Tis The Season For Love ? and Stress!
The holidays are upon us and for many people this is the most stressful time of year. There is so much to do and not enough time to do it in, places to go, people to see, gifts to buy, food to prepare, and on and on and on. We may feel overwhelmed, frustrated, exhausted, and angry, rather than joyful, loving and peaceful. Greeting cards proclaim wishes of peace, joy, happiness, and love regardless of the event being celebrated. They talk of families gathering, warm homes filled with love and peace, but for many, those wishes do not translate into reality.
Our memories of wonderful holidays from our childhood and our expectations for this year may put an enormous amount of pressure on us. There are traditions to be followed and expectations to be met, those of others and those we put on ourselves, along with the commercialism that has the stores full of holiday decorations and "gifts" even before the Halloween candy has been put away. Some people will struggle through much of next year to pay off the credit card debt that they accumulate over the holidays. But saddest of all, is when the holiday is over and we think to ourselves "Is that all there is?" "Where was the joy, the peace, the love?" "Why does it seem as though it never measures up to our expectations?"
The answer is "our expectations." One of the ways to reduce holiday stress is to take some time to examine your expectations for the upcoming months. What traditions have to be followed? What have you always done, because it is always done? Make a list, ask those who celebrate with you to make a list as well. Carve out some time to sit down and share your lists and discuss which of these traditions are really important to all of you and which are more work than you want to do. Get everyone involved in doing the things that may have been up to you. Discuss ways in which you can create new traditions or recreate old ones that will bring more peace, joy and love to your family, not only during the holidays. I recently read an interesting book by Gary Chapman called The Five Love Languages: How to express heartfelt commitment to your mate.
Although it's primarily for couples, I think that the premise applies to everyone that we love. The author says that there are 5 basic ways in which we experience feeling loved. We tend to show others we love them in the same way we feel loved. The problems arise when our "love language" is different. The five languages, in random order, are "acts of service" "physical touch" "words of affirmation" "receiving gifts" and "quality time". If, for the holidays, you show your love for someone by "giving them a gift" and their love language is "acts of service" which means that they feel loved when you do something for them, there is a good chance that neither of you will feel that your expectations have been met.
Perhaps, when your family gets together to discuss traditions and expectations for the holidays, you could discuss what would help you feel closer as a family, more loved, more joyful, and how this could create more peace. This can be a season for joy, peace, happiness, and most of all for love.
Lorna Minewiser, Ph.D has been helping people reduce their stress for more than 15 years. She offers individual and group coaching, workshops, CDs, e-books and Stress Reduction and Relaxation kits. She is available for presentations on the power of beliefs and on Stress Reduction. Her popular e-course on Reducing Holiday Stress is available free at http://www.thestressreductioncoach.com
Latest News
 ABC News | Early Sales May Not Mean Strong Holidays, Group Says (Update1) Bloomberg - 1 (Bloomberg) -- A post-Thanksgiving bump may not be enough to rescue what might be the worst holiday season for US retailers in six years. ... Holidays still a boon for Alaska retailers Black Friday Results: Holidays off to a Good Start Shoppers Search Out Black Friday Deals |
Animoto brings the holidays to video CNET News, CA - According to the company, the new holiday feature will use a snowscape to set the scene for the greeting and with the help of its new text feature, ... Animoto Announces Animoto Holiday Greetings; Video Creation Site ... |
Extra Cash for the Holidays or Anytime With the Launch of Diamonds ... MarketWatch - Extra cash just in time for the holidays or anytime has never been so easy, with the online system put in place by the subsidiary of Gold & Diamond Source ... |
ReliaTech Rings in Holidays With Deals for Its Bay Area Customers MarketWatch - This holiday season marks the accomplishment of several goals at ReliaTech. "We are especially gratified to have had such a successful year, as ReliaTech's ... |
 Computerworld | E-tailers expect 8% bump for holidays Atlanta Journal Constitution, USA - By Bob Keefe If there’s any good news for retailers this holiday season, it may be online. While retailers brace for declines in sales at traditional ... Video: Online Retailers See Monday As Black Friday More 'holidays' happen once Thanksgiving has passed Online spending forecasted to be flat through Holidays |
 BBC News | Holiday firms prepare for package tour slump by slashing summer ... guardian.co.uk, UK - Chief executive Manny Fontenla-Novoa said deep industry-wide cuts in the number of holidays offered in Britain, combined with the collapse into ... Thomas Cook confident consumers will still go on holiday Travel Firm Hot Prospects Thomas Cook reports profits rise |
Just in time for holidays, top chefs release tomes San Francisco Chronicle, USA - With people returning to the kitchen to save money, these recipe and reference books make ideal gifts for the holiday season. ... |
Hero Astronauts Offer Out-Of-This-World Club for the Holidays MarketWatch - Unlike other 'flavor-of-the-month' services, the Astronaut Autograph Club makes for the perfect gift that will be long-treasured after the holidays and for ... |
Cellular South Welcomes HTC Touch Diamond in Time for the Holidays MarketWatch - RIDGELAND, Miss., Dec 02, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Cellular South, a leader in wireless solutions and innovation, today announced the availability of ... |
AMA Phoenix Invites Valley Residents to Celebrate the Holidays at ... MarketWatch - -- Good music -- Piping hot hors d'oeuvres -- Fine wine from around the globe. There will be a wine-tasting of three- to-four specially selected varieties. ... |
Resources
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DIY Gift and Craft fun shape box Templates for every Holiday
Unique gift wrapping and creative craft ideas with fun shape box templates for birthdays, Holidays and occasions. Fun printable, versatile and economical do it yourself solutions for kids of all ages. Free craft template project here.
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Holiday Fitness Tips, How to lose weight during the Holidays
How to lose weight and stay on your fitness program throughout the Holidays.
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Mixed drink recipes for the Holidays
Champagne punch recipes, mulled wine, stylish bar drinks, eggnog recipes, flaming coffee drinks, festive jello shots, and homemade liqueur recipes including kahlua, Irish coffee, apple, blackberry, apricot, cranberry and more.
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onlinestorebiz - Online Gifts and Collectables
Our website offers gifts and collectables for various occasions such as Holidays, weddings, birthdays, wedding anniversary, graduations, kids and other special occasions.