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CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

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Celebrating Christmas Without Stress
Jeff M. Baker

Article provided by MyMerryChristmas.com

Christmas is supposed to be a time full of joy, good cheer and optimistic hopes for a new year. It is a time full of parties and family gatherings. Yet for many it is also a stressful time, a time where depression sets into sadness, loneliness, reflection on past "failures" and anxiety about an uncertain future.

The National Mental Health Association (NMHA) states that nearly sixty percent of all Americans suffer some sort of stress related depression during Christmas that is directly attributed to the increased demands of shopping, parties, family and guests. These extraordinary demands ultimately lead to increased fatigue, stress, and depression over "expectations not achieved." Overzealous holiday advertising also places "hidden" demands on people to shop and spend inordinate amounts of money, thus increasing stress and depression levels.

Even those people who do not become emotionally stressed at Christmas can develop physical stress reactions such as headaches. According to the National Mental Health Association (NMHA) there are nine significant ways in which one can understand and cope with Christmas stress:

• Keep expectations for the holiday season manageable by not trying to make the holiday "the best ever." Try to set realistic goals for yourself. Pace yourself. Organize your time. Make a list and prioritize the most important activities. Be realistic about what you can and cannot do. Do not spend too much time preparing for just one day (Christmas).



• Remember that the holiday season does not automatically banish reasons for feeling sad or lonely; there is room for these feelings to be present, even If the person chooses not to express them.



• Let go of the past! Don't be disappointed if your holidays are not like they used to be. Life brings changes. Each holiday season is different and can be enjoyed in its own way. You set yourself up for sadness if everything has to be just like the "good old days." Look toward the future.



• Do something for someone else. It is an old remedy, but it can help. Try volunteering some time to help others.



• Enjoy holiday activities that are free such as driving around to look at Christmas decorations. Go window-shopping without buying anything.



• Don't drink too much (or not at all!). Excessive drinking will only make you more depressed.



• Don't be afraid to try something new. Celebrate the holidays in a way you have not done before.



• Spend time with people who are supportive and care about you. Make new friends if you are alone during special times. Contact someone you have lost touch with.



• Find time for yourself! Don't spend all your time providing activities for your family and friends.

Finally, remember to love one another and keep the Christmas Spirit alive all year round, not just on Christmas Day. Know that True Christmas Spirit is a part of understanding us as well as others, that the One is no greater nor less than the sum of the whole, and that everyone is special and unique in their own way.

Christmas Spirit understands that everyone has something within him or her to offer, and garners you the wisdom to listen. Christmas Spirit in a sense affirms that all people are basically good, and that it is possible to rise above the calamities of our world simply by taking the time to understand and to be tolerant of others.

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