“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.” – Dr. Seuss
Although the holidays are lauded as being the most wonderful time of the year, for many people this season brings with it feelings of sadness and anxiety. Whatever you may be celebrating in the next few weeks–Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza, New Years’ Eve, and so on—being happy this holiday season is a choice you can make, and there are steps you can take to help you bring more joy to your holidays. You’ll find five of these steps below.
Alter Your Image of the “Ideal Christmas”
If we create a picture in our minds of what the “ideal Christmas” looks like—probably based on idealized memories of our childhood Christmases–and we can’t reproduce it, we’re creating dissatisfaction with the present moment. Also, a lot of people feel that the holiday season has to be perfect; and, of course, perfection is unattainable. Forget the images you have in your head of a “Norman Rockwell Christmas” and be honest with yourself about what you can realistically achieve during the holiday season.
Be kind to yourself and remember to set achievable goals. For example: don’t commit to cooking a seven-course Christmas dinner for fourteen people all by yourself; don’t accept every holiday party invitation that you receive when you’d rather spend some alone time with your spouse; and don’t feel that you have to get a present for your cousin three times removed whom you haven’t seen in the past five years. You need to pace yourself, stick to your budget, and get enough rest.
Focus on What’s Good This Holiday Season
Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar teaches a course at Harvard University on “Positive Psychology” which, at its height, was the university’s most popular offering. One of the happiness tips he offers is to keep in mind that being happy is mostly dependent on our interpretation of the events going on around us.
In addition, Daniel Gilbert, author of “Stumbling on Happiness”
Count Your Blessings
Gratitude shifts your focus from what your life lacks to the abundance that is already present. In addition, psychological research has shown that giving thanks makes people happier and more resilient, it strengthens relationships, it improves health, and it reduces stress. Giving thanks also helps you to put things in perspective and to notice things that you’ve been taking for granted.
Create a list of everything that you can think of that you’re grateful for. You can also convey your appreciation to people whom you’ve never properly thanked, or write a heartfelt letter to someone who means a lot to you, and send it to them. Even if you might not be getting everything that you scribbled on your letter to Santa this year, begin to notice all of the simple pleasures and little things that are already present in your life.
Give to Others
There’s a quote by James M. Barrie that states: “Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.” By giving to others you take the focus off of yourself and you add a lot more meaning to your holiday season.
There are many ways you can help others during the holidays, such as gathering toys your kids no longer play with and donating them to children who would not otherwise have toys. You can also put together a basket filled with all the traditional staples of a Christmas dinner and take it to a family that’s going through a rough patch. Or simply help an elderly neighbor put up her Christmas lights.
Participate in Christmas Activities that You Truly Enjoy
As I pointed out in my post “Five Joyous Tips for Being Happy”, creating a list of things that you enjoy doing and that give you a sense of accomplishment can help you raise your energy level even when you’re down. So create a list of twenty things you love about Christmas.
It can include watching your favorite Holiday movies, such as “Miracle on 34th Street”, “It’s a Wonderful Life”, “A Christmas Story”, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, “A Charlie Brown Christmas”, and so on.
Also include listening to your favorite Christmas Carols on your list: “Jingle Bells”, “Oh Come All Ye Faithful”, “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas”, “Oh Tannenbaum”, and “Deck the Halls”. List some of the foods you love to eat this time of year, as well as festive activities you enjoy, which can include decorating the Christmas tree, sitting in the dark with a cup of eggnog just enjoying the Christmas lights, and baking gingerbread cookies.
Once again, it’s not enough to create the list; you actually have to carry out the items on your list, even if you don’t quite feel up to it. If you make yourself participate in some of the Christmas activities you’ve enjoyed in the past, there’s a good chance that you’ll enjoy them again, which will give you your energy back.
Conclusion
By giving yourself permission to have a less-than-perfect holiday season, creating new traditions instead of focusing on what’s missing this holiday season, counting your blessings, volunteering and giving to others, and making sure that you participate in the holiday activities that you truly enjoy, you can beat the holiday blues. Whatever holiday you may be celebrating this season, may it be merry and bright.
photo credit: Grzegorz ?obi?ski
Related Posts:
- 28 Glorious Christmas Traditions
- “Be Happy Now – Set Goals Without Postponing Joy”
- “Happiness Extravaganza: Tips, Tidbits, and Tools”
- “How to be Happy”
- “Fun, Whimsical Gift Ideas for Creative People”
Recommended Product:
Learn to meditate, increase your focus and concentration, boost your creativity, and augment your brain power with the Silva Life System.
Did you enjoy this article? Subscribe by RSS or e-mail and you’ll always know when I publish something new. (What’s RSS?).
Also, please share it on the social media site of your choice, thank you. 
