Why Do the Holidays Cause Stress?
It is not a mystery that the holidays cause stress, but knowing exactly why or what is causing it is something else entirely. While this changes for each person, this explains some of the more common reasons people tend to get more stressed during the holidays.
Summary of What Causes Stress During the Holidays
First, let’s look at a summary of what might cause stress during the holidays. Many people get stressed from planning a party, cooking meals, or even attending a party if you get confused about what to wear or have social anxiety. Other people get more stressed about gaining weight due to the sweets, the financial aspects of the holidays, and shopping for gifts. There are also other types of holiday stress, including dealing with crowds while shopping, traveling to see family, seeing certain people that cause stress, or even not knowing how to properly tip during this time of year.
The Financial Aspects
Naturally, one of the biggest stresses with the holidays is what it is going to do to your bank account. There are a lot of different expenses to be aware of during the holidays, from buying gifts, to planning a party, paying for travel, or buying a new outfit and getting your hair done for a big holiday party. It can help if you start planning well before the holidays begin by putting aside a little bit of money from every paycheck so that by the time holiday shopping begins, you already have what you need in your savings account and don’t have to stress quite as much about it.
Having Too Much to Do
Another thing that the holidays do is cause stress from simply not having the time to do everything. You might end up with invitations to 3 different parties on the same night or you need to figure out how you are going to cook a big holiday meal for your family while also trying to run errands, keep your kids occupied, and help your neighbor with her party planning. In this respect, there comes a time when you are stretching yourself too thin and simply need to say no to some people. It isn’t ideal, but you can’t do everything all on your own.
Dealing With Family and Parties
Family and attending events is another big thing that causes holiday stress. If there is someone that causes a lot of stress, consider skipping a party they will be at. This can be hard because other people you want to see might be there, but you need to take care of yourself first.
Best Holidays Stress Tips
