'Tis the season to be jolly! But almost every year, we run around buying gifts, attending and hosting parties, juggling family and friends, and getting the work done before the holiday break. In the years past, the Christmas season has been a stressful time.

This year, the COVID pandemic presents more stressors. Instead of falling back to our usual holiday patterns, we're having to figure out how to celebrate, as well as properly remember loved ones who have passed away.

From past to present, this season often gets too over-idealized and in its run trigger stress.

Why do the holidays cause sadness?

We want to make this a special time and season. However, many factors can lead to the holidays becoming less happy.

One reason is that Christmas occurs during the winter months. Unfortunately, the cold climate and short days bring with her the Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. It is a type of depression due mainly to the lack of sunlight. The winter blues are also a common occurrence during this time, bringing melancholia instead of cheer.

Other factors steal our joy this season and can caus Holiday stress.

We mentioned over-idealized earlier. That's when we create an ideal of how a holiday should be celebrated. The way the movies, the magazines, or our Instagram feeds pressure us to live up to it. Sometimes we may work so hard to create a special moment for our loved ones. When it doesn't live up to that ideal, desperation and frustration can crop up.

With the peculiar year, we have had, you may be in a situation that's causing more pressure. Your budget might be too tight, and money woes (regardless of the occasion) always bring stress. You may have had to take double shifts, or volunteer more, or catch up in work. Time pressure is another factor that can add up to stress.

How can you manage holiday stress?

While it can feel like a whirlwind of things happening from one to-do-list to another, there is a way to seize control. Don't allow the stressors to steal your joy this season, here's how:

·    Toss out expectations. Uncertainties loom, and change of plans in this COVID reality happen often. Don't let that derail you. Instead, be flexible. Choose one thing that's non-negotiable for you this Christmas, and focus your energy on that. Everything else can be free-flowing. This way, you still get to stick to tradition uniquely.

·    Connect with loved ones. We might not be able to do so in person, but through the power of the internet, intentionally catch up with them.

·    Limit social media. Use the time mindlessly scrolling through (unhealthy) news feeds to call family instead.

·    Start with a budget and stick to it. Things may not be the same compared to Christmases past. The key is to plan ahead. Now is not the time to shop now, pay later. Avoid overspending.

·    Be grateful every day. Jot down on your journal, calendar, or notes a line or two of gratitude. This will set your attitude for the day.

·    Self-care is essential! If you haven't been doing this already, now is the time to get started. Set a time every day to do me-time. Plot out an hour or two doing something you really enjoy like listening to music, watching a movie, just drinking wine, or getting an extra hour of sleep.

May you have an authentic celebration this year! Happy Holidays.