For many people, the holidays are joyful and full of fun experiences. However, there are those who struggle with being happy in the midst of the busy Christmas season. Whether it’s because of stress, bad memories, or the recent loss of a loved one, holidays can be difficult.

The movies and commercials that are constantly on TV during Christmastime give us warm, fuzzy feelings, but usually aren’t a good representation of what families are actually like. Not everyone has the perfect parents in matching red sweaters, or the sweet grandma who bakes cookies by the dozens. Those things are nice, but not realistic for some families. During the holiday season, it’s important that we don’t idealize what we see in the movies because honestly, we are just setting ourselves up for disappointment.

Another thing that’s so easy to do during this time of year is compare ourselves to other people. Coming back to school after Christmas break, we can get caught up in comparing our gifts and experiences with those of our friends. “So-and-so got the new iPhone, and all I did was hear my mom nag about her sister for two weeks straight.” Even if your Christmas is more stressful than joyful, remember that everyone has things going on that can’t be seen on the outside. We are all humans with personal struggles, but just because a struggle is personal, that doesn’t mean you are alone in it.

This Christmas, we should all try to live in the moment with the people who love us. It can be difficult to be full of joy and cheer in the midst of a crazy life or painful situation, but hopefully this holiday season can be peaceful and refreshing for everyone. However, if it isn’t, you aren’t alone in that. Here at the Paw Print, we wish you not a perfect Christmas, (because that doesn’t exist) but a Christmas where you feel appreciated and loved. Happy Holidays!