

So yes, I LOVE Christmas. I love the lights, the warmth, the madness, the meaning, the coziness, and the chaos … and my beloved Grinch, who reminds us that sometimes the heart grows after the noise, the love, and the togetherness pull us back in.

Now I’m curious — do you love Christmas too? Or are you on your own Mount Crumpit pretending you don’t, while your heart secretly grows three sizes every time the season rolls in?

It's Wednesday. Make it a happy one! As usual, remain unapologetic about your entire fitness and wellness journey.

Stay true to yourself Fitfam, and always be honest with your efforts.

• Dre Hinds is a personal trainer, aerobic and yoga instructor and fitness “addict” with more than 20 years’ experience. She specialises in nutrition, weight and sprint training, operating out of HindsSight Fitness and Wellness at the Berkeley Cultural Centre. Contact her at absbydre@gmail.com or on 599-6683. Find her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram under @Absbydre