The holiday season is often a time of joy, celebration, and togetherness. Yet, for many, it can also feel overwhelming and exhausting, especially when juggling everyday responsibilities and the extra demands of the holidays. Between shopping for gifts, preparing for gatherings, and managing work deadlines, it’s easy to feel like there’s never enough time or energy to do it all.
And that is how I feel every year.
Somehow, I've allowed the holidays to be a time of dread and apprehension. I feel burnt out just thinking about all that "needs" to be done. It doesn't help that in the week following Christmas, my youngest daughter and I both celebrate birthdays. It feels like from November 1st until January 1st, my life is nonstop planning and prepping.
How can we make things easier on ourselves?
For many of us, the holidays come with so much unspoken pressure to create the perfect experience. Whether hosting a picture-perfect dinner, decorating our homes like something out of a holiday movie, or attending every family gathering, the expectation to do it all can quickly become overwhelming.
In a way, I consider myself lucky because since my kids are homeschooled, there is a little less pressure to keep up with the activities that other kids are experiencing. They are not comparing where their elves are, if they got to bake cookies, or how many presents Santa brought.
But because they don't do some things at school, I feel pressured to create similar experiences at home.
I could truly go on and on about the exhaustion and pressures of the holidays, but I hope that this year, and every year, I can soak in the moments that matter most. My kids are getting older, and instead of being tired, I want to be joyful.
So I ask, apart from reading and escaping, what are some things that you try doing that ease the pressures of the holiday?
For me, I try to keep in kind that people are more important than things, perfection, etc. and one of those people is me. Sometimes, I’ll take an extra 5 in the shower, and other times it’s talking to a person who understands whether it’s by text, call or a Zoom coffee date. I also try to remember that taking care of my self doesn’t have to take lot of time but small moments sprinkled in until I can get to the longer times.
I feel this to my core. Winter is the season that my oldest and youngest play their sports. Add in that I’m a jackass who decided to pursue a masters degree and some optional baseball conditioning for my middle child and I’m just a giant ball of anxiety.
For me reading is my escape. But lately I reconnected with a dear friend from grade school and just talking with her when I’m stressed helps so much. That and just spending downtime (when it happens) with my husband and kids makes life easier.
Remember that you’re amazing but only one person. And you can always reach out to those of us that understand life is crazy.