Advanced planning and preparation reduce holiday stress. Consistent routines make holidays pleasurable. Commercial pressures can be resisted. Keep plans and activities manageable to create positive feelings. Holiday traditions produce a balance between the expected and the unfamiliar.
Winter holidays receive a huge build-up.
People talk about being in the holiday mood with all the excitement in the air. Changes in environment and routines can cause uncertainty and stress. Television and magazines depict the holiday season as a time when settings are perfect and everyone is happy. These commercial images do not reflect most people's reality. When the images become expectations that aren't met, many people experience anxiety.