Stress and the Holidays

The holidays are a wonderful time of year.  We carve out special time for family and friends, look forward to seasonal events, and enjoy special meals and treats.  We decorate our homes and apartments for the season and spend time “helping” Santa.  Many of us also celebrate particularly important religious events.  With all this joy, though, comes some degree of stress.

A study performed in 2015 showed that 62% of participants noted “very or somewhat” elevated levels of stress during the holidays, with only 10% of people reporting no stress.  Why is that?  For all the family and events and meals and shopping, we have to set aside time.  Time away from work, time traveling, time navigating crowded areas, and time driving congested streets.  We invest that time with expectation that we will get where we’re going on time, we’ll get what we need for the recipe, we’ll find that particular gift we are looking for.  On top of that, most of these activities cost us money which we often feel we have to spend for the sake of our holiday experience.  These are just a few reasons why the holidays are so stressful for so many.