Dec. 12, 2019 | It’s the week before Christmas and you still haven’t found the perfect present for that special person in your life. It’s healthy to share in the holiday spirit by giving gifts, donating time and money to charities and celebrating with family, friends and coworkers. But it’s also important not to get overwhelmed by the pressure to make this year’s holidays the best ever. Set realistic expectations for gifts and holiday activities. Instead of trying to take on everything, identify the most important holiday tasks and take small, concrete steps to accomplish them. Before you go gift and food shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend. Then stick to your budget. Don’t try to buy happiness with an avalanche of gifts. Instead of going all-out when it comes to purchasing the perfect present, why not donate to a charity in someone’s name? You may want to consider giving homemade gifts this season or starting a gift exchange within your immediate family.

Dec. 12, 2019 | You only have so much time during the Christmas season so it’s a good idea to practice time management for all your holiday-related activities. Set aside specific days for shopping, baking, visiting friends and other activities. Plan your menus and then make your shopping list. That’ll help prevent last-minute scrambling to buy forgotten ingredients. And make sure to line up help for party prep and cleanup. It’s also a good idea to learn how to say no this time of year. Saying yes when you should say no can leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed. Friends and colleagues will understand if you can’t participate in every project or activity. If it’s not possible to say no when your boss asks you to work overtime, try to remove something else from your agenda to make up for the lost time. You may feel pressured to be everything to everyone. Sometimes self-care is the best thing you can do, others will benefit when you’re feeling less stressed.

Dec. 12, 2019 | The holidays are a time of reuniting with friends and family but they can often lead to hard conversations on difficult topics like politics, race and religion. It’s important to have healthy conversations, but also to be mindful of when the discussion escalates and becomes unproductive. When having conversations with loved ones, avoid polarizing language and personal attacks. Remember with whom you are having the conversation. It may be a family member or someone important to you. Communicate effectively and avoid having conversations on sensitive topics early in the morning or right before an important event. Try to be mindful of your words and tone and not let the conversation become hostile or combative, as that could negatively affect your relationship in the future. And be understanding if others get upset or distressed when something goes awry. Chances are they’re feeling the effects of holiday stress and depression as well.

Dec. 12, 2019 | You’ve got less than a week to go before Christmas and you’ve barely scratched any of the things on your holiday to-do list. It’s important to remember that the holidays don’t have to be perfect or just like last year. As families change and grow, traditions and rituals often change as well. Choose a few to hold on to, and be open to creating new ones. For example, if your adult children can’t come to your house, find new ways to celebrate together, such as sharing pictures, e-mails or videos. Having a lopsided tree or a burnt pot roast won’t ruin the holidays, they will merely make a memory you’ll share for many years to come. If something goes wrong, realize that it’s not the end of the world. Remember the good things you have in your life and recognize that this situation will pass. There will be time after the holiday season to follow up or do more of things that you may have overlooked or did not have the time to do during the holidays.

Dec. 12, 2019 | Christmas Day is nearly here and after the rush of baking, buying and borrowing for everyone else, it’s time to do something for yourself. Maybe it’s spending 15 minutes alone without any distractions. Sometimes that’s all you need to refresh yourself enough to handle everything you need to do. Or maybe you could find something that reduces your stress and restores your inner calm. Try taking a walk at night and looking at the stars or listening to some soothing music. Now might be a good time to get a massage or read that book you’ve been meaning to finish. If despite your best efforts to reduce your stress and you find yourself feeling persistently sad or anxious or unable to complete even the most routine chores, you may want to talk to your family doctor or a mental health professional. Don’t let the holidays become something you dread. Instead, take steps to prevent the stress and depression that can descend on you this time of year.