What do the holidays mean to you? Joy? Fellowship with friends and family? Stress?  For some people, the holidays are a time of stress, anxiety or even sadness.  Often times these feelings are the result of thinking of loved ones passed, financial difficulties or regret.

There are ways to cope with holiday stress that allow you to acknowledge your feelings yet keep you in the holiday spirit. Here are some tips that help to combat Holiday Blues:

1. Create a reasonable budget to keep from over spending.

2. Take a mental break from the holiday season by doing something YOU enjoy.  Read a book or go for a walk to relax your mind and refocus.

3. Get crafty and make special holiday gifts.  This is a great way to curb holiday spending while still letting others know that you are thinking of them.

4. Avoid spending the holidays alone.  Seek solace with friends and family.

5. Relieve pressure to purchase a gift for everyone attending your holiday festivities by playing Secret Santa.  Set a spending limit and ask everyone to write down 3 things they would like to have.  Have everyone draw a name and play Secret Santa.  Everyone is sure to leave the gathering with a gift they wanted.

6. Give back to the community. Volunteer to serve a holiday meal at a local shelter or to read holiday stories to kids.

Outside of that enjoy the unusual amount of joy and happiness that is floating around the world this time of year and soak it in!