An Online Community for Mental Health Support

Day 22: Create meaningful holiday traditions to cherish

7 Cups Online Therapy / by ASilentObserver

6 minutes ago

...See more Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well. This post is part of the 25 Days of Gratitude, Self-Care, and Personal Growth event at 7 Cups. The pressure to experience joy and create cherished holiday memories can be overwhelming. The holidays can be a difficult time, especially if you spend them without loved ones. Whether you are far from family, lost someone close and loved one, or making conscious choices about your relationships, the holiday season can be daunting. Traditionally speaking, holiday seasons are a time of joy, fun, and celebration but for many, it is a difficult time of the year when they experience heightened feelings of grief, loneliness seasonal depression, or anxiety. But it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t find something to be joyful. There are many ways to create meaningful and personalized holiday traditions that can bring comfort, joy, and a sense of connection, even during challenging times. 1. Revive and honor old traditions that you enjoyed You may have some old traditions that you enjoyed but now you don’t do them anymore due to one or other reasons. But this season, you may rethink bringing some of those old traditions to cherish the memories associated with them. Such attempts can bring a sense of connection and continuity. You can also choose to honor loved ones by creating personalized ornaments to hang on the Christmas tree like photos, and handwritten letters, or volunteer your time to special charities or causes. 2. Cook your favorite meal This one is my personal favorite as cooking your favorite meal is simply therapeutic. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or a holiday feast, it can be as simple as making your favorite sandwich, toast, or some hot soup. The process of making your meal is calm and relaxing. So, just make an effort to make something for yourself this holiday season. 3. Gift something to yourself Giving gifts to yourself does not make you materialistic or selfish. It just makes you human. The gift can be anything that you like, maybe a book, a cup of coffee, some nature photographs or a meal at your favorite diner. It is one of the ways to celebrate yourself and a reminder that you deserve to feel good about yourself this season as much as anyone else. So, let’s rethink how we spend our time this holiday season. I understand that it is a tough time of the year for you but know that you deserve time to be easy on yourself and try to be gentle and kinder to yourself. Please know the holidays don't have to be a time of sadness or isolation. Create your traditions to find joy, comfort, and a sense of purpose during this holiday season. Let us know in the comments if you have any traditions of yours already or thinking of something to make one this year.