Dealing with festive stress

The joyous period from Christmas until the New Year sets in can be stressful for people for different reasons; here's how you can help yourself (and others) deal with the anxiety

Christmas is a season of joy and togetherness. But for many, it's also one of the most stressful times of the year. Stress arises from an imbalance between the demands placed on us and our ability to cope with those demands.

Psychologically, stress is linked to how we cope in situations and whether we view them as challenging, threatening or manageable. The more challenging or threatening we see a situation to be, the more likely we are to feel stressed out.

It makes sense, then, that Christmas is such a stressful time of year for many. The pressure to make the holidays "perfect", spending more money than we perhaps should to fulfil expectations, the struggle to balance work and study commitments with holiday shopping, decorating and socialising can leave us feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.

For others, Christmas highlights feelings of loneliness, grief or estrangement from loved ones. The season can be a painful reminder of lost relationships, financial hardships, or unmet life goals – and this can amplify feelings of inadequacy or sadness.

Family visits can also bring tension as we're forced to interact with relatives whose views or habits may clash – leading to conflicts or rehashing unresolved disputes.