Coping With Christmas Stress
Did you know that 43% of Australians experience loneliness and a lack of connection over the Christmas season?
If you have any friends or colleagues who don’t have anyone to spend Christmas with, there are some simple ways to reach out to them and make them feel more connected over the holidays. Grab a coffee with a colleague on a day off, organise an informal work get-together, or share some information about upcoming community events. You could also have a chat with a neighbour you’ve never met before. Even the smallest of connections can make an enormous difference to someone who is feeling lonely.
Christmas can be stressful for any number of reasons. Whatever the cause of your stress around the holidays, it’s important to find ways to avoid it, and if you can’t avoid it, then find ways to help you cope better.
Loneliness
Maybe you are working away from your loved ones or have recently lost someone you care about. Perhaps you’ve gone through a relationship break up or are generally feeling down and alone. Keep in touch via Facetime or create a social media page where your family and friends can share their celebrations with you. Attend community events like Carols by Candlelight or volunteer with a community organisation to help spread the cheer. Some communities also have an “Orphan’s Christmas,” where people who are separated from their families can come together so they aren’t alone.
Financial Stress
Let’s face it – Christmas can be expensive! But it doesn’t have to be. Start by setting a budget that is realistic. Instead of buying a gift for every member of the family, consider buying only for the children. Alternatively, get all the guests involved in a Secret Santa, so that each person only buys a single gift. You could also consider putting a limit on the amount of money people should spend on gifts.
Feeding everyone at the Christmas party can also come with a hefty price tag. Ask each guest to bring a dish and their own drinks so you don’t have to foot the entire bill. Not only does this reduce your costs, the added bonus is that this also relieves some of the pressure associated with preparing all the food for the party.
Family Tensions
All families experience some sort of tension. If you generally don’t get along well, Christmas day may not be any different. The thought of having to sit through a tense Christmas dinner is enough make anyone feel anxious. If this happens in your family, consider splitting celebrations to separate the individuals who don’t get along – do Christmas Eve with one set and Christmas Day with the other. Try planning an activity to help distract people from awkward conversations such as backyard cricket, decorating Christmas biscuits, or a board game. It’s also a good idea to avoid consuming too much alcohol as this reduces inhibitions and may lead to more arguments. It’s also cheaper!
Coping with Stress
Find positive ways to help you relieve any stress associated with Christmas. It’s ok to say no and avoid activities that cause you stress. Make sure to eat healthy meals when you aren’t celebrating, drink alcohol in moderation and get enough sleep. Take time out from your schedule each day to move your body and relax your mind. And mostly importantly, reach out for help if you need it.
If you, or anyone you know need someone to talk to over the holidays, consider contacting Lifeline.
In Australia, a person reaches out to Lifeline every 30 seconds. This is equivalent to almost 3,000 people per day, and over one million people helped every year. You can contact Lifeline to seek support for yourself, or someone you care about. Lifeline’s Crisis Supporters will listen to you without judgement, and provide support during your time of need. The website has forums where people can share their experiences and be supported by peers and mental health professionals, podcasts about lived experience of suicidality, and a huge range of resources and toolkits for working through some of the more common mental health problems.
Lifeline’s amazing Crisis Supporters are available 24/7, via phone, text or online chat.
Lifeline Phone - 13 11 14
Lifeline Text Chat – 0477 13 11 14
Australian Red Cross. Big jump in people feeling alone this Christmas. [Internet]. 2019 [cited October 2021]. Available from: https://www.redcross.org.au/news-and-media/media-centre/media-releases/christmas-connection-research
Better Health Channel. Christmas can be stressful [Internet]. 2020 [cited October 2021]. Available from: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/christmas-can-be-stressful