I have thrown myself into the Christmas preparation madness early this year. My curtains and sofa covers have all been dry cleaned already and my windows have been thoroughly washed. It’s hard not to be persuaded to do something to start feeling the spirit, particularly after a year of loss, turmoil and uncertainty.
The Christmas season somehow always manages to cultivate a sense of hope. All the stores are on steroids when it comes to advertising and the Christmas market has opened in my city after being shut last year due to COVID-19. I suppose there is a lot of pent up energy to release after all that time indoors.
Despite all the joy and merriment that Christmas seems to bring for some, it is also a deeply isolating period for many. One look at the Hallmark channel during the holiday season and families that seem to be hanging on by a thread could feel like failures. Or, seeing perfectly matching holiday pyjama family photos after a quick scroll on Instagram could send people who don’t have a significant other or a happy relationship into an instant state of sadness.
There is such a high expectation of what that one day should be like and what the season should entail, that there is hardly any support for those who don’t fit the popular ideals. While many of us enter the season with anticipation, many of us dread it. Here are a few ways to cope:
Limit your exposure
Don’t feel it is necessary to consume too much content or content that doesn’t make you feel good about your life. The unfollow and mute buttons on social media have been a blessing to my life this year. Not using these tools will further intensify your negative emotions and your battle with the constant fear of missing out. Be deliberate about what you expose yourself to.
Find your rhythm
Some people clean. Some folks buy new carpets. Some try to reconnect with loved ones. Everyone has their own thing that they find joy in. Replicating something we see someone else doing because we believe it will make us happy like them is the biggest insult to ourselves. Find what makes you happy and brings you peace; it doesn’t have to fit in with what is popular. It could be the start of your very own tradition.
Cope with caution
My husband drinks above average during the winter season because of the weather. He is cognizant of this and knows when to slow down. Each of us try to find comfort in things that we believe will lift us out of our pain temporarily, which is understandable.
But whatever it is, acknowledge it, so you can know when it is not just temporary relief but rather the beginning of a destructive pattern.
It is easy to assume that everyone is happy during the festive period but spare a thought and some compassion for the many who are actually struggling to keep up the façade.
