Although the holidays are often deemed the most wonderful time of the year, some people do not feel the Christmas spirit like others do. Whether it be feeling stressed or depressed, surviving the holidays can be hard for some people. It is important that when you are feeling down during the Christmas season that you take steps to deal with your negative feelings. Here is a list of strategies to cope with the holidays if Christmas is not your thing.

Eat healthy and exercise

Eating healthy and exercising seem to be a strategy to help with just about any situation. Although the holidays are filled with over eating unhealthy foods, it is important to be mindful about which ones make you feel bad. Foods that are high in sugar and fat can take a toll on your energy level which can make your mood even worse. Try going for a walk before and after a big Christmas meal and cutting down on the portion sizes of the foods that don’t make you feel so fresh.

Do not isolate yourself

If you have lost people who are close to you or do not have a lot of friends or family to spend the holidays with, Christmas can be a tough time. Although it is important to have some time alone and allow yourself to feel the sadness, it is also important that you do not isolate yourself. There are lots of ways you can get out there to avoid feeling lonely. Whether it be taking a walk to listen to Christmas music and enjoy the decorations or volunteering somewhere to help those less fortunate. It may be hard to get yourself out of the house but socializing around the holidays can help you feel less lonely.

Keep your expectations in order

Whether you did not get the gift you were hoping for or there is a family fight at your Christmas dinner, the holidays never seem to go as planned. It is important that you do not have unrealistic expectations for everything during the holidays to go perfectly. Be prepared for things to go wrong and do not let the small things push your buttons.

Do not overspend

Many people spend a couple of months after Christmas trying to play catch up with their bank accounts. Putting yourself into debt over Christmas presents will only stress you out even more during the holidays. Try talking with your family and friends about a reasonable spending limit to avoid forking out hundreds of dollars on presents. There are several thoughtful gifts you can find on a budget that will help you avoid having low funds in your bank account after Christmas.

Be prepared early

Leaving everything to the last minute on Christmas can be very stressful. If you start getting things ready a couple of weeks before then things will be less hectic when the day comes. Try buying and wrapping your presents and setting up your decorations a couple of weeks before so you can relax during your holidays. If you are planning on hosting a Christmas event or meal, try and make as many of the food items before and freeze them to reduce your workload on Christmas Day. This will give you an opportunity to spend more time with your company and will make the day less stressful.

Prepare for post-holiday blues

Instead of feeling stressed or depressed during the holidays, some people start feeling this way after the holidays. For those who love the holidays, the time after the hustle and bustle of Christmas can be upsetting. After over indulging on food or managing a busy schedule over the holidays, you may notice your energy levels go down after all of the fun. At this point, it is important that you catch up on sleep and get back on track in terms of healthy eating and exercising. Laying off the alcohol can also help with low energy levels and depression. Another strategy to dealing with the post-holiday depression could be to plan something for January to look forward to so you are not going from all to nothing.