Investigation has been done on a lot of random, some would say ridiculous, things. Thanks to the hard work of researchers who recorded and analyzed hundreds of conversations, we now know common words that are used when people are stressed out. As if it isn’t already fu@#ing obvious. One of the conclusions of this damn compelling study is that, like, we really like for the focus to stay on ourselves during very stressful times. (Stress indicators in italics) When you are stressed, apparently it’s no time to be thinking of others. How ironic is that, when you think of the holidays? The commercialization of Christmas has created a direct link between the holidays and stress. Our traditions have been creating a growing number of Scrooges. So if you are receiving fewer gifts than ever, it’s not necessarily your personality or a mere economic indicator.
Signs that You are a Scrooge
Many people are totally Scrooged during the holidays and others are, they themselves, Scrooges. If you’ve never really thought about and/or wondered whether you are a total Bah-Humbug during the Christmas season, the following indicators can help. You may be a person who dampens the spirit of the holidays for others if:
- You consider people who get really very excited about Christmas to be worse than annoying.
- You have been on more than one diatribe about hearing Christmas music before Thanksgiving. If you think the day after Thanksgiving is too soon, you may deserve a scoop of coal in your stocking.
- You aren’t just blasé about Christmas lights. You have visions about ripping them down off of your neighbor’s houses or causing entire cities to go into blackout mode just to shut down all the frickin’ hoopla.
- You destroy snowmen, with great pleasure.
- Scrooge is your favorite character, but you always turn off A Christmas Carol before your hero awakens on Christmas morn with a change of heart. Grinch is actually tied for first, and you turn off that show as he rides away with all the town’s stockings, food, Christmas trees, yule logs, and toys.
- Except for the booze, you despise Christmas parties almost as much as you hate seasonal cards.
Find your happy place
If you were already using stress indicators in your language before November arrived, you may be at risk for a very unjolly holiday. Embrace your inner Scrooge! Maybe that will give you a bit of seasonal joy.
