Christmas countdown adds pressure after a tough year – Editorial
There are 10 weeks until Christmas and with the end of school, the social events of the season and the financial burdens this time of year presents, it can all get a little overwhelming.
It has been a tumultuous year, with bloody conflicts dragging on and tariff talk spooking the markets – which then seem to keep breaking new records in response.
Economies around the world have been sluggish, and regardless of where one lives, the cost of living has been dominating headlines.
None of this does much to engender the Christmas spirit. Relentless negativity can take a toll on our mental health and as much as we tell ourselves it is time to stop the doomscrolling, unplugging from what seems to be a world in turmoil is often easier said than done.
Around town, retailers already have Christmas goods on the shelves and Halloween is fast approaching.
The arrival of that imported tradition, which turns children into sugar-crazed fiends and leaves many adults hiding behind the couch at the sound of the doorbell, presages the descent into the Christmas season, with its end-of-year deadlines and pressures – both personal and professional. It is enough to leave the best of us exhausted.
As wellbeing coach Nikki Silvester recently told NZME, burnout isn’t simply tiredness.
“It’s the quiet drain on energy, confidence and joy – often right when we need them most.
“As the year winds down, everything seems to speed up. Projects demand to be finished, inboxes spill over and the pressure to get it all done before the holidays can feel relentless.”
So perhaps we need a change of mindset. Instead of concentrating on all the trouble in the world, look at what we can do to help.
Up and down the country, foodbanks are preparing to meet the Christmas demand. Community groups will be calling for volunteers, and families are planning how to make the most of what they have got.
Next time you are at the supermarket, buy a couple of extra cans of something and leave them in the donation trolley at the door.
Businesses have been doing it tough this year, so why not give Amazon a break and choose to shop locally.
Every present you tick off your to-buy list that you bought in this country is helping out a fellow Kiwi.
Keep in mind the grower who brings fresh produce to the market each weekend, or the baker supplying the Christmas mince pies you vow each year to cut back on, or a florist decorating the Christmas table.
They are all part of what makes New Zealand tick.
As we barrel toward the end of the year, instead of getting sucked into the madness of the silly season, take a deep breath, set some boundaries and try to enjoy rather than endure it.
Who knows, you might actually enjoy yourself.