12/12/2025
The holidays are often portrayed as joyful, cozy, and full of connection.
But for many people, they’re actually one of the most stressful times of the year.
Why?
Because the holidays tend to press on some very real pressure points:
• Financial strain and expectations around spending
• Toxic or complicated family dynamics
• Old childhood wounds and trauma getting triggered
• Food, body image, or eating-related stress
• Political tension and value clashes
• Parenting conflicts — especially when raising children with special needs
• Perfectionism and the belief that it all has to look “just right”
• The urge to keep the peace and please everyone
• And the constant comparison to curated, picture-perfect moments on social media
One of the most effective tools for navigating holiday stress is acceptance.
Acceptance doesn’t mean approval or giving up.
It means acknowledging reality as it is — so we can respond instead of react.
We can accept that we don’t control how others show up.
We can accept that we can’t please everyone.
We can accept that long-standing family dynamics won’t be resolved over one holiday meal.
People don’t change simply because we want them to.
We can accept what we can afford — and what we can’t.
We can accept that we don’t need to compete with the “perfect” facades on Facebook.
We can even accept that Uncle Joe likes Donald Trump.
Acceptance is powerful because it reduces the internal battle.
From there, real coping becomes possible:
• Building skills to tolerate distress
• Regulating tough emotions as they arise
• Setting and holding firm, compassionate boundaries
• Choosing peace over perfection
The holidays don’t have to be perfect to be survivable — or even meaningful.
Sometimes, acceptance is the most radical form of self-care.
Mental health experts share tips for managing grief, family conflict, finances and workplace stress during the holidays, plus guidance for employers and employees.
