Achieving an Atmosphere of Holiday “Togetherness”

There’s no hiding from it, the holiday season is upon us! While this seemingly wonderful winter wonderland might be bringing joy to your world, it might just be the hardest time of year for others. This holiday season, don’t forget to be aware of those suffering from the dreaded “holiday blues” as well as those celebrating other religions and holidays.

As families and friends gather, be mindful and supportive of those who struggle during the holiday season. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reports that 64% of people with mental illness find that the holidays make their condition worse. The holidays have a way of creating a social pressure to be joyous, remembering old memories, and oftentimes straining yourself financially to buy gifts or travel. Even though holiday celebrations are often centered around food and drink, remember that alcohol is a depressant and shouldn’t be consumed in excess when feeling down. Apart from dropping a few coins in those Salvation Army kettles, communicate your feelings and expectations with your loved ones. Be an active listener for someone who is struggling or feeling sad this holiday season. Most importantly, look forward to creating new memories rather than focusing on the past.

This is time of year when workplaces, families, and friends all gather to have “Christmas” parties. It’s a long tradition of mingling, eating, and present-exchanging games, but not everyone celebrates Christmas. Approximately 6% of the US population celebrates Hanukkah and 2% celebrate Kwanzaa – and roughly 45% of all marriages this century are interfaith. This means that millions of people are celebrating other holidays like Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, or maybe a combination of a few. Some might even be celebrating the holiday Seinfeld made famous: Festivus! Here are a few infographics to help understand all of the celebrations this holiday season.

*Infographic designs and information adapted from [1], [2], [3], [4] and [5].