Holiday Anxiety

Christmas is a time traditionally celebrated for its peace and goodwill, yet long lines, long shopping lists and short patience can be the start of an angst ridden holiday celebration that give no evidence of a season of peace. 

There’s the rush to put up the tree, hang the lights and then deal with Thanksgiving. There is the struggle to make the most of Black Friday shopping. Meals to prepare, guests to invite and a house to transform into the quintessential holiday show home.

Added Stress

There are teachers to buy small gifts for and distant relatives who need that obligatory holiday newsletter that fills in all of life’s blank moments over the last twelve months. And none of this comes at a time when there’s lots of disposable cash.

The Season of Anxiety

Many find there is too much to do and not enough time to enjoy the season. Excess spending can take anxiety into the new year with added credit card payments with fewer funds than you need.

Many parents do not want their children to feel deprived and will work hard to ensure their offspring have nice things for Christmas – even if that means going into debt.

Anxiety Reducers for the Holiday

You have the ability to reduce the amount of stress and anxiety you experience this year. Some practical steps can be used to allow you to cope with the season of perpetual stress.

• Practice the art of seasonal subtraction.

What this means is that you tactfully address how many programs you can realistically attend and how many decorations you need to make it feel like Christmas. It also means setting a cap on spending. Many family members will not be offended in the least if they don’t get a restaurant gift card or family gift. Often a heartfelt card is enough to convey your goodwill. Practical reductions can help bring some joy back to the season.

• Instill the art of selfless giving.

It may sound strange, but you may find that your stress is reduced by helping those less fortunate than yourself. Something amazing happens when we think outside our personal troubles. We actually have the potential to find incredible gratitude simply by spending a little time helping others. Consider a family gift of a night at the soup kitchen or putting together gifts for toy drives.

• Forgive yourself

If you are prone to perfectionism during the holidays you will need to learn to forgive yourself because no matter how hard you try you will not be able to manage everything perfectly. No holiday will be entirely perfect – give yourself the freedom to fail – the freedom to make a mistake. Laugh more and stress less.

Anxiety Building Blocks

By adding new expectations to each holiday it can ultimately become nearly impossible to manage. It’s OK to scale back what you spend on the holiday, how you manage the details of the event and try to remember the reason you chose to celebrate in the first place. At some point a simplified approach to the holidays will be needed to lessen stress and enjoy the spirit of the season more.

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