Take the pressure off: Top ways to support wellbeing over the Christmas period

Reframing Loneliness During the Holiday Period

Children remember how Christmas felt, not how perfect it looked. Taking the pressure off, focusing on balance and connection, and embracing moments of calm can help create a sense of safety and belonging that lasts long after Christmas ends.

Christmas is often described as “the most wonderful time of the year,” but for many families, it can also be one of the most stressful. Between disrupted routines, heightened expectations, and an overload of social events, it’s easy for children, parents and families to feel overwhelmed.

Mood swings, restlessness, or clinginess are common signs that a child’s routine or sense of balance has been knocked off course. Even small, thoughtful changes can make a real difference in helping children and young people feel a little more settled and supported over the Christmas period.

Finding the balance

One of the simplest ways to support wellbeing over Christmas is to help young people find balance across four key areas.

Body: Encourage physical activity, even gentle movement. A winter walk or dancing in the living room can help release endorphins which are the brain’s natural feel-good chemicals. Research shows that being active also helps regulate sleep and reduces anxiety.
Achieve: Children feel confident when they accomplish something, even small things. This can be built into everyday activities such as helping to wrap presents, setting the table, or learning a new board game. Each sense of achievement gives a boost of dopamine, helping children feel motivated and capable.
Connect: Relationships are at the heart of wellbeing. Plan moments to connect as a family or with friends, whether that’s baking, decorating the tree, or creating new traditions together. Asking questions, listening, and showing curiosity about how a child is feeling helps them to open up. These small interactions are involved in the release of oxytocin, the hormone linked to trust and emotional safety.
Enjoy: Among the busy days and social commitments, protect time for fun. Let children choose an activity they love or a hobby they haven’t done for a while. Joy and laughter naturally strengthen emotional resilience, improving mood and reducing stress.

The importance of routine

Routine gives children a sense of predictability, which helps them regulate their emotions. Shifts in bedtime or meals, or increases in screen time, can start to affect mood and behaviour.

Keeping to a familiar rhythm, as much as possible, can make a big difference. Families might try to keep bedtimes and wakeups close to normal, and limit screens before bed, particularly as blue light can interfere with sleep and heighten anxiety. Simple daily rituals such as reading together or talking about the day can also offer calm and consistency.

Children feel more secure when they know what to expect. The goal isn’t to create a perfect schedule, life often gets in the way, but rather to build stability in small, manageable ways.

Helping your child manage worry

It’s completely normal for children to worry more during busy or uncertain times. They might fret about seeing relatives they don’t know well or feel anxious about being away from routine.

Introducing a ‘worry time’ can help – a short daily window when a child can share what’s on their mind. By containing this time, it helps them learn that worries can be addressed rather than carried all day.

Proven grounding techniques:

Five senses: name five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, one you can taste.
Balloon breathing: inhale slowly through the nose, imagine inflating a balloon in your belly, then exhale gently through the mouth.
Alphabet game: pick a theme (like animals or foods) and name one for every letter through A to Z.

These techniques calm the body’s stress response and give children tools to manage big feelings and is also something they’ll carry with them long after Christmas.

Handling conflict and family tensions

Even in loving families, conflict can arise when everyone is tired, overstimulated, or under pressure. The key is not to avoid it, but to handle it calmly and constructively.

Where possible, it helps to:

Wait until emotions settle before talking things through
Take time to listen. Children need to feel heard before they can take on guidance
Describe emotions clearly and simply – saying “I’m feeling tired right now, so I might need a moment” can go a long way

If anyone overreacts, apologise and start again.

This demonstrates to children that disagreements are a normal part of family life, and that they can be resolved with empathy and understanding.

Looking after yourself as a parent

A parent or caregiver’s wellbeing sets the emotional tone for the household. Children are highly attuned to the emotions of adults around them and if parents are feeling exhausted or anxious, they often sense it too.

Making time for rest and connection, whether through a walk, a chat with a friend, or half an hour to read or watch something enjoyable helps to reduce stress and restore balance. It isn’t selfish, it’s essential. As the saying goes, you can’t pour from an empty cup.

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