How Manage Holiday Expectations

Did you know that the template for Christmas was created by Charles Dickens, Courier and Ives, and Christmas songs and stories? Yep, it's all manufactured. 

While most of them were created to give us feelings of joy and cheer, they also set this expectation that we all have wonderful, warm families, we're rich enough to give generously, have lots of friends, and have plenty of time to make our homes beautiful. 

The reality is that many of us don't like our family members, are deeply in debt, are lonely, and don't have time to shop, cook, clean, and decorate for the holidays.

So, how do we manage holiday expectations when the reality is so different? 

Your happy holidays don't have to follow a template. It can be however you want it to be. If you make a plan, set some boundaries, and stick to your guidelines, this can be the best one yet!

Do you have strategies that work for you? Share them with us in the comments.