De-stressing Christmas
Dear Readers:
Every year thousands of people dread the holiday season. For many reasons. Some worry about overeating and gaining weight; some worry about having to put up with relatives they don’t like; others worry about being lonely and not having relatives and friends with whom to celebrate; and then there are those who just don’t like all the fuss. This column is therefore dedicated to you who find Christmas stressful.
Many of us forget that Christmas should be the most stress-free time of the year. Even before the birth of Christ, and all around the world, there were celebrations that were held around this time to bring family and friends together in love and peace. Food became a centrepiece of the event. God and religion became part of it. But the real reason for this occasion was to allow all individuals in the community to relax and refresh before the new year. And fun and introspection were both part of the celebration.
Where have we gone from there in our society? We have developed a twin understanding of Christmas: the religious and the material. And of course there must be the food and the shopping and the parties — and for others the loneliness. Constant movement, constant stress, and at the bottom of it worry about the money we are spending. In these days, additional stress. So stressful can Christmas be that some will become ill around that time.
One of my personal decisions has been to take the stress out of Christmas and allow myself to enjoy it to the maximum, wherever I am. That means allowing time for rest. Let me repeat that. REST. This is one of those times every year when you need to rest body and soul. So I would encourage you to find a time and place to catch up on your sleep and your quiet time. Warm baths, soothing music, reading spiritual or uplifting material, relaxing with a good book should all be part of the season.
Next come the gifts. This is a big worry, and having American television channels advertising all kinds of toys and gifts doesn’t help. I would set a limit for gifts, financial and in number, so every family member understands that this is not to be a major part of the season. I would also limit gifts to friends to very close friends if you are dreading the bills in January. Get nice Christmas cards, or make them, for others. If you don’t get into the competition of out-gifting others, you won’t have to worry about January.
If you are a religious person, I would suggest a conscious refocusing on the significance of Christmas, maybe by reading a book or doing some writing or thinking about the rebirth of love in our lives. Make a conscious list of the people you need to reach out to, to forgive, to apologize to, and so on. These are the best kinds of New Year’s resolutions. Attending a church service is only the icing on the cake. The real Christmas work starts inside.
As for the food and frolic, if you really want to enjoy yourself, ask for help. Encourage everyone, male and female, to pitch in with decorating, cooking and cleaning up. If you normally spend Christmas with family, you could think of inviting single or lonely people to join you. And at that time of year, you can ask everyone to bring a dish. Being a martyr at Christmas only makes you resentful!
As for those irritating relatives, just ignore their faults this year, and pretend it might be your last Christmas together.
Have a stressless Christmas everyone!
