Holiday Blues by Jeanee Patton

Holiday Blues by Jeanee Patton

The holidays are a time where it seems joy is spread all around like tinsel. Families come together for traditional dinners and laugh well into the night. Did you know that not everyone is overjoyed during this time? Most are cringing and uptight and secretly wanting the holidays to end quickly, so they can resume their normal lives.

According to The Mayo Clinic, the holidays can bring stress and depression. The months of November and December bring back-to-back holidays and there is often the stress of not being able to keep up with the demand. You are frequently being pulled in different directions by demanding family members and trying to accommodate everyone’s needs. It can be exhausting, but there is hope to help lighten the burden.

Planning ahead can be your biggest life saver. Realizing you can’t assume the responsibility for the entire holiday season will help alleviate your stress levels. Here are a few suggestions on how to decrease your stress levels:

1. Assign different tasks to your family and let each take responsibility to ensure a successful holiday.

2. Hire a catering company to cater the holiday meal or recruit family members to bring their favorite holiday dish.

3. Hire a cleaning service to clean your home prior to the festivities to save you time and energy. You might want to consider their services for afterwards too.

4. Ask several family members to assist with the duties of hosting, so that the burden does not fall on one person.

5. Recruit teenagers to help entertain the younger children, so that the adults can enjoy the day as well. Although there is no sure way to alleviate 100% of holiday stress, you can reduce the amount of stress you choose to deal with. The holidays are a great time to kick back and reflect on family and all the blessings surrounding you. Have a most wonderful time spent with the ones you love and cheers to family, friendship & food.