Do you cringe like the Grinch when holiday decorations come out? You are far from alone. Navigating the holiday season when it is not “your thing” may make you feel like you come from the land of misfit toys. But just because you are not filled with holiday cheer this time of year does not mean something is wrong with you. Accepting how you feel about holidays and examining why you feel the way you do will go a long way towards a brighter season.

Embrace Your Inner Scrooge
So, you don't love all the festivities. It is okay if the holidays are hard on you. When you feel cranky, do those around you a favor and give yourself a day to indulge your inner Scrooge. Then do your best to get in the spirit, or not. There are several reasons why you may feel less than festive right now. Perhaps you do not have a big family and wish you did, or you have a clan with a host of less than heavenly issues. Or maybe you recently experienced a loss or breakup, battle depression, or are newly sober and aren’t feeling up to mingling and jingling. Whatever your circumstances, you can weather this season however works best for you.

Break The Holiday Rules
What do you usually do on holidays? Now is your chance to break the traditional (jello) mold! While it may seem that “rules” and expectations about how the holidays should go are absolutes, believe it or not, you really do not have to follow suit. Think outside the “holiday box!” Doing things differently than your parents, friends, or neighbors is okay. If you do not want to send holiday cards, attend umpteen holiday parties, or participate in an ugly holiday sweater day, then you don’t have to. How you choose to “show up” is entirely up to you! Try new things, new traditions, and new recipes. You don’t like turkey dinner? You can stray from that type of meal altogether or take the day off from cooking to dine at the cornucopia of restaurants serving non-traditional foods. Not a football fan? Rather than enduring through the raucous yelling and the play-by-play of the announcers, go to the movies and watch something you enjoy! If you have no religious ties to December 25th, treat it like any other vacation day, doing whatever you like. While everyone else is scurrying around, cooking, and throwing labels on last-minute gifts, you can sit back and read a book if that tickles your fancy.

How To Make It Through
When seemingly hopeless situations arise during the "cheery" holidays, it can be especially difficult. Here are some scenarios that may reflect your life today and ideas to help you get through the holidays with your sanity, or Santa-ty, intact:

How to get through the holidays with family:
The holidays can be rough if you have painful childhood memories or a dysfunctional family. So, mom nags you to fix your hair, dad lectures about saving money, or siblings razz you about your lifestyle choices. You can set boundaries with them ahead of time about topics you are not comfortable discussing. Should they not honor your limits, you can excuse yourself when the trespassing begins. Do your best to try accepting how you feel about them while recognizing you cannot change their actions. If you know being with family is not safe for you emotionally, you can opt not to go. It will ruffle a few feathers, but it is not the end of the world. Once they recognize that you are serious, you may consider attending next year. Should things go awry again, you can make other plans moving forward. Those who were unable to have children may feel pangs of sadness watching their siblings celebrate the holidays with their kids. While you may want to dote on your nieces or nephews, if you are strapped financially or don’t relish racking up credit card debt to buy holiday gifts, suggest drawing names to avoid feeling like Ebenezer. The holidays take a different spin when parents age, and you now host the holiday dinners. Allow yourself to be sad that mom is no longer entertaining like Martha Stewart and give her extra love, as she may be sad, too. Whatever stage or status, see if you can find something to be grateful for and appreciate about each person, and remember that not everyone has someone who deeply cares about their well-being and security.

How to get through the holidays without family:
Seeing other families enjoying holiday plans may make you feel left out. You can create a new family with other “orphans” who are in the same boat. Sometimes, the “family” you choose can be much more like-minded than families of origin, making for a much more peaceful and joyous occasion. Another way to get through this time is to help those less fortunate than you. Getting out of yourself and serving food to the homeless and other people who are displaced can increase gratitude.

How to get through the holidays after a breakup:
Sometimes, how to get through the holidays alone plagues people who are recently “uncoupled.” We know snuggling up and watching your favorite holiday movie is not the same when you are single, but now is your chance to see flicks that your ex snubbed (maybe veer away from rom-coms, though). Permit yourself to be alone and stay off their social feed and dating apps while healing. If being alone chills your heart, volunteering is an excellent antidote to change your perspective and recognize that being unattached has its pluses. With a grateful, positive attitude, you can meet up with other single friends to ring in the New Year with a world of possibilities ahead. Treat yourself to skin-pampering holiday gifts like our Youthful Glow & Luscious Lips in Gift Box to be ready for that kiss under the mistletoe for the end-of-year countdown.

How to get through the holidays if you are an introvert:
If people chatting and smiling at parties makes you feel uncomfortable, you can RSVP with a no. Remember, RSVP means “Respond, if you please,” not “attendance is required.”  If you suffer from social anxiety disorder or simply do not want to go, you do not have to force yourself to attend. Schedule one-on-one get-togethers, gift exchanges, or treat yourself to an at-home spa day. Light a candle, and envelop your skin in the Chocolate Indulgence Holiday Gift Set. The exfoliating chocolate scrub and delicious chocolate moisturizer can be used on your face and body, leaving skin silky smooth and your senses relaxed. Or use the Pevonia Countdown to Fabulous Skin Advent Calendar or one of our other generous spa boxes to give yourself a clean skincare facial.

How to get through the holidays while grieving:
When you have recently lost a loved one, the holiday sparkle loses its shine. Despite the urgings of friends and family to attend festivities, you can bow out if the only smile you could muster would be inauthentic. Allowing yourself to grieve is crucial for the healing process. Some find being around those who knew your loved one most comforting, while others find getting away is a better way to help them process their painful memories. Of course, should things become especially dark, seek out a support group or professional who can guide you through your loss.

How to get through the holidays with depression:
Feeling gloomy when others are making merry may be a sign of depression. Should feeling blue or negative during the holidays affect your ability to function, you might want to explore any negative experiences you had tied to the holidays. With the holidays taking up two out of twelve months of the year, that is quite a while to experience this pall over your mood. Sadness this time of year may have nothing to do with the actual holidays. When all-encompassing melancholy coincides with winter, you may be experiencing seasonal affective disorder. See a physician to discuss this seasonally induced depression, and they may prescribe light therapy to help you get through these darker, shorter days.

How to get through the holidays sober:
Those who are newly sober without their accustomed coping method need to buffer themselves against chaotic holiday stress. Sticking with sober friends, attending meetings, and using phone lists of other sober folks are essential tools of sobriety. Avoiding places where alcohol is served, bringing a sober friend, and driving separately so you can leave when events get rowdy, are prudent options.

Go From Grinch to Gorgeous
After embracing your inner Grinch, minimize those frown lines and embrace the wonder of the season. The Youth-Boosting Revival Myoxy-Caviar® Holiday Gift Set with a gentle wrinkle-smoothing alternative to neuromodulators will help keep your scowl away. Or, to prevent furrows from taking up residence, the Gleaming Glow Collagen Holiday Gift Set will do the trick. Other great holiday gift ideas to uplift your spirit and complexion include the Cheerfully Rejuvenated Plant Based Stem Cells Holiday Gift Set, Festively Firming Elastin Holiday Gift Set, or Illuminating Repair Lumafirm® Holiday Gift Set. To maximize results for the healthiest skin, boost skin health with an in-depth consultation for your ideal products and professional treatments. VisitFind A Spa for an oasis near you offering Pevonia and ask for the Myoxy-Caviar® Cream Mask Treatment, Collagen Infusion Treatment, Elastin & Sorghum Intensifier Ampoule Treatment, Stem Cells Phyto-Elite® Freeze-Dried Treatment, or Lumafirm® Lift & Glow/Freeze-Dried Facial Treatment.