Coping with Christmas: Practical Tips for Managing Seasonal Stress

We're nearing that time of year again. Yep, Christmas is coming. Or as Coca Cola sings every year, #"holidays are coming"#. Some people are really excited about it with decorations and their tree up already (writing this in November). Some people enjoy the rest they get from it in terms of work. And yet there are other people for whom Christmas, the C word, fills them with dread. Perhaps it is the pressure and stress, perhaps you've lost a loved one or you're faced with someone with a serious illness and Christmas doesn't feel like a time to celebrate.

If you're one of those people who wants Christmas to just do one, because it's

• too stressful
• too expensive
• another day of being lonely
• too peopley (events & parties)

I've got your back

Is this you?

Do you have relatives you "have" to see at Christmas that you'd rather not? Do you feel pressure to buy the right gift for everyone and worry that they might not like what you buy? Perhaps Christmas is just not financially feasible and yet you're feeling guilty that you can't celebrate the way way you want to. Or you've got social events and your work Christmas party to attend but you find these sort of things send you into a panic.?

The scenarios could go on. So many aspects that could be worried about or stressed over. I get it. Every time I've thought about writing this blog, it reminds me I need to get started writing my Christmas cards and therefore I keep putting it off.

I'm going to share some tips to help you.

5 tips to help you manage stress over the holidays

1. Set boundaries

What I mean by this is learning to say no. If there's a social gathering that you feel you "should" attend but won't enjoy, say no. Go only to the events you will enjoy or have some meaning to you.

2. Support from others

If you can, get help from other people, whether that's for wrapping the presents, a child who has neat handwriting could write the Christmas cards or the family member that's staying the night before could help prep the veg. You don't have to do it all yourself.

3. Plan/document

A colleague of mine had a spreadsheet to keep a record of what he'd bought for each member of his family and how much it cost. That way it was fair and visually easy to see and keep a track of. Any budget you want to stick to can work really well within a spreadsheet too. I keep my Christmas card list in a spreadsheet and update it each year, removing the people who are no longer with us. It's a good way to ensure I don't forget anyone.

Bonus tip

Small steps - Don't aim to write all your cards in one go, try between two to five cards at a time, or get someone else in the family to do them for you.

A couple of years ago, a colleague of mine showed me this stamp she had ordered, it prints the bit of the card you would be writing yourself.

4.Time off

If you can take some time off work over the festive season, it may help you to give yourself a chance to switch off from work and enjoy whatever you have organised.

5. Self-care

I wouldn't be a counsellor without mentioning self-care would I? Where you can, take some time for you. Even if it's a minute of breathing exercises to ground you back to the calm present. Dance around your kitchen to some music, have a hot bath or relax with some aromatherapy.

You are important and Christmas does not change that.

Perhaps in some ways you need to increase your self-care because you're feeling responsible for making others happy. You've got to be in a good place yourself for that to happen. Remember the phrase "you can't pour from an empty cup".

If loneliness or your health is a concern over the holiday period, I have added below a link to some places you might be able to get some support.

Useful contacts - Christmas and mental health - Mind

I am taking time away from my non-counselling job over Christmas but have my doors still open for clients.

Please share this blog if you found it useful and think that someone else might find it useful too