H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S | C O R O N A D O P S Y C H
How To Cope With Holiday Stress
By Rika Tanaka
By Rika Tanaka, PhD Background Painting by Tina Christiansen
The holidays have always been my favorite time of year. Growing up in Pennsylvania, the season brought much needed excitement and cheer to our otherwise cold, dark and dreary winter days. As twinkling lights began to outline the homes in our neighborhood and store fronts began displaying various holiday scenes, I remember feeling as though everything was a bit more magical during this time of year. The holidays also meant that there were lots of special events and treats — candy canes, carols, cookies and concerts — which contributed to the excitement of it all. As a grown-up now, I recognize that this was not at all “magic,” but a great culmination of the hard work and dedication of so many loving and caring people in my community. While certainly joyous and exciting, this time of year can also be incredibly taxing as we juggle the challenges of everyday life with the added pressure of making life feel extra special. The anxiety associated with creating that festive feeling is well articulated in one of my favorite holiday children’s books, Llama Llama Holiday Drama, by Anna Dewdney. As Baby Llama follows Mama Llama around preparing for the holidays (e.g. shopping, cooking,
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decorating, crafting, etc.) the stress of the holidays eventually overwhelms Baby Llama, to the point where he falls to the ground from the weight of all the “Holidrama!” What I love about this book is that it validates and normalizes, for both children and grown-ups, the physical and mental toll the holiday season can take on us all. As we forge ahead into another holiday season, I thought it might be helpful to outline some strategies to cope with the stress of this unique time of year.
Dr. Tanaka singing Christmas carols with her brother in Bethlehem, PA, circa 1988.
