That warm feeling you get when you see someone’s eyes light up as they unwrap a gift is priceless. I personally believe that there is this innate sense of giddiness in both giving and receiving a gift. It unleashes the inner child in all of us. The holidays are especially a time where gift-giving is part of many traditions. Gift-giving is a complex practice and though it can often be a source of stress in our lives many wonderful things can derive from it.
Earlier this month we discussed the love language of gifts, and how remembering the little things can mean a lot to someone. Tis’ the season for merriment and gift-giving and we tend to get caught up in creating, making, or purchasing gifts that we forget to give back to ourselves.
I am sure you have all heard of the 5 love languages, but if you have not, here is a quick breeze through. The 5 love languages are specific ways that someone might prefer (even subconsciously) to receive and show love. The possibilities are Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Touch, Quality Time, and lastly, Gift-giving.
What types of emotions does the holiday season incite in you? For me, this time of year brings warmth, a sense of community, and gratitude. It is when I can feel joy in being surrounded by those that I care about. However, with all that happiness can also come a great deal of stress and anxiety, and sometimes even loneliness. We can sometimes idealize these times, and honestly, I know that sometimes we can hide the struggles that we’re feeling!
Although it is still a bit early in the month I find that stress, especially holiday-related stress, can hit us sooner than we think. Instead of being taken by surprise, we can start preparing! With so much planning, prepping, and coordinating, the holidays can become a super stressful time. So, here are my ways of reducing my stress levels around the holidays:
When it starts to get colder out, we all want a comforting, warm place to call home. The “Winter Blues” can sneak up on us when we least expect it, especially with how busy our lives can get at this time of year. With this in mind, it is super important for our well-being that we create a space and sanctuary for ourselves to destress and realign.
