Feeling empty at Christmas often stems from high pressure to be happy, social isolation, or comparing your life to idealized,, commercialized images of festive joy. It is a common feeling driven by underlying grief, burnout, financial stress, or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which can create a deep,, lingering sense of numbness.
Loneliness. Not having people around us can feel more difficult at Christmas when there are lots of images of families and friends together. Even when we have people around us, we might feel lonely. This may be because we feel like we have to hide our feelings, or act differently around some people.
Different people in different situations often feel lonely at this time of year. The idea of the perfect Christmas doesn't fit everyone's lifestyle and situation, which can create pressure that many can't meet, making isolation feel sharper.
Our memories are often rosier than reality," Batcho added as an example. "Also, as adults, we're often feeling stressed as we try to meet all the demands of our regular lives and the additional obligations of doing all the holiday activities. What was once a joyful experience can now be felt as burdensome."
Financial stress, grief from missing loved ones, and more are common reasons for people to experience what we call the 'Christmas Blues. ' For a lot of us, COVID-19 and 2020 have already brought on those feelings- and then tacked on aloneness, loss of motivation, and uneasiness on the top.
Feeling Empty? This Might Be Why (Covert Avoidance)
What is the 3-3-3 anxiety rule?
The 3-3-3 rule for anxiety is a simple grounding technique to manage overwhelming feelings by redirecting focus to the present moment using your senses: name three things you see, identify three sounds you hear, and then move three parts of your body, helping to interrupt anxious thoughts and calm your mind in real-time. It's a mindfulness strategy useful for panic attacks, stress, or general overwhelm, though it's a temporary relief tool, not a replacement for professional treatment.
As we get older, and the pressures of daily life take over, it's not surprising that Christmas can lose its sparkle, especially if we find ourselves overwhelmed by to-do lists, exhausted by social obligations, and swept up in the commercial side of things.
The "5 Things for Christmas Rule" (or "Five Gift Rule") is a popular gift-giving guideline that limits each recipient to five thoughtful presents, typically structured as: something they Want, something they Need, something to Wear, something to Read, and something special/to Share (or Do). This method encourages quality over quantity, focusing on meaningful items that cover different aspects of a person's life rather than endless toys or clutter.
It's OK if Christmas feels stressful – lots of people feel the same way. Money pressure, family expectations, and endless plans can make December feel like a marathon. Signs of burnout include fatigue, irritability, poor sleep, and feeling like you just want the pressure to end.
Feeling sad during the winter and holiday months may also be a sign of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). a major depressive disorder (MDD) that occurs in seasonal patterns during certain months.
In the long night of winter, we do not feel like merry-making. We sit in proverbial ashes and dust, waiting for the next time of fitful sleep to overwhelm our exhausted hearts. For many this time is the loneliest time of year. This is the time when death most tightly grips us with its ice-cold bruising grip.
The "555 rule" for anxiety usually refers to either a grounding technique (breathe in 5, hold 5, out 5, then name 5 things you see, hear, touch) or a perspective technique (will this matter in 5 years? If not, don't stress more than 5 minutes) to calm your nervous system and shift focus from anxious thoughts to the present moment or a broader context. Both methods provide a structured way to break anxiety cycles and regain control by engaging your senses or putting problems into perspective, helping to reduce overwhelm.
Winter is a season where it is common to struggle with seasonal depression, sometimes known as the “Winter Blues”. There is more darkness, and the cold can make it difficult to get out and enjoy the activities you love and spend time with the people that you care about.
Five key warning signs of stress include emotional changes (irritability, anxiety), sleep disruptions (insomnia or oversleeping), physical symptoms (headaches, tense muscles, stomach issues), behavioral shifts (withdrawing, increased substance use), and cognitive difficulties (trouble concentrating, racing thoughts). Recognizing these signs in yourself or others helps address stress before it escalates.
How mush should I spend on Christmas gifts for parents, grandparents? Culture website What Mommy Does suggests you spend between $50 and $100 on gifts for mom and dad, while crafting website Making Frugal Fun sets $75 as the average spent on a respective Christmas gift for your parents and grandparents.
Christmas gifts are often exchanged on Christmas Eve (December 24), Christmas Day itself (December 25) or on the last day of the twelve-day Christmas season, Twelfth Night (January 5).
How many gifts should you give your child for Christmas?
There is no magic number but the general consensus seems to be between three toys or gifts up to, potentiall around five. There will be many factors that contribute to this decisions; how many children you have, what presents other family members may buy, how old your children are and, of course, budget.
As we get older, we're no longer encountering things associated with Christmas for the first time. It's simply less novel. "So, there is a weaker dopamine response with Christmas. Our brains adapt to the feeling of Christmas."
Deeper Life Ministry Rejects Christmas, Cites 'Idolatrous' Roots Pastor William Kumuyi, General Superintendent of Deeper Christian Life Ministry, has reiterated that Christmas is not biblical and won't be celebrated in his church.
While there's no single "#1," avoidance/procrastination, poor sleep, and negative self-talk/overthinking are consistently cited as the worst habits, creating vicious cycles where short-term relief leads to long-term, intensified anxiety by preventing you from facing fears and disrupting your body's ability to cope. These habits feed off each other, with poor sleep worsening anxiety, which makes you avoid things, leading to more stress and even worse sleep.
A panic attack is an episode of severe anxiety. It usually causes symptoms such as shortness of breath, racing heart, sweating and nausea. Infrequent panic attacks can be normal. But repeated panic attacks that happen for no obvious reason are more likely a sign of an anxiety disorder.
