CHRISTMAS: IS THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR?
According to research, Christmas is considered one of the six most stressful life events, along with divorce, moving house, and changing jobs. There is a well-documented link between the holiday period and increases in mental health presentations such as stress, anxiety, and depression.
For many people stress at this time of year can be related to:
Working long hours to get things finished before the holidays.
Worrying about the financial cost of buying Christmas presents, combined with the gloomy predictions about the economy.
Getting Christmas presents organized in time.
Overloading your schedule with too many events.
Feeling pressure to celebrate, even though you may have fractious relationships with family members.
Reflecting on another year passing with feelings of regret for goals not achieved.
How To Make Christmas Less Stressful
Sometimes, We’re conditioned to have a certain idea (or ideal!) of Christmas, based on nostalgia, advertising, and social media to name just a few. The pressure comes from everywhere to do more, buy more, decorate more, give more, eat more. More lights, more glitter, more joy. But potentially more stress and more disappointment if you feel like you’re not living up to it all.
If you can let go of all that pressure and focus on the things that matter to YOU, whether it’s going all out to turn your home into Santa’s Grotto, or paring back your decorations completely. Maybe you want to take a few days with your immediate family to just be.
Maybe you’re working over Christmas and need others to step up and help you organize. Whatever it is, figure it out and go from there.
Lisa Miller Massage REMINDER:
The actual important things about Christmas are not the more important things. They’re the Small things.
Saying NO IS IMPORTANT.
Feel forced to host, or to visit others?Gently explain why you want to do something different this year. Even if the thought of having the conversation makes you anxious, it can’t be worse than spending your whole Christmas in a way you don’t want to.
Feel under financial pressure to buy too many gifts?Talk about it. It’s not a dirty subject. Maybe others are feeling the same way but no one wants to bring it up! Suggest a Secret Santa approach, agree on a budget everyone’s happy with, or perhaps agree only to buy gifts for the children in your family. (Remember, how much you spend does not indicate how much you love your loved ones!)
Can’t face all the cooking?Don’t do it. Cut right back. Don’t just make something because you feel you should, especially if it is not anyone’s favorite. Buy something pre-made, or delegate to others.
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