The holiday season can be a tricky time for many individuals. Some might be stressed about finances, others with the pain of having to celebrate without a loved one, and even having to deal with family they have little in common with. All these struggles can really take a toll on mental health and just overall wellbeing. Here are some tips and tricks on how to survive the holiday season.

Finances
During the holiday season, a big stress point for many people is finances. There is a lot of pressure to get good gifts, provide a good family dinner, and to get to wherever your festivities may be but that can cause a lot of unnecessary stress that can make the holiday season unenjoyable. Some tips on how to lessen this stress is to discuss low-cost ways to celebrate with friends and family, establish a realistic spending budget, and remember what’s important. A way to make your holiday less costly is to make the gifts you are giving, they are even more personal than anything you could buy and will save you money, too.
“Don’t just buy gifts because you feel like you must give something during the holidays. Even if its like a small item or something you made, that can be just as meaningful and it’s a way to feel less stressed with all of that consumer pressure,” teacher Alexa McClellan said.

Managing mental health
With all the stress that the holidays bring, your mental health struggles can increase drastically and that can cause you to be overwhelmed and overstimulated. One way to manage your mental health is to establish time limits. Whether it be a time limit for shopping or for decorating, setting a limit for how long you should spend time with family can really help avoid huge amounts of stress. Another way to manage mental health is to take a break. Psychiatry.org states that, “Many families have that one member who can turn a pleasant conversation into a family feud. If you see things are starting to take a turn for the worse, try not to let it escalate. There is no shame in removing yourself from the situation.”

Setting boundaries
Boundaries are hard and the holiday season can make it even more difficult. You may feel obligated to show up to parties or get togethers, maybe buy that expensive gift that someone really wants, but it is okay to say no sometimes. Remember to stay assertive but not aggressive, you should never be pressured into buying someone something or going to a get together, stick with the boundaries you want and don’t let anyone sway you another way. It’s okay to say no to situations that stress you out.
“It is okay to be up-front and honest with family and friends to set boundaries and it is okay to say no. Schedule times for breaks and alone time, if needed, to decompress and take time to relax and reset,” East counselor, Kristen Borel said.

Grief and loss
The loss of a loved one can be hard, especially during the holidays where emotions are high. A way to help cope with this is to acknowledge your grief and allow yourself to feel the way you feel. You are allowed to be sad and maybe angry but don’t let yourself bottle these feelings up, talk to a friend, family member, or a therapist if you have one. One more way to help is to do what feels right for you. If you feel as if going to that party or get together might upset you or be too much, do what feels right and don’t go. You are in charge of your feelings and all feelings are always valid.
“Many times if you are able to get together with friends or loved ones to tell stories and reminisce on the good times, this can help. If you have different crafts, or fun recipes that your loved ones used to make this can be a fun tradition to carry on in their memory,” counselor Mike Freund said.