Getting Personal

                Beat the holiday blues - A guide to Christmas cheer
            
                Christmas gifts, roast turkey, alcohol, fun, laughter, more Christmas gifts and general merriment – the festive season is all smiles, no? Unfortunately, while most people can look forward to a relaxing and enjoyable Christmas period, for many this time of year will signify anxiety, financial stress and loneliness. Indeed, Christmas signifies the busiest period for charitable organisations such as the Samaritans, who provide confidential emotional support to those in need of it. However, it is not just the seriously depressed or suicidal who suffer – the Christmas blues can quite literally affect anyone.

In respect to those in deepest suffering, contacting the Samaritans is an important and advisable first step. Ignoring external help will only compound the problems and, quite frankly, there is no need to suffer in this way.

Beating the holiday blues is by no means easy. Once the Christmas gifts – assuming there are any – have been unwrapped and discarded, it can all seem a little futile. Stomachs are either bloated or unfed, throats drowned or parched; Words spoken or unspoken. There is no "half full" approach to Christmas when the depression beds in – Christmas cheer is the background noise from someone else's party.

So, how can the average person beat the Christmas blues? What if you are that person? The first suggestion is to not succumb to financial pressures. Christmas gifts can be purchased on a budget and there is absolutely no need to sink further into debt just to gratify someone else's greed. Ok, that someone is probably the most loved and cherished person in the world to you, but the debt that will steal your smile will do far more damage than shoestring Christmas gifts ever would. Love is not punctuated by price tags – if pride can be put to one side, a simple explanation of the financial realities of Christmas will be enough to make your loved ones understand your predicament. There is no shame in buying something other than the biggest or best Christmas gifts around, although understandably nobody wants it to be this way. On this note, saving money throughout the year to spend on more expensive Christmas gifts, while quite a challenge in reality, is going to save you from the temptation of winter credit card sprees that would make your life a misery for months or even years later. In short, Christmas cheer can be grasped with a little careful planning and sustained scrimping and saving.

Another common problem associated with the loss of Christmas joy is your family. Nobody is perfect and no relationship can exist without problems. However, for some, those problems are fundamental and can result in a divorce of civility when it is most needed. Estranged loved ones can feel isolated, miserable and angry – somebody is at fault and it is probably not you, right? Well, there is no real answer to family problems as these are some issues which cannot be remedied with the exchanging of Christmas gifts (although it is contended, perhaps rather cynically, that some good feeling can be purchased with a diamond, Ferrari, trip to Las Vegas, etc.). In the spirit of Christmas cheer, however, perhaps it is more appropriate to open the door for loved ones rather than keep it closed…

Another aspect of retaining Christmas cheer is, quite simply, to avoid boredom. Let's face it, the meaning of Christmas is easily lost after a few days at home with the family. So, spice things up a bit. Do not be content to watch that third repeat of Only Fools and Horses – stock up on family-oriented Christmas gifts such as movie quiz, casino, poker and mystery 'whodunit' games. There are hours of fun and enjoyment in these alone and the whole lot can be purchased on a budget. 

Furthermore, why not stretch the legs and burn off some calories with a family nature walk? No need to wait until the New Year for that. Alternatively, buy Christmas gifts that enable the whole family to experience a little escapism, such as family tickets to the local cinema or bowling alley. It cannot be understated how important it is to take the odd break from the claustrophobic nightmare developing inside your tinsel-dressed home. 

Christmas cheer is not all about what Christmas gifts you have or do not have. In fact, while Christmas gifts are the collective object of many people's Christmas utopia, their opening and enjoyment generally do not last long. Indeed, to experience true Christmas cheer is to realise that this time of year is for being happy. If you are wise enough to follow the path of happiness and avoid all other routes leading to stress, heartache and anxiety, you will inevitably beat the holiday blues.

Related article: Counting the pennies? How to buy Christmas presents that won't break the bank (Christmas Gifts)