'Tis the stressful season: Tips to handle the holidays

It's supposed to be a time of joy but many people can find the holidays stressful.

Michelle Buglas, manager of community adult programs with the Saskatoon Health Region, gave some advice on how to handle the holidays.

Do you see more people feeling stressed this time of year?

There's a lot of extra pressure this time of year for people around the holidays. Planning special events, family functions maybe there's family that youdon't see very often and maybe you don't want to see them as often as you do.

So there's a lot of extra pressure, for sure:The expenses, the lonelinessand so on.

How do you suggest people navigate some of those difficult family situations?

Setting boundaries, for sure, is very important. Knowing your limits and being OK with that, being able to say:'You know what?This is what we're going to do with our family this year and this is what's going to be helpful for us.'

So, being able to set those boundaries and make them clear with other family members ahead of time so that they know.

And accepting that you won't be able to do everything and that's OK.

What should people do if they're feeling lonely?

If a person is isolated from their family, finding some way to communicate with them, but even reaching out and connecting with other people.

Maybe there's somewhere you can volunteer.Maybe there's a community group that would take you in or another family just some way that you're connected to other people during that holiday season is important.

If you can't be with your immediate family, be with someone else.

What advice do you have so that money doesn't become an issue?

Setting a budget and sticking to it. I know in our family, we set a budget:We put that amount of money into an account and that's all we spend.

Remembering not to compare yourself to others and not think that you have to keep up with everybody else. You don't have to buy the biggest, most expensive gift.

Often, it's the small acts of kindness that are the most meaningful and significant.