Your childhood memories of the holidays might be pretty special, right? All kinds of things dazzled your mind: Santa, TV specials, Nativity scenes, egg nog, fruitcakes, Christmas trees, menorahs, and scores of mysterious intriguing presents.
The holidays are still “magical" times, but now that you are older, you might see past the presents and tinsel to observe some downsides that you never associated with the holidays in the past.
Possible sources of holiday stress:
- Extended family coming into town and not having your own room.
- Not having a special someone to celebrate with can make you feel left out or lonely.
- Having activities all throughout your week and weekend, leaving you with little to no down time.
- Missing a special loved one who has passed away or is no longer in your life.
- Buying gifts for your family for the first time or the stress of finding a thoughtful gift.
- Family dinners becoming arguments when stress and tensions are high.
- Not seeing your friends for an extended period time.
- If you're part of an interfaith or multicultural family, the holidays may seem complicated.
- Having to help with decorations, food preparation, and cleaning.
- Feeling the need to keep up with others, feeling pressure to make your holiday as good as theirs.
What can you do to help ease some of the holiday stress?
- Watch your budget and put a limit on your spending.
- Look ahead at your schedule to get your to-dos and schoolwork out of the way.
- Show respect for the faiths and traditions that your family and friends practice.
- Be realistic with your expectations and be open to something new!
- Be aware of your surroundings, help when you can. Research has shown that helping others can make you feel better.
- Balance time between your loved ones the best as you can.
- Try to focus on the love and holiday magic around you. If you do not see any, try to create some.
- Be mindful of self-care, find times and ways to practice deep breathing, healthy eating, and good sleep hygiene.
- Find things to be thankful for, when you turn your thoughts to gratefulness, often your worries and stress become more manageable.
The holidays can be a time to enjoy yourself and to share your happiness with the people around you but sometimes it is not. It's ok if this time is not always “happy" for you. We're here to help and you're not alone!
