Columbia, Mo. – We expect the winter holidays to be full of
happiness and good will. Just like Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, we want a fairytale ending where troubles
disappear and everyone basks in the glow of holiday spirit. But, A Tale of Two Cities might better represent
typical holiday madness for many.
“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. It was the season
of light; it was the season of darkness … It was the spring of hope; it was the
winter of despair … ”
Too often, we run ourselves ragged
trying to make everything ideal.
“I think it’s really important for people to give themselves
slack and be nice to themselves. For many families this is such a high stress
time,” said Lucy Schrader, University of Missouri Extension human environmental
sciences specialist.
Families are dynamic and often don’t
fit an ideal mold. They can include uncles
that drink too much, siblings that can’t stand to be in the same room,
grandfathers that grouch about things being better in their day and in-laws
that criticize everything. Truth is, no one’s family reaches perfection. So, give
yourself a break.
“Realize that there may be more
arguments. There may be a higher stress level in the home,” Schrader said.
“Remember to forgive each other for that.”
Too often, winter holidays push us to do more than we can,
or spend more than we can afford.
“With the economy being the way it is, that adds an extra
burden on families. Feeling like they have to do certain things because it’s
the way it’s supposed to be and then not being able to do that.” Schrader said.
Stress can keep you from taking proper care of yourself. Getting
plenty of sleep and eating right can help keep you in shape during the holiday
marathon.
“Some of the things that we teach in managing stress,
through Building Strong Families, are
deep breathing exercises that can help revitalize you,” Schrader said. “We also
have a new Missouri Extension program called Taking Care of You, which helps people understand that your mind
can sometimes be a chatterbox that keeps you fretting over expectations.”
A few deep breaths, taking time for yourself and perhaps a
chant of “this too shall pass” will help keep the holiday madness at bay. Then
you’ll be able to relax and enjoy your family and friends.
Additional info:
Building Strong Families
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