The Christmas holiday season is starting earlier each year, often causing stress through shopping, cooking, and family gatherings. While celebrating with loved ones can bring joy, it can also create emotional tension. Managing expectations and preparing for potential stressors can help individuals find peace and enjoyment during this challenging time.
updated December 8, 2025
The Christmas holiday season seems to start earlier every year. Rather than post Thanksgiving, it now appears right after Halloween, if not Labor Day in early September.
Once activities move into high gear we may start wondering if it really is
The extra work of shopping, cooking, decorating, wrapping, planning, and entertaining can make it the least wonderful time.
We welcome celebrating with family and friends, yet find those encounters create emotional tension and strain. When we feel sad that loved ones can’t be with us, either through distance or death, the season can become the worst of the year.
By anticipating stressful holiday events and the feelings they trigger, we can prepare ourselves for the physical and emotional stress of the holiday season, and find a way to enjoy the festivities with “hearts all a-glowin’.”
Resources for Conquering Holiday Stress
Writer Bruce Y. Lee takes a lighthearted but serious look at the holiday season and suggests music may help us cope better in
“Twelve Days of Christmas”: Keep perspective. If the Holidays are tough for you, remember that the season is temporary and will pass.
Try not to take yourself and things too seriously. Just make sure you maintain healthy habits and avoid behaviors that will lead to health problems (such as gaining weight) beyond the holiday season.”
“Don’t worry about how things should be. Most people have less than perfect holiday gatherings — they have family tension, melancholy, and dry turkey too.
If you have negative feelings, don’t try to deny them. Remember that there’s nothing wrong or shameful or unusual about feeling down during the holidays.
Can’t say no? Then keep your gatherings small and intimate. Get together with a few of your closest friends or relatives for the holidays.
Choose to throw the big blowout parties at another time of the year, when you and your guests will have fewer commitments competing for your precious time.”
“The secret to a happy holiday is learning to collaborate and to create a plan that is uniquely yours with a goal to experience more serenity, more joy, and more opportunities to nurture the souls of those you love.
But, most important, it is to remember the greatest gift ever given, the gift of the Christ Child. Take time to simply sit and ponder this amazing miracle. “
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And in this blog post, Joshua Becker reminds us to
“Traditions should draw our attention to the underlying reason for the season. Traditions should not detract from the season, they should elevate it.”
5 keys to manage holiday stress before it manages you
Set realistic expectations for yourself and others.
Anticipate stressful situations, places, and people.
Plan and prepare carefully, but stay flexible for the unexpected.
Keep your self-care routine- healthy eating, exercise, adequate sleep.
Remember what is most important about the season-family, friends, faith.
How will you manage holiday stress?
Which of the 5 keys listed above do you most need to focus on?
What makes that important for you?
What do you need to do today to make and implement a plan for success?
Sharing the HEART of Christmas
Thanks to Pixabay for the Christmas photos used in this post.
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This post shares how holiday foods like marshmallows and eggnog, appear in traditions and songs. Holiday foods can challenge nutritional management of multiple health conditions. Here are practical tips for planning meals to accommodate dietary needs, while offering insights on healthy eating and managing sobriety during festivities. Ultimately, we can celebrate human connections over food.
watercress words by Dr Aletha 