THE yuletide may be the happiest season of the year. However, it may also be the most stressful too depending on how we go about it and how we handle situations it carries. We must be cautious lest we wanted to spoil it. There are some stressors we may encounter as we go along the season.
First, the preparations for Christmas. We have to think on what decorations we may want to install in our residences and even offices.
Some would have the repeat of the decors and ornaments for the yuletide with the “recycled” Christmas lights and lanterns. It may bring stress on what kind we should be putting on our homes and workplaces.
It has been a practice too among Kapampangans that we conduct “general cleaning” of our houses and surroundings a few days before Christmas day aside from the aesthetics of putting decorations. Cleaning our homes and offices may take days if we would want to have them extensively neat.
Second is the stress of thinking what gifts we would buy to our bosses, families, relatives and friends. It is more stressful to think however, of what kind of gifts we would give to people who are opulent or those who have almost everything in life. Choosing the kind of gifts to our prospects is different. Being able to buy such is another.
Third is the traffic gridlocks and the volume of vehicles roaming our streets. It has been observed that people troop to their favorite places such as parks, restaurants and of course, to malls. This is one reason why the phrase “holiday rush” was coined perhaps.
Traffic jams are so stressful that they sometimes lead to road rages. One who is trapped in heavy traffic is often stressed leading to the rise of his temper. On such situation, even traffic law enforcers and other personnel manning the traffic gets a handful of stress too.
Then, some people have their worries on what more to prepare for Christmas including the turn of the New Year. Among those that are prepared for the occasions is the kind and quantity of food to eat. While food is usually abundant during this year end, there are families who cannot really afford to buy even some bread for their dining.
Filipinos are fond of getting prettier during occasions. This is the reason why beauty salons and parlors rake-in profits from their customers such as during the yuletide. People often complement these with clothes that are brand new.
Then there are other occasions that are entailed with the real occasion such as reunions for families or school batches. There are get-together parties or simple bonding too since the yuletide brings with it some non-working holidays or long weekends. These activities are merry-making opportunities. However, they suppress the time for solitude and quietness too.
While we are cherishing the happiness the yuletide brings, we need to be reminded that we need to avoid stress with the things that we do. We may want to just focus on the happiness and joy the season brings. More importantly, we need to put in our hearts the real reason why are having Christmas as an occasion and the reason why we in the whole Christendom are happy with the birthday of Jesus.
***
(For any comments, ideas, suggestions or opinions, text or call The Advocate at 0921-3636360 or send email at dencious@gmail.com)