The Ultimate Christmas Self-Care Guide
Christmas is supposed to be amazing: gifts, time with loved ones, cosy activities and festive lights. However, for some people Christmas can bring feelings of sadness, anxiety, financial strain and even loneliness. If that sounds like you, know that you're not alone and there are ways to navigate this season while taking care of yourself.
As a pre-qualified psychologist, part of my work involves helping people cope with life challenges, including those that come with the holiday season. In this article, I will share practical self-care tips to help you protect your peace and truly enjoy the holidays.
common challenges during the christmas holidays
Before exploring self-care strategies, it is essential to acknowledge some of the common challenges people face during the festive season.
FOMO (Fear of missing out): with social media flooded with picture-perfect holiday moments, some people might eel like they’re not doing enough or missing out on something amazing.
Loneliness: for those far from loved ones or lacking close social connections, the holiday season can amplify feelings of isolation.
Financial strain: the pressure of gift-giving, events, and other holiday expenses can be a significant source of stress.
Family drama: family gatherings often bring unresolved issues to the surface, leading to conflicts.
Eating guilt: with indulgent holidays foods, many struggle with guilt after eating large meals, or overthinking eating habits.
High expectations: trying to make everything perfect often leads to disappointment when things don’t go as planned.
If any of these resonate, don’t worry. Hopefully after reading this article you will be able to tackle most, if not all of them.
holidays self-care tips
Emotional self-care
Journaling: writing down your thoughts and feelings can be a powerful way to process emotions. Whether you’re feeling stressed, lonely or overwhelmed, journaling helps you release pent-up emotions and gain clarity.
Gratitude practice: each day, list a few things you’re thankful for, either by writing them down or saying them out loud. This is particularly helpful if you’re struggling with feelings of loneliness or high expectations. If you are grateful for someone in your life, tell them: this can help brighten your mood and theirs.
Connect with people: reach out to friends and family, even if it’s virtually. We live in a time and age where we can connect with anyone around the world. A simple call or message can make a big difference in how connected you feel.
Digital detox: if you’re starting to experience FOMO or jealousy, stay away from your phone. Do a digital detox for a few hours or days. To help you, try to engage in activities that do not require anything digital, such as going for a walk, or going ice-skating.
Let go of perfection: if you have high expectations for the holidays, or feel stressed about wanting everything to be perfect remind yourself that Christmas and New Year come every year. If something doesn’t go as planned, treat it as a lesson for next year, rather than a failure.
Physical self-care
Movement: don’t stress about following a strict workout routine during the holidays. Try to move your body in ways that you enjoy: even stretching or winter walks can help relieve stress and boost your mood.
Balanced eating: try to enjoy holiday food without guilt. Overeating for a couple of days won’t ruin any progress you made during the year. On other days, aim to eat balanced meals, making sure to include enough carbs, proteins and fats.
Rest: this is what the holidays are for! If you can, try to engage in al the seven types of rest. Get eight hours of sleep, spend time away from screens, enjoy outdoor activities. Try not to work, on not to work too much during the holidays.
Drink water: this may sound obvious, but staying hydrated is very important, especially if you’re planing to drink alcohol or travel. Water helps your body fight stress and stay energised.
Social self-care
Say no: it’s okay to say no to events or activities that don’t bring you joy. Prioritise what you truly want to do.
Set boundaries: this Christmas, make a promise to yourself to be more assertive. Express your needs in a confident and respectful way. If you don’t want to do something, or prefer some things not to be discussed, say so. And if people keep not respecting you, keep making your points clearly and calmly. However, consider walking away or stopping the conversation if someone does not respect your boundaries.
Take emotional distance: if family dynamics become overwhelming, take a step back emotionally. Try to accept that some dynamics can'‘t be changed. However, you can change how you respond to them. Try to find peace within yourself without being drawn into conflicts or letting conflicts consume you. Remember prioritising your mental health and well-being is not selfish.
Spend time with the right people: during the holidays everyone wants to have a good time, and that is not going to happen if you spend time with people who drain you or don’t make you feel good about yourself. This Christmas, really take some time to think about who fills your cup and who leave you feel drained. Always choose to be around people who uplift you.
financial self-care
Swap expensive activities for low-cost alternatives: remember that a dinner or a movie night at home can be even more valuable than an expensive night at a club or fancy restaurant. Think about how you can plan fun activities without necessarily having to spend a lot of money.
Budgeting: set a spending limit for gifting and other activities. If that means you have to say no to something, so be it. This includes gifts. If you realise that financially you can’t make gifts for everyone, just choose to make gifts for those you really want to.
Handmade gifts: consider creating personalised handmade gifts. Those have even more value than expensive ones. If someone doesn’t appreciate a handmade gift coming from the heart, reconsider whether these people need a gift at all.
conclusion
Thanks to these tips, you will be able to enjoy Christmas without feeling stressed, sad, or overwhelmed. Remember that the holidays are all about taking care of yourself, and making sure your cup is filled, so that you can be fully ready to tackle the start of the new year.