A Prescription to Prevent Holiday Blues

Put your seatbelt on. In case you haven’t noticed, the jolly jingle of the holidays has begun buzzing across airwaves and into stores (some since August). For many of us, the holidays add urgency to an already burgeoning to-do list. Some people thrive on it, others experience a spiritual dive.

A few years ago, I pledged to myself that I wouldn’t allow the obligations of the holiday season to trump my sense of inner peace. Admittedly, every year my personal pledge is a work in progress. One thing that makes a difference is consciously eliminating some of the insane rules I was putting on myself like:

• Must find the perfect gift for every single person (causes major headaches and frozen indecision).
• Must take on the responsibility of ensuring my family’s happiness during the most magical time of the year (causes anxiety and frustration for all involved).
• Must dutifully create a picture-perfect memorable and/or crafty holiday activity each day during the Advent season for my children (causes a sense of failure by the third day).

Here’s the prescription I’ve come up with for decreasing stress, preventing the blues and taking a more mindful approach to how I orchestrate the holidays.

Please read instructions carefully. Potential side effects include: A subtle shift in mood. An immune system that fights a tougher battle against potential invaders. A more playful, loving attitude. Increased empathy toward yourself and others. A contented smile on your face that confuses others.

• Listen to your intuition. Traditions that work for some families, simply don’t for others. Consciously decide what you won’t do this year. Avoid turning a meaningless tradition into your annual jailer.
• Lower your expectations. Martyrs are no fun. Vow to have a perfectly imperfect holiday season. Write your pledge down. 
• Schedule an outing with a friend. Keep it simple – coffee, shopping trip, lunch, glass of wine or a movie you both want to see.
• Clear an evening. Bake or cook a surprising and delicious meal just because. The smell of good food warms a home and a soul.
• Get some fresh air. Invite a friend for a walk or a run. Exercise will clear your head and push stress to retreat to that tiny chair in the corner.
• Plan a Sunday Fun Day with your family. Play a board game, watch holiday movies marathon, bake and decorate cookies or have a gingerbread house decorating contest. Check out these cool gingerbread houses that you don’t have to bake.
• Be spontaneous and a little sneaky. Did an extra 30 minutes pop up unexpectedly? Stop at a cozy coffee shop with a novel and read, but don’t tell anyone. Running errands? Take a detour to that boutique you’ve always been curious about.
• Treat yourself. Get a massage or a manicure. When we feel good on the outside, we feel better on the inside.
• Make an artist’s date. Grab your camera and snap some shots of nature. Visit a museum. Paint a coffee mug at your local ceramics shop. Color in an adult coloring book. Explore a home decorating shop. Gather other artist friends. Take turns teaching each other different artistic techniques or simply work on your projects together.
• Honor those you miss. For those who grieve the loss of a loved one, the holidays can be incredibly challenging. Honor your loved on by telling stories; hang an ornament in their memory; light a candle and put it in your window; make their favorite meal/dine at their favorite restaurant; or engage in an activity they loved to do during the holidays.

Want more? Check out my article Tips to Tame the Holiday Circus, in this month’s Space City Parent magazine (Houston, Tex.).

What do you do to ease the stress of the holidays?

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