Coping with Holiday Stress: 5 Key Strategies for a Calm and Joyful Season
The holiday season is often painted as a time of joy, togetherness, and celebration. However, for many people, it brings a mix of financial strain, family tensions, and a packed calendar. It’s no wonder that stress levels rise during this time of year. In fact, according to the American Psychological Association, nearly 38% of people report increased stress during the holidays. So, if you're feeling overwhelmed right now, you're not alone.
Here are five key strategies for managing holiday stress and making the most of this festive time of year.
Prioritize Your Time and Set Boundaries
Between office parties, family gatherings, gift shopping, and end-of-year deadlines, it can feel like there’s never enough time in the day. (Time poverty is a classic sign of stress, any time of year.)
Solution: Prioritize and say no.
Start by listing all your commitments and responsibilities. Then, ask yourself:
- Which events are most important to me?
- Are there any traditions or obligations I can let go of this year?
Don’t be afraid to decline invitations or delegate tasks. Setting boundaries protects your energy and ensures you have time for the activities that truly matter. I did this exercise once, 20 years ago, and continue to abide by the decisions I made back then. My holidays have been better ever since!
Set a Realistic Budget and Stick to It
The financial pressure of the holiday season can be significant. Between gifts, travel, and festive meals, expenses can quickly add up, leading to stress and anxiety.
Solution: Create a budget before the season begins.
Determine how much you can realistically spend on gifts, decorations, and entertainment.
- Make a list of everyone you plan to buy gifts for and set a spending limit for each person.
- Consider thoughtful, low-cost alternatives like homemade gifts, experience-based presents, or simply spending quality time together.
- Avoid last-minute shopping, which often leads to impulsive and expensive purchases.
I’ve heard that January 20th, is the most depressing day of the year because that’s when all your holiday credit card bills come in the mail Spreading out your gift shopping (next year) over the course of several months, will help you avoid this trap.
Practice Mindfulness and Self-Care
Stress and busyness fools us into thinking we don’t have time for self-care.
Solution: Incorporate self-care into your daily routine.
Ask yourself, right now, what do I have time to do every day and then stick to it.
- 5 minutes of mindfulness meditation: Simply notice every in-breath, every out-breath and the gap in between your out-breath and your next in-breath. To keep my mind focused I count each in-breath (1) and each out-breath (2) and so on until I get to 25 or 50.
- 2 minutes of deep breathing: Place your hand on your belly. Feel your hand rise on the in-breath and fall on the out-breath. Do this 3-5 times lengthening and deepening each successive breath.
- 10 minutes of physical activity, such as a brisk walk or watching a 10-minute yoga, class to boost endorphins and improve mood.
- Manage (your) Family Expectations and Conflict
Holiday gatherings can bring joy, but they can also reignite old family conflicts or create tension due to differing expectations, but instead of focusing on the nearly impossible task of getting family members to agree on ground rules for conversation and gift-giving how about changing YOUR expectations.
Old School (but still good) Advice: Communicate openly and manage expectations.
Before the holidays, have honest conversations with family members about plans and expectations. This might include:
- Clarifying who is hosting each event and what is expected from guests.
- Setting boundaries around topics to avoid during gatherings, such as politics or past disagreements.
- Discussing gift-giving practices to ensure everyone is on the same page.
New School Advice If conflicts arise, remember to take a step back, breathe, and respond calmly. Expect a certain amount of conflict. It’s almost inevitable. An author I worked with years ago named Robert Eliot, made this phrase famous: Don’t sweat the small stuff. But the line he wrote next in his book about stress, IS IT WORTH DYING FOR? no one remembers: It’s all small stuff. Sometimes, walking away from a heated conversation and realizing that if somebody didn’t have a heart attack or a stroke or has terminal cancer it really is small stuff.
- Focus on Gratitude and Meaning
Shifting your focus to gratitude and the deeper meaning of the season can help reduce stress and bring a sense of peace. Dr. Eliot had an even more forgettable third line to the famous quote I’ve mentioned above: If you can’t flee, flow with it.
Solution: Cultivate a gratitude practice.
Each day, take a moment to reflect on three things you’re grateful for. These don’t have to be big things—they can be as simple as a hot cup of coffee, a kind word from a friend, or the beauty of holiday lights.
In addition, consider ways to give back to your community, such as volunteering, donating to a charity, or helping a neighbor in need. Acts of kindness not only benefit others but also boost your own sense of well-being and fulfillment. Your body will actually release feel-good chemicals when you do any of the above.
Conclusion
The holidays don’t have to be a source of stress. By prioritizing your time, setting a budget, practicing mindfulness, managing (your) family expectations, focusing on gratitude, and not sweating the small stuff, you can navigate the season with greater ease and joy.
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James Porter
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