Give up smoking for the holidays? Ironically, this may be your best opportunity to quit for good!

There are plenty of smokers, just like you, who have a desire to quit this bad habit. When it comes time that you decide to give up smoking, there's always that element of timing. You're going on vacation next week. You're going back to school to train for a new career. You've invited guests for the weekend. You're too stressed out at your job. You know the drill. It seems that there's always some reason that makes this a bad time to try to give up smoking. While you might genuinely want to quit smoking, it's far easier to rationalize that 'this just isn't the time' and put the whole idea on the back burner. The usual result? You put it off for a 'better time'. Here we've got a novel idea that turns that rationalization on its head – and works!

When people make an attempt to quit smoking, one of the major obstacles involves keeping your hands busy and your mind distracted from cigarettes. You may do a little housework, then give yourself a break – hey, why not have a smoke and a cup of coffee? Smokers all have 'triggers' that put a cigarette at the front of their consciousness. Coffee, tasks which require focus and concentration, the famous after-meal smoke ... these are common triggers to light up. Becoming aware of all of your triggers is helpful in any attempt to give up smoking.

Now, during the holiday season, most of us don't have time on our hands. In fact, we find our plates full of tasks to ready our homes for the holiday season, including decorating, menu planning, shopping and gift wrapping. Many of us also get the urge to clean up accumulated clutter, straighten up linen closets, lest visitors should inadvertently see such un-festive touches and think you're a poor housekeeper. Notice what all of these holiday preparations have in common: your hands are busy and your mind is sufficiently occupied to keep those thoughts of a smoke at bay. When you consider a 'right time' to give up smoking, the holidays may, paradoxically, be the perfect time.

When you want to – successfully - give up smoking, it's really not quite as simple as the 'mind over matter' concept. You've got to use a few psychological tricks on yourself to help you along. If your morning cup of Joe is the usual partner for a smoke, try switching drinks. Have a cup of tea, juice or a smoothie instead. Changing rituals is an important component. How about that 'inevitable' after-meal cigarette? Why not plan an alternate activity that immediately follows the meal. The holidays are perfect for playing board games, checkers, chess or card games. Have the game table ready to go, serving a beverage that isn't one of your triggers.

Following a rigorous housecleaning session, relax in the bath with a magazine or book. Bubble bath or herbal bath sachets help you to relax and remind you that these scents are far more attractive than a burning cigarette. Besides, it's kind of hard to smoke with wet hands!

Group family activities, such as decorating the tree, hanging lights and gift wrapping for friends and relatives helps keep you occupied – and honest.

The busier you are, occupied with activities you enjoy, the less likely it is that your mind will drift to that smoke! When you decide to give up smoking, make the first several days packed with non-stop activities. If you can resist smoking for just three days, you're over the worst. You'll find that you sleep better, breathe easier and think less and less of smoking. After three weeks, you're 'clean'.

Choosing to give up smoking during the holidays may, ironically, be the magic bullet you've been looking for all these years! As for your New Year's resolutions, that list will be one item shorter. See if this upside-down strategy doesn't work for you!

Trying to ditch the smoking habit? Quit smoking helplines are awesome sources of compassionate and practical support!

Anyone who has ever smoked for more than a year can tell you that quitting smoking is anything but easy. Most smokers acquired the habit while it was considered to be cool, in their peer group.

Before you blow the trumpet, declaring, “I'm quitting!”, you must know why you want to quit. What's your personal motivation? Give this a good deal of thought. Make a list of all the reasons that matter to you. Remember, once you've publicly advertised, to friends, family and co-workers, your commitment to quit, all eyes will be upon you.

Political correctness is certainly a two-edged sword! Once upon a time, the tobacco lobbyists were in their heyday, gaining favors via low taxation, and freely advertising their poisonous products via magazine and TV ads. The FDA looked the other way as cigarette manufacturers loaded their product with more dangerous and addictive chemicals than you might ever imagine. All included to really get you on the hook.

Then we began to hear of the link between smoking and lung cancer. It wasn't long before smoking became a social stigma issue. People who hadn't taken up the habit now had a PC social edge over these ignorant smokers, adopting the holier-than-thou attitude. This social divide only served to alienate the smoker. Some people chose to continue smoking as a simple act of social rebellion.

Fortunately, for wannabee quitters, quit smoking helplines, with a mission to actually help people quit without being judgmental, began springing up everywhere. The quit smoking helplines are a terrific front line of defense. Unlike your sister, brother or a friend, the staff on the quit smoking helplines won't tire of your calls, whining – sure, it happens – about how much you want a smoke now, at 3am! Any smoker or successful quitter knows that major troubles usually arise first thing in the morning, after meals, or in the wee hours. Like Pavlov's dog, you're conditioned to expect to give a particular response to a certain trigger.

The quit smoking helplines are designed to be like a 'buddy' system, a sort of smoker's 9-1-1, when you are biting your nails, pulling your hair and more than ready to go out to the all night mini mart for some smokes. It's funny to realize that the people who don't even know you can offer superior support. The vast majority of quit smoking helpline staff are former smokers, so they know what you're going through. They're not going to dish you lectures. They've been there, done that. They are familiar with all the pitfalls and obstacles which stand in your way and can offer practical advice and strategies to help you through a crises moment.

In addition to the quit smoking helplines, forums and message boards are another 24/7 option to help keep you 'on the wagon'. Believe me, the tree-huggers aren't going to help. You need to be in touch with people who are also victims of the cigarette scam. They know all the tricks, all of the psychological trips you face.

As an ex-smoker, here's my best advice: seek help from those who know. The quit smoking helplines can make your goal a success! To freedom from smoke!