Emotions at Christmas: how they affect us and how to manage them

Another December and the countdown to Christmas is already underway. The fans already took out the lights, the tree and the nativity scene days ago, while "the most Grinch" lament the bombardment of advertisements of happy families, the Christmas movie marathons, consumerism, the tide of lights in streets and stores, and the hammering of Christmas carols. Come on, they are looking forward to the holidays passing as soon as possible.

This is Christmas, a period that causes an explosion of emotions of all kinds. In this article, we talk about the emotions and feelings that Christmas arouses, and how we can face them to live it with more serenity.

Distortions in the perception of the passage of time regarding annual events such as Christmas are common and observed in different cultures (Ogden et al., 2024), which can influence how each person experiences the anticipation or boredom characteristic of this time.

There are those who have recently separated from their partner, those who have lost a job, those who are far from their family, those who have lost a loved one, those who face family conflicts at Christmas, those who are going through serious economic difficulties, those who have an illness.

From the perspective of clinical psychology, Christmas can function as a factor that triggers or intensifies emotional symptoms in people who are going through moments of vulnerability. Changes in the social environment and routines can influence the appearance or increase of symptoms related to mood and anxiety.

Recent studies have identified the existence of a "Christmas spirit network" in the human brain, composed of several cortical areas, which shows significantly greater activation in people who celebrate Christmas with positive emotions (Hougaard et al., 2015).

However, it has also been observed that 91 significantly more frequent adverse events are reported during the Christmas period, even after controlling for the seasonal effect of winter and the general trend (Hlavaty et al., 2024). Christmas can represent a risk period for those who already experience symptoms of depression or anxiety, but also for those who are experiencing grief, a breakup or situations of loneliness.

For this reason, it is important to pay attention to signs such as isolation, irritability or decreased interest in usual activities during these dates. As it is a period with a great emotional component, emotions at Christmas can be contradictory and varied. Let's look at some of the most common emotions that we can experience on these dates: They express anger at the "Christmas spirit" of others, which is also seen as posturing and hypocrisy.

But what is behind all this? It may be a wound or discomfort to deal with. As we mentioned above, during Christmas, many people may find it difficult to set boundaries in the face of family and social demands. This situation can generate what is known as cognitive dissonance, understood as an internal conflict between what you really want to do and what is perceived as an obligation.

For example, someone may want to enjoy a quiet night at home, but at the same time experience guilt for declining a family invitation. The pressure to meet other people's expectations at Christmas can cause you to prioritize other people's well-being over your own, which can sometimes lead to emotions such as frustration, exhaustion or resentment. To face this difficulty, it is useful to identify your own needs and communicate them assertively.

Remember that setting limits does not mean rejecting others, but also taking care of yourself. Some practical examples of healthy limits at Christmas can be: Learning to set limits at Christmas can be a challenging process, but it is essential to live these holidays in a more authentic way and respectful of one's own needs.

Let's look at some tips on how to manage emotions at Christmas: Each emotion has different nuances, it is important not to put them in the same bag, identify them and reflect on what makes you feel that way. Self-care is important,If you give to others, why not think about mood-lifting gifts for yourself? Don't impose things on yourself to do.

Sometimes we let ourselves be carried away by everything we "should" do and that contributes to generating stress and anxiety. Finding the balance between what we should and want to do is important to enjoy the holidays more calmly. Avoid the excessive idealization of Christmas, which advertising and cinema show us. Living Christmas more calmly is possible,

References & Sources

• Hougaard, A., Lindberg, U., Arngrim, N., Larsson, H. B. W., Olesen, J., Amin, F. M., Ashina, M., & Haddock, B. T. (2015). Evidence of a Christmas spirit network in the brain: Functional MRI study.
• Hlavaty, A., Roustit, M., Manceau, M., Cracowski, J.-L., & Khouri, C. (2024). The Christmas adverse event syndrome: An analysis of the WHO pharmacovigilance database.
• Marley, J. E., Searle, P., Chamberlain, N. L., Turnbull, D. R., & Leahy, C. M. (2001). Carols in the wind.
• Ogden, R., Alatrany, S. S. J., Flaiyah, A. M., ALdrraji, H. A. S., Musa, H., Alatrany, A. S. S., & Al-Jumeily, D. (2024). Distortions to the passage of time for annual events: Exploring why Christmas and Ramadan feel like they come around more quickly each year.

This article is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for personalized medical, psychological, or legal advice.