Avoiding Holiday Stress
Your childhood memories of the holidays are usually pretty special, right? All kinds of things dazzled your mind: mall Santas, TV specials, Nativity scenes, egg nog, fruitcakes, latkes, sparkling Christmas trees, brilliantly-lit menorahs, and scores of mysterious, intriguing presents.
As you get older, though, the downsides that you never thought could be associated with the holidays begin to surface. Little kids are way too busy poking at presents and scarfing down massive amounts of sugary and/or fried foods. It isn’t until they hit adolescence that they begin to notice the stress. What in the heck happened to the holidays?
Don’t fret. The holidays haven’t changed: you have. They’re still “magical” times, but your share of the stress gets bigger the older you get. To keep yourself sane during the holidays, here’s some things to keep in mind:
First – Why are people stressed during such fun, loving times?- \
- Holiday functions: Just about every social group in your life is going to want to have one, and they may require that you bring food and gifts or wear formal dress clothes.
- Holiday cooking: Not only do people light their kitchens on fire more often during the holidays, but the amount of cooking and baking can get expensive and tiring.
- Holiday gifts: Buying presents generates one heck of a bill, and on top of that, you have to think of gift ideas, find the gift, wrap the gift, ship the gift, etc.
- Holiday health: We all tend to pack on extra weight during the holidays, and we often never lose it. Plus, every handshake and homemade treat puts you at risk for catching the flu.
- Holiday fights: Stress, estranged family, extra rum in the rum cake… Family dinners can erupt into arguments if tensions are high.
What can you do to help ease some of the holiday stress for yourself and your family?
- Take note of the moods around you: When your parents are stressing over general holiday annoyances, don’t start making crazy requests of them. You’ll push them over the edge.
- Minimize your demands: Look through your Christmas list to Santa and be realistic. Commercialization of winter festivities is not cool – don’t beg for crazy, expensive stuff.
- Watch your budget: Put a limit on your spending, and don’t feel like you have to buy spectacular presents. Just being happy around your family during the holidays is enough.
- Prepare for school complications: Look ahead the best you can and try to get your schoolwork out of the way so it doesn’t conflict with festivities.
- Help your folks!: You aren’t royalty, right? Pitch in! This holiday season is yours, too, so help with the baking and house lights.
- Never expect perfection: Something is going to go wrong this season. Be ready for catastrophes, be ready to clean ‘em up fast, and don’t let them spoil the celebration.
- Christkwanzakkuh: If you’re part of an interfaith or multicultural family, the holidays may seem complicated. Just be sure to show respect for the faiths and traditions your family practices.
- Boyfriend/girlfriend difficulties: If you’ve gotta boyfriend or girlfriend, start thinking about how much extra attention he or she may need and try not to over- or under-do it.
- Lack of boyfriend/girlfriend difficulties: If you’re not dating anyone this year, don’t be too bummed. Focus on the love between you and your family. Love is good; don’t deny it and dwell on the negatives.
- Keep the peace: Don’t fight. Ignore annoying people. Don’t bring up past grudges. Chill.
- Bury the hatchet: A good way to keep the peace amongst family and friends (and to give yourself a little peace) is to seek forgiveness. It eases up a lot of pressure.
Your goal for the holidays should be to enjoy yourself and share your happiness with the people around you. That’s not a bad goal to shoot for at all – being happy! So give it your best.