Bah-humbug!! What to Do when You Are Not in the Mood for Christmas

It is two weeks until Christmas. Do you have all your shopping done? Are you now spending contented evenings in front of your decked-out fireplace, listening to Christmas carols, wrapping your gifts and placing them under your beautifully decorated tree? That’s great! But if you’re not yet in the mood for the holidays - if you are stressed about having missed the deadline for online shopping, if you can’t find that electronic gadget that your teenager just HAS TO HAVE, if you’d just as soon skip the whole d*mn thing this year … here are a few ideas to save the Christmas season for you and yours:

Admit what’s wrong, even if it’s just to yourself. Write down what's wrong - in a journal, on the computer, or just on a plain old piece of paper, or just talk to someone close about what’s got you feeling down and out this year. And then, if you can think of a solution, follow through on it. Make resolutions to keep this from happening next year. Is it the money? Then resolve to put all your spare change in a jar each night next year, so you’ll have a few hundred extra dollars and won’t feel that stress next year. Is it the commercialism? Find nearby small towns in which to do your shopping. Small town shops are usually beautifully decorated for the holidays, without being overly commercial. Sure, the selection is not as great as in the mall, but then again, that’s part of the problem! Sometimes, just admitting to yourself what is wrong will help you to get over the feelings and get on with the holidays.

Make lists. If you’re stressing about the shopping, take a deep breath and start some lists. Don’t go out shopping without a list. Wandering around in the mall is not going to help you get in the spirit of Christmas! And once the lists are made, choose one or two items at a time, and go out shopping only for those items. Find them? Great! Bring them home, wrap them and then decide when you’re going to go out for the next couple of gifts. It’s just not necessary or healthy to go out on day-long shopping marathons.