Avoiding the Holiday Stress

Managing Life

Dec 6

Introduction

The holiday season is marketed as a wonderful time filled with love and joy; with presents, family, beauty, and traditions. While it’s all of these things, we all know the truth: it’s also filled with stress. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Chanukkah, Kwanzaa, or something else entirely, the hustle and bustle of the season leaves no one unaffected. Here are a few steps you can take to skip the holiday stress, or at least manage it effectively.

Christmas Shopping

If you’re someone who is easily overwhelmed by crowds, any retail store between Thanksgiving and Christmas is probably your worst nightmare (especially if you work in retail!) If you buy Christmas gifts, buying primarily online may be the way to go– most end-of-year sales also happen online, and you won’t have to fistfight a soccer mom for the right to your purchases! Shopping online also wins in terms of convenience and ease. It also makes it easier to find exactly what you’re looking for, and keeps more people out of the stores which makes retail workers’ lives easier.

If you face annual financial stress over buying Christmas gifts for everyone in your life, it might be time to suggest a Secret Santa type of gift exchange among friends. This reduces the number of gifts you need to buy for friends significantly, and can also be a fun yearly tradition that keeps friend groups close! You might also benefit from creating a budget for holiday spending if it’s a recurring stressor on your wallet.

Never know what to buy for your parents? Who does? Organizing a shared Christmas list with your family– whether on paper or online– is a great way to reduce the stress of Christmas shopping. It eliminates the dreaded guesswork, and ensures that everyone gets things that they actually want or need! Of course, not everyone Christmas shops– not everyone celebrates Christmas, and of those who do, some don’t have the money to give gifts, some can’t be bothered, and some simply don’t include gift giving among their holiday traditions. Every person and family is different!

Family Time

While most of us love our families and look forward to seeing them over the holidays, it can also prove to be quite stressful. Some of us have massive families with countless children running underfoot, some have divided families and feel pressured to choose with whom they will spend the holiday, and some have families they just don’t get along with. Whatever your familial situation, sometimes you just need a break!

It’s important to set boundaries during this high-stress time of year– it’s okay to say ‘no’ to holiday plans once in awhile. Respect your various family members’ differences, but don’t let them overstep boundaries or get away with bullying. Different views are one thing; bad behavior is another. Don’t be afraid to share your feelings with your family– communicating your boundaries to them and talking out why certain things are hurtful may prove helpful in some situations (granted, this will not always work).

Leave time for yourself to unwind in between family hangouts, and be sure not to lose sight of your healthy routines, even if you do stuff your face at multiple large banquets (which we at Leo Law condone as perfectly acceptable). Know when you need a break and be realistic– you are only one person, after all, and can only commit to so much. Finally, be good to yourself– not all families provide the support and love they should, unfortunately. Don’t let anyone get away with mistreating you; if distance from your family is what is best for you, it’s alright– you’re not alone, and you have friends and loved ones who will still be there to support you.

Hustle and Bustle

For many, the Holiday Season is a wonderful time, but such is not the case for everyone. For some, the holidays are a reminder of family estrangement, of abuse, neglect, or conflict. This can be an especially difficult time of year for these people, and if you know or love someone in this situation, it is good to reach out to them periodically throughout November and December to be certain they’re doing alright. If you yourself are part of this group, there’s no better time throughout the year for self care. Buy yourself something nice (it doesn’t have to be expensive– just something you’ve perhaps been wanting or debating buying). If you are able, it might be a good time to reach out to friends and start some new holiday traditions– get together and drink wine, go soak in a hot spring together, host a movie or game night, drink peppermint hot chocolate. Make some new, good memories to replace the bad ones– after all, ‘tis the season for love and comradery.

Conclusion

While the holidays can be stressful, there’s a reason that they are for the most part associated with joy, family, and love. Don’t let stress, anxiety, or bad memories overpower these ultimately good aspects of this time of year– the holidays can be whatever you want, whether that means feasting with your family or drinking margaritas with your cat! However you spend the holidays, we at Leo Law wish everyone a season filled with love and joy, and a happy and hopeful new year!