Redefining Holidays

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A research by Wake Forest University has challenged the traditional view of happy holidays by pointing out that the higher our expectations, the less likely we are to be actually happy.

Researcher Samuel Gladding says it is the pressure to be happy that often leads to sadness and even depression during the holidays.

Children expect to do many things but during the course of the holidays cant do anything that can actually make them happy. Gladding shares five tips for more realistic holiday expectations and a redefinition of what it means to have a happy holiday season.

Don't idealise the holidays

It's paradoxical that the more you try to live up to a level of expectation, the more frustrated, disappointed and unhappy you are likely to be with yourself and others. So don't put too much pressure on yourself to make everything just right. Live with the flow of the day and enjoy the sense of nothingness.

Accept people for who they are

Just as we idealise the holidays, we also have an ideal of how we think people should behave. We expect each person to behave in a particular manner, ranging from their table manners to the way they dress to a whole lot of other things. Try and adjust with people having different habits, unless they're doing something totally unacceptable. Its better to enjoy people for who they are instead of who you want them to be.

Tell stories

Talking about good times and good memories with others is inspiring and gives us a great feeling. We enjoy talking about good memories that we share with those whom we are not in touch any more. Though some memories make us melancholias , most of us enjoy remembering good old memories.

Take unilateral action

It's always hard to stop family feuds once they have started, but the holidays are a perfect time to call a truce. Just as nations take unilateral action during conflicts, sometimes we as individuals have to take such actions as well. We can tell ourselves that no matter what someone says, we're not going to react.

Do some voluntary work

If you find yourself at home and depressed, think of ways to help someone else. There's always a need for volunteers in the society. You can go and visit homeless shelters or an orphanage. Holidays are the best time to do social work and give it back to the community. Helping people who are in need gives and extreme sense of happiness and pleasure.