4 comments:

Anonymous said...

To Pearl,

Hey, you're better off than most other people around the world during Christmas. Just think, you could be half way around the world spending Christmas away from your closest family members. I'm not sure about Asian countries, but Christmas for western countries is a big hype and a massive headache. (I guess for Asian countries, giving "Red Pocket Money" can be a financial burden during Chinese New Year too.)

Here is an interesting article:


Last Update: Monday, December 25, 2006. 8:31am (AEDT)
Counsellors expecting stress to take its toll over Christmas

Counselling services are expecting an increase in the number of helpline calls due to stress and depression over the Christmas and New Year period.

Wendy Sturges, chief executive officer of Crisis Support Services, says high expectations of having a good time can make the festive season difficult for many.

She says stress related to work and finances and trying to live up to the Hollywood image of Christmas can cause emotional turmoil among families.

"I think a lot of people get to Christmas thoroughly exhausted and then going into a busy family time and it's not a good combination and people sometimes drink too much, say too much and perhaps eat too much and have given too much and therefore sometimes they're left feeling quite at a deficit financially, emotionally, spiritually," she said.

Men separated from their families are being urged to contact counselling services if they experience emotional stress over Christmas.

Around 66 per cent of separated men do not live with their children and they are often less likely than women to seek help.

Ms Sturges says even men living with their families can be under extreme pressure as they struggle to live up to Christmas expectations.

She says calls from distressed men increase significantly over the holiday period.

"At Christmas time, there's a lot of media hype about family and Christmas time of course by definition is a time for family, for celebration and for happiness," she said.

"For men who don't get to see their kids at Christmas time in particular it can be a really isolating time, it's a lonely time, it's a time of remembering that the family's fractured."

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200612/s1818100.htm

8:34 AM  

Anonymous said...

To Pearl,

Another interesting article:

Christmas stress for millions
By Benedict Moore-Bridger

MORE than two million Londoners find Christmas a stressful event, according to new figures.

The research, released by TalktoaCoun- sellor.co.uk, revealed that just under 2.3 million Londoners find the celebration causes them high levels of stress.

The main reason was the financial cost, the figures showed.

Causing almost as much concern was shopping, with a third of Londoners feeling that this was the most stressful element.

And the pressures of seeing family over the festive season ranked as the third most stressful part of Christmas.

Julia Bellerby, from TalktoaCounsellor.co.uk, said: "Our research shows that Christmas can be extremely stressful for millions of adults across the UK and it is important to recognise how stress can affect us. We must remember that alongside the mental pressures, there are also physical effects of stress, such as tension headaches, irritability and anger.
Advertisement continued...

"The better we deal with the effects the less likely we are to develop unhealthy coping mechanisms. It's important to recognise the signs of stress and to keep in the back of your mind a few techniques that can help.

"Give yourself spending limits, try not to leave everything to the last minute and try to practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing exercises."

More than half the people surveyed however reported their biggest comfort as they struggle through Christmas is the knowledge that it won't last that long.

6:19am Monday 18th December 2006

Source: http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/topstories/display.var.1077547.0.christmas_stress_for_millions.php

8:36 AM  

Anonymous said...

To Pearl,

If you have the cash and the time, a short vacation is a good option for the holiday season.


Canadians trying to reduce stress by spending Christmas in the sun

MICHELLE MCQUIGGE, Canadian Press

TORONTO (CP) - While many Canadians love being home for the holidays, there are those who find palm trees more appealing than Christmas trees on Dec. 25.

As pressures mount to complete holiday shopping, wrap the perfect gifts, and prepare a turkey dinner for 12, some people choose to eschew the whole tradition and seek refuge from the stress under sunny skies.

Sean Shannon, managing director of the online travel provider Expedia.ca, said the Christmas season is one of the busiest times of the year, and Dec. 23 is traditionally the most hectic travel day across the country.

"In some cases, people may be travelling back home to spend time with family. But for other folks, they see it as a good break in the action and a chance to get away and recharge," Shannon said in an interview.

Yixin Hsieh will be among this year's horde of Christmas-time travellers when she boards a flight to Florida on Dec. 20.

For the past 19 years, she and her family have gathered on Marco Island to spend the holiday season in a tropical climate.

In spite of the fact that Hsieh's mother puts on a turkey dinner each year, Hsieh said Christmas never feels like a busy time down south.

"It never feels hectic in Florida. It's such a slow-paced place," she said. "People are really laid-back. It's just like going to the cottage."

The idea of a more conventional Christmas complete with bustling malls and brisk winter weather holds little appeal for Hsieh, who said she sees Christmas as a chance to relax and get caught up with family scattered around the globe.

Atsuko Hashimoto, associate professor in Brock University's department of Tourism and Environment in St. Catharines, Ont., said the allure of escaping from traditional Christmas pressures is often what tempts people to spend money on pricey vacations.

She said in some cases, trips have become substitutes for Christmas presents, thereby eliminating one of the most stressful elements of the holiday season.

She praised the tourism industry for recognizing this trend and for responding with packages designed with holiday-weary travellers in mind.

"They (tourism companies) are offering all-inclusive or semi-board packages so that people don't have to worry," she said. "They don't have to cook, they don't have to prepare for parties. These seem to be the products they're trying to sell."

Hashimoto also attributes the rising travel trend to a shift in how Christmas is perceived in Canadian society.

"Christianity is no longer the dominant religion and has lost a lot of its significance," she said. "The religious tone has been diluted, and that's the reason why many people see it as a non-religious celebration where they can take time off."

For Hsieh's family, the annual Christmas vacation has as much to do with practicality as with the need to get away.

With schools closed for the holidays and many offices enforcing a break, Hsieh said many family members find themselves with the free time to come down to take part in the festivities.

"My mom's sisters wound up getting time shares in the same condo complex as us, so it's become a bit of a reunion," she said.

Hsieh's family is in the minority of Christmas travellers, according to Lori Ramlochan, branch manager of Marlon Travel.

In her experience booking clients, she has found that the December trips tend to be one-offs that are rarely repeated.

"If a family's done it one year, we don't usually see them booking it again the next year," she said. "It could be the cost, or maybe they just miss the traditional Christmas."

One consistent trend is the popularity of tropical destinations.

Ramlochan said most of her clients shy away from ski trips or jaunts to Europe, preferring instead to visit warmer and less expensive countries such as Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba.

"I guess the climate helps (you) feel like you're doing something different," she said.

The Canadian Press, 2006

12/5/2006 15:53 EST

Source: http://entertainment.channels.aol.ca/travel/article.adp?id=20061205155709990005

8:37 AM  

Anonymous said...

Oh yah, so after Christmas Day there is the Dec 26th boxing day crazy shopping at the mall for those post-Christmas bargains. Back to long line-ups and spending more money. :)

8:56 AM  

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