Tips For reducing holiday stress
The winter Holidays have been celebrated for thousands of years; before the time of Christ, as the festival of lights. In fact it is no accident that Christmas coincides with the winter solstice, the twenty-first of December, the day that nights begin to get a minute shorter and the days a minute longer. Long ago our ancestors noticed this tiny change and celebrated it as the beginning of the end of winter, even though winter was long from over, it was the very beginning of rebirth of the land and the spirit, a glimpse of the end of cold and hunger imposed by the short days and frozen ground.
Whether one celebrates Christmas or any of the many other cultural festivities that come near the end of the year, often, instead of bringing joy, these holidays bring stress, worry, and to some, even depression. Causes ofholiday stressand depression are for some, unrealistic expectations, financial problems, inability to see loved ones, the tendency to over-drink and over-eat, and the let down that comes after the holidays.
There is, however, another cause for holiday depression and stress. This can be the result of relating current holidays to unhappy holidays from your childhood, or other holidays in your past.
If one had very stressful or unhappy holidays when they were little, holidays are likely to stir feelings of unhappiness in the present. Likewise, if persons are divorced and separated from their children, or even if they have empty nest syndrome, or if a person has lost a spouse or other family member to death, holidays are certainly likely to prove an immense challenge. But challenges are made to be overcome, and with some planning, the holidays can once again be enjoyed; even enjoyed for the first time ever.
Remember the reason the Holidays are significant. Why are the holidays celebrated? Why do you celebrate the Holidays? What gives you a warm glow and a tingly spirit of the Holidays feeling? For many people, it really is all about giving. Naturally, receiving is wonderful too, so if you wish to receive, make sure you give. But don't just give with the expectation of getting something in return for that's not the right reason. Save enough to give yourself something if you don't have anyone in your life who you think is going to gift you, but then focus on giving to others and broadening your new Holiday family.
If you only have distant family members who you don't wish to communicate with and you don't think it would be right to give something to your neighbors or your co-workers, first, re-think that, and make sure you're right. Ask a casual acquaintance what they think about it. Then add that acquaintance to your shopping list. But if everyone around you already has too much stuff and you don't like them anyway, bah humbug.
You've surely noticed the big Christmas trees with little tags on them in department stores and malls. Every tag represents a child's entire hopes for Christmas. You can also do up the meal and gifts for a whole family. Or you can work at a food kitchen, or a old folk's home in a Santa hat, or a homeless shelter in a Santa hat. Or you can leave bags of food and presents at that rickety old house you pass by on your way to work every day with all the dirty little kids playing in the yard.
There is no better way than these to beat your Holiday Stress. Except there are probably hundreds more ways, and the Holidays are now.
