Amplify Blog - Christmas Anxiety
A QFCC employee shares their experiences with Christmas.
I cannot be the only young person, or person who experiences Christmas anxiety. Social media pushes such an ideal of the ‘perfect Christmas’ with smiling family members and shiny new gifts freshly opened around the well-decorated Christmas tree with a full Christmas lunch set up in the background. The kitchen fairy has been working hard cooking, haven’t they?
As a young person trying to navigate the cost of living, moving places, and preparing for inevitable family drama when particular family members who don’t get on at the best of times attempt to be ‘merry’ with one another on this day – the anxiety can build.
Personally, I have done a lot of work on myself recently, learning about boundaries and protecting my energy and not overextending myself when it doesn’t serve me. Yet, I find myself in this position.
Not to mention the guilt that may come with not having the available funds to purchase lavish gifts for each member in my family. Feeling that sense of letting my family down. This does not sound like a recipe for a very merry time of year, does it?
How can we safeguard ourselves during this potentially tumultuous time of year?
- Listen to your body when you feel you are at your limit with socialising
- Perhaps set a limit on how much you are willing to spend per person, or do a secret Santa gift swap
- Perhaps limit who you are spending the day with, maybe keeping it to your immediate family and not extended family (if you can help it of course)
- Leave early if you need to, no need to overextend
- There is also absolutely nothing wrong with tapping out of Christmas if it is too much – having a me-Christmas is self-care right? Buy yourself something nice or take yourself out for dinner or if money is a challenge, spend some time doing something you like instead. Something that charges your batteries and not deplete them.
After a very busy year with a lot ‘happening at once’ feelings, it can be a very stressful time. Its important to go easy on yourself and not pressure yourself or others to perform or show up to a high level. Just because you may push yourself, doesn’t mean that should be projected onto others and nor should it be projected onto you. Accept what is and do what you can with what you have and know its ok to set limits and to adhere to them.