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Ask Joy: Surviving Holiday Madness: How to survive the Silly Season

M
By Maddison Dwyer
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Note from the Editor:
This article was kindly written for the SDC by retired psychologist/ member @Joy Straw.

As we enter this period of holidays and celebrations, take a few moments to consider your mental health and how moving forward you can enjoy yourself and have more fun with your holidays. Please remember not everyone enjoys Christmas or the holidays. There are several different issues that affect people (and maybe you) around this time.

1. Stressors/problems/ideals: Remember, perfection is impossible but shared love, happiness and laughter are always possible. Take some time to evaluate past holidays. If you’d like, write a list, highlighting the high points and the low points. When reflecting on your list, consider what could’ve been different and how best you could go about changing and removing those stresses. (Please know eliminating family members is not a suggestion). By identifying stressors, it gives us an opportunity to alter or eliminate these issues.
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Maddison Dwyer said:
Note from the Editor:
This article was kindly written for the SDC by retired psychologist/ member @Joy Straw.

As we enter this period of holidays and celebrations, take a few moments to consider your mental health and how moving forward you can enjoy yourself and have more fun with your holidays. Please remember not everyone enjoys Christmas or the holidays. There are several different issues that affect people (and maybe you) around this time.

1. Stressors/problems/ideals: Remember, perfection is impossible but shared love, happiness and laughter are always possible. Take some time to evaluate past holidays. If you’d like, write a list, highlighting the high points and the low points. When reflecting on your list, consider what could’ve been different and how best you could go about changing and removing those stresses. (Please know eliminating family members is not a suggestion). By identifying stressors, it gives us an opportunity to alter or eliminate these issues.
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Maddison Dwyer said:
Note from the Editor:
This article was kindly written for the SDC by retired psychologist/ member @Joy Straw.

As we enter this period of holidays and celebrations, take a few moments to consider your mental health and how moving forward you can enjoy yourself and have more fun with your holidays. Please remember not everyone enjoys Christmas or the holidays. There are several different issues that affect people (and maybe you) around this time.

1. Stressors/problems/ideals: Remember, perfection is impossible but shared love, happiness and laughter are always possible. Take some time to evaluate past holidays. If you’d like, write a list, highlighting the high points and the low points. When reflecting on your list, consider what could’ve been different and how best you could go about changing and removing those stresses. (Please know eliminating family members is not a suggestion). By identifying stressors, it gives us an opportunity to alter or eliminate these issues.
I don't celebrate Christmas any more. I'm widowed and my sons are grown so we now have a habit - hardly a 'tradition', of eating a 'Christmas' dinner on Christmas Eve. Whichever of my three sons is available will come to me for this dinner. I don't put up a tree because Madame Chloe (see photo) would soon have it down. Ditto with decorations. I only buy gifts for my five grandchildren - not the adults - and this is an aspect of Christmas I really enjoy. These presents are never expensive as I manage only on my Age Pension. But they are chosen with much love and care. Years ago, when the boys were young we would do the whole Festive Thing - turkey with trimmings, decorations, sometimes a big tree. Sometimes we would really bite the bullet and have my mother-in-law over. Then counting the number of times she would put her foot in it became a bizarre parlour game -'did you hear what Granny Betty just said!!!' 🤣
 

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Thank you @Joy Straw. I appreciate your well written article.

It appears some people may have missed the point. I believe you’re giving helpful suggestions and advice for those who feel could benefit from it. For some it can be a terrible time of year but if they created their own method of celebration or not, that’s all good.

I just reread my last sentence. It’s seems a bit disjointed, but I hope you get where I’m coming from.

Merry Xmas to you and family. 🎄
 
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DLHM said:
Thank you @Joy Straw. I appreciate your well written article.

It appears some people may have missed the point. I believe you’re giving helpful suggestions and advice for those who feel could benefit from it. For some it can be a terrible time of year but if they created their own method of celebration or not, that’s all good.

I just reread my last sentence. It’s seems a bit disjointed, but I hope you get where I’m coming from.

Merry Xmas to you and family. 🎄
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I agree with you DLMH, thank you Joy Straw for your helpful advice.
I don’t understand why older ones have taken up the negativity of constantly having a go at people, criticising ones who are going to the effort to try to help those in need.
Where has common decency and compassion gone??
I haven’t celebrated Xmas for 37 years but this year…. living on my own during this holiday season is hard. In fact it is very hard. Shame on you people who criticise one reaching out to someone like me. Be thankful that you don’t have a problem and move on to the next article without comment.
 
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Lelly said:
I agree with you DLMH, thank you Joy Straw for your helpful advice.
I don’t understand why older ones have taken up the negativity of constantly having a go at people, criticising ones who are going to the effort to try to help those in need.
Where has common decency and compassion gone??
I haven’t celebrated Xmas for 37 years but this year…. living on my own during this holiday season is hard. In fact it is very hard. Shame on you people who criticise one reaching out to someone like me. Be thankful that you don’t have a problem and move on to the next article without comment.
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I totally agree with you. The advice is very practical. Some people are just miserable and bitter all the time. They detest anyone who enjoys life. I hope you enjoy your day and that the new year is easier for you.
 
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This morning I wished my cat, Chloe, Merry Christmas.

"Why is it called Christmas?', she asked me.

'Well, I said, 'it's because today Christians celebrate the birth of their Lord, Jesus Christ. The only begotten Son of God'.

'Oh, I've met him'.

'Really, Chloe? When was this?'

"When I was living in the the Shelter, before you adopted me. He came round to all us cats. He had a big sack of cat food and he gave us each a tin of tuna. He was a big bloke - what you'd call chunky - and he wore a bright red suit and kept shouting 'Ho! Ho! Ho!, which some former street cats took to be an insult and things got a bit tense until someone stepped in'.

'Oh Chloe, I think you'll find that was Father Christmas - or Santa Clause, as he's known'.

'Santa Claws? Really?

'Yes, based on the European story of St. Nicholas'.

'So, not Jesus then?'

'Right'.

Chloe looked thoughtful for a moment.

'That explains it', she said.

'What?'

'The tuna was crap'.........


chloe portrait.jpg
 
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Nichola said:
I don't celebrate Christmas any more. I'm widowed and my sons are grown so we now have a habit - hardly a 'tradition', of eating a 'Christmas' dinner on Christmas Eve. Whichever of my three sons is available will come to me for this dinner. I don't put up a tree because Madame Chloe (see photo) would soon have it down. Ditto with decorations. I only buy gifts for my five grandchildren - not the adults - and this is an aspect of Christmas I really enjoy. These presents are never expensive as I manage only on my Age Pension. But they are chosen with much love and care. Years ago, when the boys were young we would do the whole Festive Thing - turkey with trimmings, decorations, sometimes a big tree. Sometimes we would really bite the bullet and have my mother-in-law over. Then counting the number of times she would put her foot in it became a bizarre parlour game -'did you hear what Granny Betty just said!!!' 🤣
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Luv the mother-in-law bit,
I would like to do that next year, but then how do I get rid of her???
 
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