The most wonderful time of the year – or is it?
It’s Christmas time! Time off work. Gifts to give and receive. Eating and drinking as much as you like. Seeing friends, family, loved ones. The atmosphere of goodwill and cheer. What’s not to like?
Christmas is a source of great stress for many. A number of small things can lead to something big and can turn happiness and joy to stress and anxiety rather quickly.
Sounds for example: Most people enjoy Christmas songs up to a point where they become irritating and unpleasant. Given how few are chosen and how often they are played each year; most songs are already beyond the point of enjoyment.
Workload: Work needs to be done; it doesn’t just happen. Whoever is carrying the additional burden will undoubtedly experience increased stress. The daily demand for running a household does not disappear just because it is Christmas. On top of that, there are additional seasonal responsibilities, such as decorating the house, cooking and preparing food and buying gifts, all of which add up to a lot of stress.
Expectations can cause a lot of stress: many of us feel that we have to create a perfect Christmas. A beautiful home surrounded by snow (difficult in summer) with a happy family gathering around the Christmas tree exchanging gifts. Sadly, modern life became hectic and it often feels impossible to slow down to achieve a traditional picture-perfect Christmas. And yet, we still expect it.People feel frustrated because their Christmas doesn’t’ live-up to the traditional expectations.
Food & Drinks: It is, after all, the holiday season. As a result of all the tension, people tend to turn to stress-relieving behaviours like eating (too much) and drinking (too much). High-calorie foods and alcohol can help you feel less stressed, but it’s only a temporary fix. When we are stressed, our bodies store extra fat. Alcohol can quickly go from enjoyable to unpleasant. As a result: we feel bloated, hungover and miserable.
Awareness and gratefulness for what you have can help you to get through the Christmas period.
A few handy tips:
- Plan ahead, start early with a list of things you need for Christmas, like food, gifts and decorations.
- Have an ‘Escape Plan’ in place – if things are becoming overwhelming, take some time out. (Taking a 10-minute break can help you to clear your mind.)
- Get enough sleep; the more sleep we get, the more relaxed we can be.
- Eat and drink with your body in mind. Learn to say “No” even to the most delicious pudding, if you are already full. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
If you are in doubt, or you want some help in planning and preparing for the festive season, please contact me. Together we can work out a plan, talk about concerns and explore some workable solutions to make this Christmas: The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year.
Merry Christmas.