A mother and daughter are hanging ornaments on a tree
Up to 25 percent of people experience some sort of holiday anxiety or depression. Reducing stress over Christmas requires some planning ahead, staying flexible, depending on your loved ones, and more.

Lower Expectations

Photo Credit: AtnoYdur / iStockPhoto.com

Lower Expectations

It’s good to be optimistic, but if your relatives have had problems in the past, the perfect family gathering may not be in the cards this year. Family tensions can rise quickly, and an emotional blow-up can ruin a night, but not if you’re prepared for it.

Consider how you’ll deal with feelings of anxiety or depression if the atmosphere or conversation takes a turn for the worse, and keep that in the front of your mind during the gathering. You can be the one to steer the conversation in another direction when things get rough, put aside personal contentions, and keep the focus on happier things.

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