Feeling anxious, sad, or stressed this Christmas?
You are not alone. While many people are excited and filled with joy this time of year, the holidays bring negative feelings for others.
If you are feeling down and blue, perhaps you are wondering what causes those feelings so you can start addressing it.
Beyond Small Talk is here to help you figure that out!
Singer-songwriter Trisha Denise, Counselor at Amara Counseling and Training Center Archie Dela Cruz, and The 700 Club Asia host Peter Kairuz share 7 common triggers for holiday blues.
1. Early and long Christmas in the Philippines and the tendency to compare with other people.
To say that the Pinoys love Christmas is an understatement. As soon as “BER months” arrive, the holiday countdown begins!
And as lights and sounds fill the streets and malls, some people feel pressured into putting up decors or buying gifts. People tend to compare their holiday preparations with others, which might trigger the holiday blues.
2. Pressures on finances
December is a budget crunch time for many Filipinos. People are feeling the pressure of trying to make this year ‘extra special’ for their loved ones. And the pressure is amplified by the ongoing pandemic.
3. The pressure to lose weight and exercise
With Noche Buena, Media Noche, and a couple of holiday parties in between, staying in shape seem to be a challenging task for some.
Counselor Archie shares that people become more conscious of their bodies during the holidays, which adds to the pressure and holiday blues they feel.
4. Stress caused by heavy traffic
Now that the government has lifted lockdowns, more and more people are going out and meeting their loved ones face-to-face. This means that heavy traffic resumes, too! Traffic congestion and noise pollution are legit sources of stress, leading to holiday blues.
5. Lack of love life or romance
Known as a season of togetherness and love, some people feel lonely—and even pressured—that they don’t have a romantic partner to share the holidays with. Trisha observes this trend, too.
“As a songwriter, I am always asked to write about hugot Christmas songs during this time. I think some girls and guys of my age treat Christmas season as Valentine’s season too. They ask why they don’t have a significant other this Christmas,” she said.
6. When people go through a period of transition
It’s totally overwhelming to find yourself grieving or experiencing life changes during the holiday season.
“As a counselor, I’ve seen, witnessed, and heard people who go through mourning during the holidays, because apart from losing a loved one, transitions are always difficult and challenging,” Archie shares.
If you are going through difficult or major life changes, Peter has an encouragement for you: You can make it through.
“Every time we go through transitions or we enter a new season, there’s going to be changes and it’s going to be challenging. But if we apply ourselves properly, we’re going to come out of that situation as champions.”
7. Unnecessary or unwanted breakups
The holiday season is never a great time to have relational problems, but it happens. Breakups and tensions in relationships as Christmas and New Year arrive also adds to experiencing holiday blues.
What about you, what triggers your holiday blues?
Comment below so we can pray for you. You may also call the CBN Asia Prayer Center at 8-737-0-700 and our trained prayer counselors will reach out to you.
If you need help in managing those negative emotions, catch the next webisode of Beyond Small talk to learn tips on how you can cope with holiday blues—streaming this Saturday, December 18, 2021, at 7:00 PM, on The 700 Club Asia Facebook page and YouTube Channel.
