Thoughts On Avoiding The Holiday Blues (or at least coping w/ it)

I found this Pasadena Star article to be very appropriate at this time.  No matter how many vows I make to myself not to get caught up in unrealistic expectations or any expectations or comparisons with past holidays, the cooking, the shopping, the tinsels of it all--it somehow kind of creeps up on you when approaching "THE BIG DAY".  I have set my personal boundaries, learn to say no, set a holiday budget, and am learning to be comfortable when "it all doesnt get done or is not perfect"

That being said here are some excerpts and the link:

..."THE holidays are not "the most wonderful time of the year" for many people, despite what the upbeat Christmas carol says. Add to the usual one-two punch of high expectations and financial stress a third Grinch factor - the lousy economy - and the mental burdens of the season can weigh down even the healthiest person's psyche."...

..."Every December, women shoulder the greatest burdens for their families, friends and relatives. According to the Mayo Clinic, two-thirds of women surveyed report experiencing depression during the holidays."

..."For many who don't feel so jolly, there are some self-help holiday tips to remember, say experts. Don't place unrealistic expectations on yourself. And don't compare past holidays - especially those of childhood, or, for empty-nesters, when the children were at home - to the current holiday. These kinds of self-imposed standards increase anxiety, another warning sign that can come alongside your holidays along with tinsel and egg nog."

...."Living in the present with your feet on the ground is always good advice, some that even Jesus himself gave in his famous "Sermon on the Mount" when he said, if you'll forgive our paraphrase, that to worry about tomorrow will not add a single day to your life."....

http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/opinions/ci_11291282