IT’S the festive season; for some, it’s the most wonderful time of the year—except for when it isn’t. Although the festivities can be joyful and exciting, it can also be exhausting. There’s a typical Guyanese tradition of deep-cleaning for the Christmas season. People would always deep clean their entire house, from outside to the inside, before or during the holiday season. This is a common practice, but it can also be tiring, especially for those who are busy working without additional support or assistance.

The holiday season is also filled with a lot of extra hours spent at work, less sleep, and more shopping, and sometimes it feels like there aren’t enough hours in a day to complete it all. You also worry a little more about finances because things can get quite pricey during the holidays.

Holiday shopping is also taxing because you must shop for food, gifts, and even holiday decor during this time. Let’s not forget the actual day of Christmas and Christmas Eve, which involves cooking and baking. Those delicious Guyanese black cakes don’t bake themselves—someone has to do it.

If you’re feeling exhausted and overwhelmed before the holiday season then you may be experiencing Christmas or festive burnout. For some people, the end of the year means they may have to meet strict deadlines for work. It may mean they must complete additional tasks and responsibilities before the year or season ends. There’s also the added stress of gift shopping for your loved ones. It isn’t a requirement, yet many people still feel a burden or need to purchase gifts during this time, even if it’s outside their budget.

There’s also many festive activities, such as parties and festivals, that people may want to attend. All in all, it can be a very busy season, and it can be very stressful. While we may always have stressors to overcome, the holiday season adds more than usual. Hence, many people will feel overwhelmed and possibly burnt out.

I also experience my own bits of festive burnout, but I’ve learned some tips that help ease the stress during this time. I find that planning ahead works best if you know you have a lot to do during the holidays. Try not to wait until the last moment and pace yourself. Create a checklist of priority and non-priority tasks to complete. If possible, start early, possibly in October or November, starting with your priority tasks.

I try not to leave all of my holiday tasks for December itself because it is never enjoyable when you have to complete task after task. Where’s the fun in that? I believe the holidays are meant to be celebrated and enjoyed, and we must not forget that. We should spend less time worrying and stressing over the planning and preparation and start to live in the moment of the festivities. If you notice you’re experiencing festive burnout, always take a break and learn when to say no when you feel you can’t do more.