The holidays are here. Time to get ready for the festivities. It's also time to take care of yourself. This might be the time for social gatherings and gift-giving, but it's also flu season. The last thing you want is to get sick while everyone else is busy planning parties. Here are four steps you can take to keep yourself healthy during the holidays.

Keep the Germs Away

Whether you're out shopping, or attending parties, you're going to come in contact with people and germy surfaces. Every time you touch someone – or something – you may be picking up germs that could make you sick. You don't have to stay in the house all season long. You just need to keep a container of hand sanitizer on you. Be diligent in dousing your hands with sanitizer several times a day. It's also important that you keep your hands away from your eyes, mouth, and nose. Each time you touch any of those body parts, you could be exposing yourself to the cold or flu virus.

Take a Walk

It may be cold outside, but you need the fresh air. You may not know this, but winter can leave you susceptible to depression. If you feel overly sad, anxious, or depressed during the winter, you could suffer from a condition known as seasonal affective disorder – or winter blues. You can combat the disorder by getting outside and taking in some sunshine, even if the sun is just barely breaking through the clouds. Beat the winter blues by getting outside for a few minutes every day.

Get Your Sleep

During the holidays, you may find yourself going non-stop. You may also find yourself missing out on much-needed sleep. Unfortunately, that lack of sleep could interfere with your natural immunity, and leave you susceptible to illness. Keep yourself healthy during the holidays by getting a full night's sleep – every night.

See the Doctor

If you haven't seen the doctor in a while, now's a good time to do that. Your pre-holiday checkup will allow you get a clean-bill-of-health before the new year begins. It will also be the perfect time for you to get your flu shot. Your flu shot is particularly important if you fall into the high-risk category, which includes:

• Over 65 years of age
• Diagnosed with certain medical conditions
• Young children

Now that the holidays are here, don't let sickness keep you away from the festivities. The tips provided here will help keep you feeling great during the holiday season.