Holidays can be a time of joy, fun and excitement; they can also be tiring, disappointing, stressful or lonely. Often, the stress and tension may be your body’s way of telling you that you are overdoing it. Pay heed to those signs and give yourself time to rest and relax or limit your holiday activities--especially if you have to travel.

Stressors are anything that causes stress. It might be events, activities or people! Even positive activities can create stress. However, negative stressors can emerge at holiday time, too. You might be worried about having the finances to purchase gifts the way you once did; concerned that some family members don’t get along; dread having company into your home because you can’t entertain the way you once did; or reluctant to travel to someone else’s home because of frail health. It’s not unusual to feel depressed at holiday time—especially if health or mobility issues curtail the time you spend time with family and friends.

To ensure that your holidays will be enjoyable, some-times you just have to let others know your needs and wants. Don’t be shy about telling family and friends your preferences at holiday time. If you feel that you can no longer host a family dinner, let people know. If you can no longer afford to purchase gifts for all your grandchildren, share that information with their parents in advance. Perhaps there are family keepsakes, photos or other memorabilia that you would like to start "gifting" to loved ones instead of purchasing gifts at holiday or birthday times.