Between holiday parties, family visits and shopping trips, exercise can fall to the wayside in the hustle and bustle of the season. Our already busy lives become even more hectic and exercise no longer feels like a priority. However, staying active at this time will reduce stress and mitigate some of the calories from eggnog and sugar cookies.

How do you fit exercise into the busy season? It requires a little creative thinking.

Use your trip to the mall as an opportunity to burn calories. Park far away and walk to the entrance. When you enter, take a lap around the mall before you begin shopping to fit in steps. As a bonus, you might spot sales in stores you would’ve otherwise missed.

Unless you live in a sunny part of the country, the weather outside may be too frightful to run in. Instead, grab your computer and load up free cardio and yoga workouts from YouTube. A 20-minute yoga session at home will burn calories and leave you feeling relaxed.

Take advantage of quality time with family and make exercise a group activity. Go for a walk through the neighborhood to admire the lights, sing carols from door-to-door or go ice-skating. These and other activities are more fun and better for you than sitting on a couch.

Finally, reward yourself for being active. Put some money in a jar every time you exercise during the month. In January, use that money to do something nice for yourself. The small reward will motivate you to fit a 30-minute workout into your busy day, despite the tasks left on your to-do list.

The holidays are a time to expand your heart, not your waistline. Staying active will help you make the most of the season.