Holiday depression is a serious problem in american society today. Most of the blogs that i’ve been reading lately seem to be displaying some sort of depression. After doing some research trying to learn what causes holiday depression i’ve discovered that it’s caused by a myriad of external pressures. Comparing those pressures to my attitude about the holidays (I love them!) i’ve come up with the things that for me, result in happy holidays!

A) Have your wife do ALL the shopping!

Just kidding!

I’ve found that I need to set limits for myself. I know I may not give the best presents and I have to accept that and move on. I also only shop late at night or when I know the stores won’t be packed. Observing simple rules like these decrease my stress enormously!

Most importantly, i’ve come across the "Three Fs" for the holidays. Observe these three simple words to improve your holiday demeanor.

• Food - Don’t overdo it and end up regretting it. Eat normally, only occasionally breaking your self imposed laws.
• Finance - Don’t overdo it and end up in debt. Decide who to buy for in advance and stick to it. They’ll live if you don’t get them anything.
• Fun - Overdo it! Have fun, do things. Sitting around moping won’t do anything for you. Go to the movies, see a show, check out some sporting events, just be doing something.

Hope this helps with some of your holiday blues!

Some links that might help…

• Holiday Depression
• Ho Ho Holiday Depression
• Coping with the holidays
• The Holiday Blues Quiz
• Enjoy the Holidays and Avoid the Blues