Addiction During the Holiday Season The holiday season is considered by many people to be the most stressful time of the year. Although it’s generally a joyous time, the hectic party planning, shopping, traveling and volunteering is enough to drive even the calmest of the bunch a tad crazy. Emotions run freely, as do the bottles of alcohol. For those who are in the recovery process, the season of overindulgence can be even trickier to manage.