Welcome to the holiday season - the end of the year stretch where many of us stress about traveling, financial constraints, shopping, holiday parties, and family get togethers. While this season is meant to bring everyone together, you may find yourself wanting some alone time to step back and de-stress a little bit. If you’re one of those people who prefers to cozy up on the couch next to a fireplace sipping some hot chocolate instead of stampeding through crowds at the store, you’re not alone!

According to our latest survey of 1,000 Americans ages 18-34, more than one-third (39.9%) would skip the holiday season this year due to the stress associated with it. Additionally, more than one-third reported they are getting stressed about the holidays even earlier than previous years. Of those with children, 27% start stressing about the holiday season by the beginning of November!

Would you eliminate anything this holiday season?

Certain situations may be more stressful to different people. How would you feel if you could eliminate something that creates stress this holiday season? When asked what they would remove from the holidays, more than 30 percent (31.7%) of survey respondents would eliminate Black Friday all together. Nearly 20 percent (17.2%) of those with kids would remove the Elf on a Shelf tradition, while nearly 15 percent (14.6%) of Americans would remove Starbucks holiday cups from the holiday season.

Remember yourself this holiday season.

The gift-giving season tends to make us reflect on everyone else but ourselves. As more Americans are under considerable stress during this time of year, it’s important to take the time to support your own mental health and well-being. Whether traveling, hosting family dinner, or even rushing to finish some projects at work, stress during this time of year is often much higher than normal. Here are a few tips to help you combat holiday stress:

• Try a breathing or meditation exercise. Find a quiet spot where you can sit and clear your mind for a few minutes, or use an app like Total Brain to guide you through it.
• Stay focused on the task. Our minds tend to wander and think about other things, especially during this busy time of the year. By keeping yourself focused on one task at a time, you’ll be able to keep yourself on track to finish. Then, you can cross that task off your list and stop stressing about it!
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Whether friends and family or a professional practitioner, acknowledging you need some help can go a long way to eliminate stress during the holiday season. You may want to ask someone to take care of the kids while you go shopping, or request that others bring something to dinner so you’re not responsible for cooking everything. If things start to seem impossible, don’t be afraid to seek out professional help.

No matter what you do this holiday season, remember to stay safe and be mindful about your mental health!