Yes, It’s O.K. to Be Sad During the Holidays
Sometimes the holiday spirit just passes us by, and that’s perfectly normal.
All I want for Christmas is a nap.
The more I try to get into the holiday spirit — you know, the way everyone else seems to be — the sadder and more anxious I become.
“Forced happiness makes us feel more sad, upset and lonely because we are faking our feelings,” said Dr. Judith Orloff, author of “Thriving as an Empath.”
“Putting on a false front to impress others or prove to them how fine we really are can make us feel like a total impostor,” he said.
Feeling like a sad sack of coal during the holidays is far from unusual. Between the crowds, dwindling bank accounts and tundralike weather (not to mention the short window of sunlight), it’s a wonder any of us can keep it together.