“It’s the most wonderful time of the year”. I am sure you have heard this saying in songs, commercials and movies. Why is it then, that during this time of year more people experience depression, have heart attacks, break up their families and commit suicide?
The holidays bring a lot of expectations and with that, a lot of stress. Even if you are one of those who actually enjoy the holidays and feel it is the most wonderful time of the year you may be feeling a little overwhelmed by all of the pressure to make it perfect. In this post I will provide you with 5 gifts you can give yourself to stay calm and happy this holiday season.
1. Appreciate your family the way is it.
Let go of some of your expectations. Holiday movies, commercials and songs oven portray a perfect holiday experience. A perfect family enjoying a perfect meal in a perfectly decorated environment. Unfortunately we do not live in a perfect world. Our family may not look or act anything like the families we see in these movies but that is ok. They are our family, no matter how big or small. They may be blood relatives, may be friends, or may just be your furry companions that you spend each day with. Stop trying to compare your family with the families you believe you “should have” and appreciate the family you do have.
2. You do not need to do it all.
We often take on way too many commitments during the holiday season to make the holiday “special”. They may be parties or social gatherings that we feel we need to attend, gifts we need to buy, treats we need to bake, cards we need to send or decorations we need to hang. All of these activities and tasks make the holiday season very stressful and go very fast. Instead of trying to fit all of these activities into one short month, give yourself the permission to let some of them go. Even better, spread some of these activities out during the rest of the long winter months. Instead of trying to get together with everyone in December, plan a party or gathering in late January or February when people are less busy and really looking for something to do. You do not need 7 different types of cookies in order for Christmas to be a success. Chances are you will end up throwing most of them out after the holiday anyway. Try baking just one type and when they are gone bake another. There is no hard rule that you cannot bake cookies after December 25th. Instead of sending out Christmas cards, send out friendship cards or “thinking of you” cards in late February. Most people don’t really appreciate Christmas cards because they get so many that each one loose its value. However, receiving a card in February just to say that you appreciate them is priceless and will mean much more then the one you didn’t send out in December.
3. Keep up your daily routines
We often get so busy during the holiday season that we let go of the routines that have worked so well for us the rest of the year. We put off exercise, our diet and even our favorite relaxing leisure activities to fit in all of this holiday chaos. These routines are important and should not come after everything else. Keep up your normal daily activities and fit holiday extras in if you have room in your busy schedule. These holiday “traditions” were originally designed because this time of year used to be a time when people had much more time in their schedule and needed something to do to keep them busy. The growing season had come to an end and the weather had become too cold to enjoy time outside. Our lives look very different nowadays. Our routines are not dependent on the seasons and for most of us our responsibilities do not pivot on the seasons.
4. Be present this holiday season instead of focusing on giving them.
We often put a lot of pressure on ourselves to find the “perfect present”, then when we actually give the gift we have lost the ability to be present with ourselves and the person we are giving the gift to. Take time to completely enjoy the experience of being with yourself and others during this holiday season. Instead of trying to get many holiday digital photos or videos to remember the experience take some time to mentally record what is going on. Take a pause and reconnect to how you are feeling what sensations you are experiencing and mentally create a memory that you can carry with you without any electronic device.
5. Make “Christmas” last all year long.
The magic of Christmas doesn’t end when the holiday ends. Christmas is supposed to be a time to remember what is important to us. To reconnect with our family and friends and find faith in something bigger than ourselves. This is where the “magic” comes from. Whether you find the magic in the religious experience of the birth of Christ, the belief of Santa Clause or from the Christmas Star; these things do not disappear on December 26th. Make everyday magical by finding something to believe in every day to inspire you to do more.
