Holidays are a joyful time for many, but some people feel down or overwhelmed. Here’s how to keep your spirits up and your stress down.
Know what you enjoy most about the holidays and what you enjoy least. Do you like traipsing through a snowy woods to select the perfect holiday tree? Or would you rather curl up in front of a cozy fireplace and sip hot chocolate after caroling? What is most important to you? Make your desires known to those who care about you. Don't make them guess. Ask others you care about what’s important to them.
Once you know what’s important to you and others you care about, make time for those activities. Set priorities and make those moments matter. If you think that the holiday will not be the same without seeing A Christmas Carol or The Nutcracker Ballet, make sure you plan ahead and get your ticket. Do what makes the holiday special for you, whether it’s tubing at Bogus Basin or iceskating at Meridian Village or viewing It’s a Wonderful Life or the Peanuts Christmas special while stringing popcorn for the tree.
Practice being fully in the moment, like a child. Be fully focused on the here and now. Approach the holidays with joyful enthusiasm like when you were younger and believed in flying reindeer. Don’t worry about the future or dwell on the past.
“If both sets of grandparents want the kids at their gatherings, ask for proposed dates well in advance,” suggest Allana Barnoi and Vicki Webster in their book Simplify the Holidays.
Celebrate the blessing of family. If your kids see that you treasure the opportunity to be with family, they will look forward to future holidays.
If you are feeling especially lonely this holiday, give yourself the gift to feel your feelings and acknowledge them, but don’t wallow in your sadness. Choose to be joyful. You always have a choice in how you feel. Recognize that you do not have the power to make anyone else happy, if they choose otherwise.
Viktor Frankl, who was imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp, noticed that those who survived were those who experienced an inner freedom of thought. He wrote, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms–to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
If you are feeling down, find a way to help others. If you have a neighbor or friend who is alone for the holidays plan to spend time with him or her. Or maybe you would like to volunteer as a wrapper at Toys for Tots. https://toysfortotsusa.org/volunteers. Or sort food at the Idaho Food Bank. https://idahofoodbank.org/ The Festival of Trees also needs volunteers, and volunteering is a great way to meet new people. Https://www.saintalphonsus.org/foundation/events/festival-of-trees/volunteer
Don’t stress out about giving gifts and do not go into debt for holiday gifts. The best gift you can give your friend or family member or neighbor is time and showing you care about them and value them. Do it during the holidays and year round.
Make time for rest as well as fun. Balance your schedule and set priorities. If decorating cookies is your idea of an ideal way to spend time, schedule it and make time for it. But if decorating cookies is not your jam, don’t feel obligated to outdo Martha Stewart. Avoid stress and exhaustion by knowing what is most important and realize that you cannot do everything. Being in the moment is what makes moments memorable.
Indulge in simple pleasures frequently, not just during the holidays, but all year.
"Make your desires known to those who care about you."