Ever experienced the holiday blues? I know I have. Everyone’s ideal holiday expectation is supposed to be filled with joy, laughter, excitement, and family; when in reality, we all know that unrelated situations come up. The holiday season can be extremely draining and literally suck the life right out of you! There are so many worries and stresses that come with the Christmas season that people don’t realize. It can be filled with hard times whether it’s dealing with a broken family, financial issues, or just stressing out over who’s going to cook the Thanksgiving meal. I know for me personally, last Christmas was a drag. Not only was my family indecisive about “having” to see family relatives that we hadn't seen in years, but also, the issue with exchanging gifts. Majority of the time, you never know what to get that one cousin or what to get your long lost uncle who you never see. Personally, I think that gift exchanging is one of the most stressful parts about the holiday season. Now-a-days, people are so ungrateful for what they get or they are hurt by not getting anything at all. If it’s not one thing it’s another. Even picking out a Christmas tree and decorating the house can be a stressful factor. I know in my family we are constantly cleaning the house because my mom loves to throw Christmas parties for our family, friends, and neighbors. Talk about stressful. Then the issue of cooking and baking comes in; making sure you follow the secret family recipe to the perfect pinch of salt, heaven forbid Grandma tastes the difference in her signature cookies! With all the running around, mailing off packages and Christmas cards, and getting just the perfect gift for that special someone comes the holiday blues. It’s almost inevitable to avoid them.
We all know about the Holiday blues and how it can really put a damper on your Christmas spirit. Well, I’m here to tell you it doesn't have to be that way. Although almost everyone has experienced them at one point in time, there are ways to make negative or awkward situations into something positive. I came up with five easy to do tips to help you deal with the stress and unwanted factors of the holiday blues. One of the most common stresses about the Christmas season is finances, which leads me too tip number one: Making a realistic budget. Many people plan out a budget but they never follow through with it. Sticking with a revised budget that you personally came up with will help you limit your spending on things that you don’t necessarily need. Like that flat screen TV you see on black Friday. Ask yourself, do I really need this? This will help your stay on a well thought out budge and you will end up saving money in the long run. My next tip is to stay close to home during the season. Traveling can be stressful enough, but then you add all the flight delays, bad weather, and car troubles and you’re right back to feeling those holiday blues. So stay close to home with your family or have your family come to visit you in your surrounding area. Tip number three: Control your Christmas hunger. I know for me personally, I love the holiday season because of my mom’s home cooking, my grandmas one of a kind casseroles, and my all-time favorite holiday cookies. Serve yourself in moderate portions when you’re eating your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners. Don’t over serve yourself and stop eating when you’re full. Plus, there will be more for left overs when you’re done! Tip number four: Beat the holiday rush. Many people do so many last minute shopping and making quick trips to the grocery store just to find out there are no more green beans on the shelf. If you get all your holiday shopping done early and make sure your pantry is stocked for the season you won’t have the stress of traffic or having to buy a last minute gift that wasn't in your budget to begin with. Lastly, just enjoy the holiday season. It doesn't come about but once a year and it’s the time of season to spend with family and friends. Enjoy the short time you may have off and soak up all the Christmas cheer and joy. Holiday blues don’t have to be a negative aspect during the holiday season; you just have to know how to deal with them.
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